(a)  The department shall establish a reimbursement schedule for all of the services detailed in subdivision (b) of Section 120900. The amounts to be reimbursed for these services shall be commensurate with the costs of providing these services.

(b)  The department shall develop and disseminate guidelines to assist early intervention projects in identifying appropriate public and private payers of early intervention services. The guidelines shall take into account each client’s access to, and eligibility for, private health insurance and public medical assistance. The guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, the reimbursement schedule established pursuant to subdivision (a) and the elements identified in subdivisions (c) to (h), inclusive.

(c)  Reimbursement under Sections 120900 to 120920, inclusive, shall not be made for any services that are available to the client under a private health insurance program. Early intervention projects shall inquire of each client as to the client’s coverage by a private health insurance policy. Where a client has a private health insurance policy, the early intervention project shall bill the insurer for those services in subdivision (b) of Section 120900 that are covered by the client’s policy.

(d)  The department shall develop and implement, or cause to be implemented by an early intervention project, a uniform sliding fee schedule for services provided to individuals under Sections 120900 to 120920, inclusive. The schedule shall be based on the client’s ability to pay.

(e)  The department may apply for any funds available from the federal government for the reimbursement of those services to be provided by early intervention projects, including, but not limited to, funds available pursuant to Section 2318 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by Public Law 100-607, that provides for the development of model protocols for the clinical care of individuals who are infected with HIV.

(f)  To the extent permitted under existing law, the Medi-Cal program shall provide reimbursement to early intervention projects for services provided under Sections 120900 to 120920, inclusive, that are covered under the Medi-Cal program. This subdivision shall not be construed to confer Medi-Cal eligibility on any person who does not meet existing Medi-Cal eligibility requirements.

(g)  The department shall use federal and state general funds that are appropriated for the purpose of purchasing HIV-related drug treatments and related services, to reimburse for covered outpatient preventative or therapeutic health care services, as defined by the director, provided that the client is eligible for a federal or state program that subsidizes the cost of HIV-related drugs and related services. If Assembly Bill 2251 of the 1989-90 Regular Session is enacted, the department shall use the provisions in Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 120950) to implement this subdivision.

(h)  The department shall use moneys from the General Fund to cover expenses for early intervention services that are not otherwise reimbursed, to the extent that moneys from the General Fund are expressly appropriated to the department for early intervention services.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1996.)