DHCS has issued this letter to explain that those individuals granted deferred action status through DACA are eligible for full-scope state-funded Medi-Cal as PRUCOLs. Individuals must meet all other Medi-Cal eligibility requirements. DACA status will be verified through the federal data hub, SAVE, or by the applicant. Counties will need to grant full scope through an eligibility workaround.
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
ACIN I-46-14: Title XX Social Services Block Grant Pre-Expenditure Report (8/15/14)
This report summarizes Title XX expenditures, program responsibilities, and the population served. The programs covered are Child Welfare Services, Foster Care, Community Care Licensing, Deaf Access, CalWORKs Child Care, CDE Child Care Programs, and the DDS Regional Center Program. [Download]
ACIN I-42-14: The Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program (8/1/14)
Introductory information regarding the Approved Relative Caregiver (ARC) Funding Option Program enacted by SB 855. Relatives who care for a non-federally eligible child in foster care is not eligible to receive foster care payments. Instead, the relatives can get CalWORKs payments. The CalWORKs benefits are not a per-child payment, however, but are based on the size of the family as a whole, and are less than the AFDC-FC rate. To address this issue, the Legislature has enacted the ARC Funding Option Program, which gives counties the option to provide funding equal to the basic foster care rate to an approved relative caregiver of a non-federally eligible child. [Download]
ACL 14-47: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING SIPs IN THE CalWORKs WELFARE-TO-WORK PROGRAM
The latest info on SIPs, of note, including “structured education plans” that include a transfer to a 4 year college. [Download]
DHCS MEDIL I 14-44: Processing State Residency Verifications on Pending and Current Applications in the California Health Care Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention System (CalHEERS) and the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) (8/1/14)
DHCS provided this updated information on processing state residency verifications for pending and current applications through SAWS and CalHEERS. Previously, the paper verification of state residency status had been suspended until 8/1/14. That suspension is now extended until further notice. Attestation by verbal contact or listing of California address is sufficient.
DHCS MEDIL I 14-43: Information Concerning the Future Implementation of the Full-Scope Medi-Cal Coverage and Affordability and Benefit Program for Low-Income Pregnant Women and Newly Qualified Immigrants (NQIs) (7/30/14)
DHCS issued this letter to the counties about the implementation of the new Full-scope Medi-Cal coverage and affordability benefits program for low-income women and non-qualifying immigrants, to be operational no sooner than 1/1/15.
Currently, Medi-Cal limits full-scope benefits to pregnant women under 60% FPL and pregnancy-only Medi-Cal to those between 60%-208% FPL. Recent legislation established an affordability wrap between Medi-Cal and QHPs purchased through Covered California where pregnant women and non-qualifying (5 year bar) immigrants in a Covered California plan could have out-of-pocket expenses (including copays, premiums and deductibles) paid for by Medi-Cal.
Once these programs are fully implemented, pregnant women under 138% FPL will qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal. Pregnant women between 138-213% FPL who are enrolled in a Covered California QHP will have the option to enroll in the wrap. NQIs who would have been eligible for Medi-Cal due to MAGI expansion rules would enroll in a QHP with automatic enrollment in the wrap.
The letter also discusses the implementation process to be followed leading up to January 2015.