Striving for regularity through regulations, not Metemusil. These final regulations bring uniformity to the Regional Market Rates for CalWORKs and other subsidized child care programs. (Portions of the emergency regulations were suspended with the budget trailer bill.) Of note: Payment to license-exempt providers cannot exceed the RMR ceilings; Parents may utilize multiple providers if a single provider cannot accommodate the certified need for care, broader coverage of private recreation programs exempt from licensure. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
DHS ACL 04-31 – Questions and Answers on SB 87 Medi-Cal Redetermination Process for Discontinued SSI/SSP Beneficiaries as Ordered in Craig v. Bonta (October 22, 2004)
Clarifies the policy directives in ACL 03-24. Clarifies that if the SSA discontinuance reason is “no longer disabled” the beneficiary can still allege a disability but it must be a disability different from the disability under which the SSI/SSP was granted. Discusses ongoing eligibility for Personal Care Services (PCS) and In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) during redetermination. [Download]
DHS ACL 04-29 – CalWORKs Family Reunification Program (October 7, 2004)
Informs counties of the CalWORKs Family Reunification (FR) Program. FR cases are CalWORKs cases in which the children have been removed from the home and placed in out-of-home care by the county child welfare services agency. Under CalWORKs rules, the children are considered temporarily absent from the Assistance Unit while their parents are receiving reunification services. However, under federal Medicaid rules the children are not considered temporarily absent because they have been removed from the home. Therefore the reunification parents are not eligible for Section 1931(b) and Medically Needy Medi-Cal programs. The letter reiterates that the Medi-Cal eligibility worker must reevaluate the case to determine whether the parents qualify under another Medi-Cal program. [Download]
DHS ACL 04-28 – New Camera-Ready Notices of Action and Transitional Medi-Cal Flyer (August 30, 2004)
Provides counties with copies of English and Spanish Notices of Action (NOAs) that were revised to reflect the requirements from Midyear Status Reporting, SB 87, and Sneede v. Kizer net nonexempt income determination. The Transitional Medi-Cal (TMC) flyer has been revised to reflect the elimination of the second year of TMC. [Download]
DHS ACL 04-26 – Pregnancy Exemption for the Midyear Status Report (July 8, 2004)
Informs counties that all pregnant women are exempt from the MSR requirement (see ACL 03-41). To qualify for the exemption, pregnant women must report their pregnancy to the county eligibility worker. DHS plans to revise the MSR form (MC 176 S) at a later date to reflect this new guideline. [Download]
ACL 04-39 – CalWORKs Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) Chart (November 2, 2004)
Here’s the IRT chart for 2004. (This is the amount of income which triggers the mandatory CalWORKs mid-quarter income report). The ACL reminds counties they must send an informing notice that provides the IRT limits, individualized for each CalWORKs case, (1) at least once a quarter; (2) at redetermination/recertification; (3) anytime there are changes in the CalWORKs AU or Family MAP size; (4) when there is a change of persons who are required to report income; and (5) upon recipient request. And whenever the IRT chart is updated. In other words, constantly! [Download]