This ACWDL follows up on ACWDL 07-34 which implemented the requirements of SB 1469. SB 1469 required DHCS to develop a Medi-Cal application process for juveniles incarcerated for 30 days or longer. The application process enables counties to establish Medi-Cal eligibility immediately upon release if the juvenile is determined eligible. This ACWDL provides a point of contact for each county who will work with juvenile detention facilities to implement the requirements of SB 1469. The list of points of contact at the juvenile detention facilities is still being compiled. [Download]

The title says it all. TMC, which provides an additional six to twelve months of Medi-Cal eligibility to beneficiaries discontinued from the Section 1931(b) program due to earnings from employment, has a new sunset date of June 30, 2009. The sunset date has been extended several times in the past. [Download]

DHCS has decided that exchanging data through paper or microfiche is no longer secure. Starting in August the state data exchange report will only be available through secure file transfer protocol. This should be a big cost saver to counties as they will no longer have to travel back to 1980 to get their microfiche readers fixed. [Download]

The federal government contributes to states’ costs of providing subsidies and Medicaid for adopted children or children in foster care who meet certain eligibility criteria. The Compacts provide for uniformity and consistency of policy and procedures when a child with special needs is adopted or fostered by a family in another state or the adoptive or foster family moves to another state. When a child enters California through ICAMA or ICPC, the sending state pays the cash subsidy, but the children receive Medi-Cal through California. In May 2001, California became a member of the ICAMA, but counties have been using existing aid codes for these children which does not allow for tracking of these cases.  DHCS is implementing the two new aid codes for appropriate tracking of out-of-state Medi-Cal for these children. [Download]

A NOA workgroup has been meeting since 2007 to resolve NOA issues. This ACWDL implements two interim measures recommended by the NOA workgroup. Another ACWDL is predicted to follow in Fall 2008 with the long-term improvement of a simplified NOA format. The two interim measures in this ACWDL are 1) to eliminate multiple or conflicting NOAs and 2) to ensure that individuals have access to bilingual/interpretive services. The letter lays out steps for the counties to take to realize the two interim measures. [Download]