Because of ARRA Medi-Cal is suspending midyear status reports (MSRs) for most children. This letter provides very detailed information regarding who is not subject to MSRs, including example case situations, FAQs, and forms. It should be read in conjunction with ACWDL 09-31, discussing the suspension of 6 month continuing eligibility for children. It supersedes all of the past letters on MSRs. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations
medi-cal
ACWDL 09-31: Suspension of the 6 month CEC program period and restoration of 12 month CEC (7/8/09)
ACWDL 09-41: PARIS residency verification pilot program (7/30/09)
The Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) is an information sharing system that includes three different data matches. The PARIS-Interstate match allows states to compare their beneficiary information with other states. Beginning July 1, 2009 DHCS will run a two year pilot program using PARIS-Interstate match. DHCS will send residency verification notices to some Medi-Cal beneficiaries that PARIS identifies as receiving a public assistance benefit in another state. The notice will include a reply card that beneficiaries must return within ten days; if the card is not returned, or the beneficiary does not contact their worker, within ten days the beneficiary will be cut off Medi-Cal. DHCS will send a post-disenrollment notice indicating the reason for disenrollment; the notice will include information on how to request a fair hearing. [Download]
ACWDL 09-39: The Healthy Families program wait list county responsibilities (7/16/09)
On June 29, 2009, MRMIB made a finding of insufficient funds and is limiting new enrollment of children into the Healthy Families Program (HFP). Effective July 17, 2009 all new eligible HFP applicants will be placed on a waiting list. During the wait list period, when a beneficiary fills out a single point of entry application it will continue to be income screened applications for both no cost Medi-Cal and the HFP. If the applicant is determined Healthy Families eligible they will be sent a letter telling them they are on the waiting list and advising them that they may be eligible for several programs including SOC Medi-Cal. Their application will NOT be automatically sent on to Medi-Cal; the applicant has to then apply for Medi-Cal to get SOC Medi-Cal. Workers will continue to forward the information of children who have been assessed a SOC on to Healthy Families so the child can secure a place on the wait list; and children will still get a bridge month wit no SOC. The letter includes several changes to the consent language regarding Medi-Cal forwarding information to Healthy Families. [Download]
ACWDL 09-37: 2009/2010 Family member maximum base allocation amount (7/9/09)
Effective July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010, the family member maximum base allocation amount (used to determine how much the LTC beneficiary may allocate to family members) for a family member living with the community spouse of a beneficiary with LTC status is $1822 (the 2008/2009 family member maximum base allocation amount was $1,750). [Download]
ACWDL 09-36: Termination of the WATS phone service (7/7/09)
Third Party Liability’s (TPL) Wide Area Telephone System (WATS) will no longer be answered. Workers, providers, beneficiaries, and advocates will have to e-mail or fax in requests for removal of erroneous other health coverage. Beneficiaries can request that their workers send in the request on their behalf. Request should be sent via secure e-mail to WATS@dhcs.ca.gov or faxed to (916) 464-0851. [Download]