(a) As a result of the enactment of this article to eliminate adult day health care as an optional benefit under the Medi-Cal program, the department shall implement a short-term program to fund organizations to assist individuals receiving ADHC services to transition to other Medi-Cal services, social services, and respite programs, or to provide social activities and respite assistance for individuals who were receiving ADHC services at the time the services were eliminated. The goal of this funding is to minimize the risk of institutionalization by identifying needed services available in the community and providing beneficiaries assistance in accessing those services.

(b) To ensure a smooth transition, adult day health care centers shall provide relevant participant information, including the most recent copy of a participant’s individual plan of care, to the department. Final Medi-Cal payment to adult day health care centers is contingent upon the provision of participants’ individual plan of care and all documentation supporting that individual plan of care, including medical records, to the grantee. Failure to provide documents under this section is grounds for a temporary withhold of payment to the adult day health care center under the process established pursuant to Section 14107.11.

(c) To implement this section, the department may contract with public or private entities and utilize existing health care service provider enrollment and payment mechanisms, including the Medi-Cal program’s fiscal intermediary. Contracts entered into for the purposes of implementing this article, including any contract amendments, system changes pursuant to a change order, and any project or system development notices, may be developed using a competitive process established by the department and shall be exempt from Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 11545) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the Public Contract Code, and any associated policies, procedures, or regulations under those provisions, and shall be exempt from review or approval by any division of the Department of General Services and the California Technology Agency. A contract may provide for periodic advance payments for services to be performed.

(d) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement this article through provider bulletins or similar instructions without taking regulatory action.

(e) Implementation of the short-term program to assist individuals receiving ADHC services to transition to other Medi-Cal services, social services, and respite programs, or to provide social activities and respite assistance for individuals who were receiving ADHC services at the time the services were eliminated, is subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act.

(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 3, Sec. 104. (AB 97) Effective March 24, 2011.)