(a) To the extent federal financial participation is available, the department shall exercise its option under Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(X) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1396a(a)(10)(A)(ii)(X)), to implement a program for aged and disabled persons as described in Section 1902(m) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1396a(m)(1)).

(b) To the extent federal financial participation is available, the blind shall be included within the definition of disabled for the purposes of the program established in this section.

(c) An individual shall satisfy the financial eligibility requirement of this program if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) Countable income, as determined in accordance with Section 1902(m) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1396a(m)), does not exceed an income level equal to 100 percent of the applicable federal poverty level.

(2) (A) Until the time that the department obtains federal approval for the income disregard described in paragraph (3), countable income shall include an additional two hundred thirty dollars ($230) for an individual or, in the case of a couple, three hundred ten dollars ($310).

(B) Upon receipt of federal approval for, and implementation of, paragraph (3), this paragraph shall become inoperative. The director shall execute a declaration, which shall be retained by the director, stating that federal approval for paragraph (3) has been obtained and the date that paragraph (3) shall be implemented. The director shall post the declaration on the department’s internet website.

(3) (A) Pursuant to Section 1902(r)(2) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1396a(r)(2)), all countable income over 100 percent of the federal poverty level, up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, shall be disregarded, after taking all other disregards, deductions, and exclusions into account for those persons eligible pursuant to this section.

(B) The department shall seek federal approval to implement this paragraph.

(4) (A) For the purposes of calculating countable income under this section, an income exemption shall be applied as necessary to adjust the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (SSI/SSP) payment level as used in this section so that it is the same as the SSI/SSP payment level that was in place on May 1, 2009.

(B) This additional income exemption shall cease to be implemented when the SSI/SSP payment levels increase beyond those in effect on May 1, 2009.

(C) The income level determined pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not be less than the SSI/SSP payment level the individual receives or would receive as a disabled or blind individual or, in the case of a couple, the SSI/SSP payment level the couple receives or would receive as a disabled or blind couple.

(5) Countable resources, including property or other assets, shall not be considered in determining eligibility.

(d) The financial eligibility requirements provided in subdivision (c) may be adjusted upwards to reflect the cost of living in California, contingent upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act.

(e) (1) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department, without taking any further regulatory action, shall implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters, plan letters, plan or provider bulletins, or similar instructions until regulations are adopted.

(2) The department shall adopt regulations by July 1, 2023, in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The department shall provide a status report to the Legislature on a semiannual basis, in compliance with § 9795 of the Government Code, until regulations are adopted.

(f) For purposes of calculating income under this section during any calendar year, increases in social security benefit payments under Title II of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 401 et seq.) arising from cost-of-living adjustments shall be disregarded commencing in the month that these social security benefit payments are increased by the cost-of-living adjustment through the month before the month in which a change in the federal poverty level requires the department to modify the income level described in subdivision (c).

(g) (1) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(A) “SSI” means the federal Supplemental Security Income program established under Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act.

(B) “Income level” means the applicable income level specified in subdivision (c).

(C) The board and care “personal care services” or “PCS” deduction refers to an income disregard that is applied to a resident in a licensed community care facility in lieu of the board and care deduction (equal to the amount by which the basic board and care rate exceeds the income level in subparagraph (B)) when the PCS deduction is greater than the board and care deduction.

(2) (A) For purposes of this section, the SSI recipient retention amount is the amount by which the SSI maximum payment amount to an individual residing in a licensed community care facility exceeds the maximum amount that the state allows community care facilities to charge a resident who is an SSI recipient.

(B) For the purposes of this section, the personal and incidental needs deduction for an individual residing in a licensed community care facility is one of the following:

(i) If the board and care deduction is applicable to the individual, the amount, not to exceed the amount by which the SSI recipient retention amount exceeds twenty dollars ($20), nor to be less than zero, by which the sum of the amount that the individual pays to the individual’s licensed community care facility and the SSI recipient retention amount exceed the sum of the individual’s income level, the individual’s board and care deduction, and twenty dollars ($20).

(ii) If the PCS deduction specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) is applicable to the individual, an amount, not to exceed the amount by which the SSI recipient retention amount exceeds twenty dollars ($20), nor to be less than zero, by which the sum of the amount that the individual pays to the individual’s community care facility and the SSI recipient retention amount exceed the sum of the individual’s income level, the individual’s PCS deduction, and twenty dollars ($20).

(3) In determining the countable income under this section of an individual residing in a licensed community care facility, the individual shall have deducted from the individual’s income the amount specified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2).

(h) No later than one month after the effective date of subdivision (g), the department shall submit to the federal Medicaid program administrator a state plan amendment seeking approval of the income deduction specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (g), and of federal financial participation for the costs resulting from that income deduction.

(i) The deduction prescribed by paragraph (3) of subdivision (g) shall be applied no later than the first day of the fourth month after the month in which the department receives approval for the federal financial participation specified in subdivision (h). Until approval for federal financial participation is received, there shall be no deduction under paragraph (3) of subdivision (g).

(j) This section shall be implemented only if, and to the extent that, any necessary federal approvals have been obtained.

(k) Paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) shall be implemented after the director determines, and communicates that determination in writing to the Department of Finance, that systems have been programmed for implementation of paragraph (3) of subdivision (c), but no sooner than January 1, 2020.

(l) This section shall become operative on the later of either January 1, 2024, or the date on which the determination of the Director of Health Care Services is communicated in writing to the Department of Finance pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 14005.62, and subject to implementation of Section 14005.62 pursuant to subdivision (d) of that section, and shall remain operative for time periods in which the department has obtained the necessary federal approvals to implement paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 14005.62 for the applicable population.

(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 42, Sec. 81. (AB 118) Effective July 10, 2023. Conditionally operative on or after January 1, 2024, by its own provisions.)