(a) State-funded perinatal services shall be provided under the Medi-Cal program to pregnant persons and state-funded medical services to infants up to one year of age in families with incomes above 185 percent, but not more than 208 percent, of the federal poverty level, in the same manner that these services are being provided to the Medi-Cal population, including eligibility requirements and integration of eligibility determinations and payment of claims. When determining eligibility under this section, an applicant’s or beneficiary‘s income shall be determined, counted, and valued in accordance with the methodology set forth in Section 14005.64.

(b) Services provided under this section shall not be subject to any spend down of excess income requirements.

Terms Used In California Welfare and Institutions Code 14148.5 v2

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • department: means the State Department of Health Services. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14062
  • Medi-Cal: means the California Medical Assistance Program. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14063
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.

(c) (1) The department, in implementing the Medi-Cal program and public health programs, may provide for outreach activities in order to enhance participation and access to perinatal services. Funding received pursuant to the federal provisions shall be used to expand perinatal outreach activities. These outreach activities shall be implemented if funding is provided for this purpose by an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or other statute.

(2) Those outreach activities authorized by paragraph (1) shall be targeted toward both Medi-Cal and non-Medi-Cal eligible high risk or uninsured pregnant persons and infants. Outreach activities may include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(A) Education of the targeted persons on the availability and importance of early prenatal care and referral to Medi-Cal and other programs.

(B) Information provided through toll-free telephone numbers.

(C) Recruitment and retention of perinatal providers.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law, contracts required to implement this section shall be exempt from the approval of the Director of General Services and from the Public Contract Code.

(e) 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 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. 153. (AB 118) Effective July 10, 2023. Conditionally operative on or after January 1, 2024, by its own provisions.)

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