Medi-Cal: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.

Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to which medical benefits are provided to public assistance recipients and certain other low-income persons. Existing law provides that federally qualified health center (FQHC) services and rural health clinic (RHC) services, as defined, are covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program, to be reimbursed, to the extent that federal financial participation is obtained, to providers on a per-visit basis. "Visit" is defined as a face-to-face encounter between a patient of an FQHC or RHC and specified health care professionals. Existing law allows an FQHC or RHC to apply for an adjustment to its per-visit rate based on a change in the scope of services it provides. This bill would provide that a maximum of 2 visits, as defined, taking place on the same day at a single location shall be reimbursed when either after the first visit the patient suffers illness or injury requiring additional diagnosis or treatment or the patient has a medical visit, as defined, and another health visit, as defined, or both. The bill would require an FQHC or RHC that currently includes the cost of encounters with more than one health professional that take place on the same day at a single location as constituting a single visit for purposes of establishing its FQHC or RHC rate to, by January 1, 2011, apply for an adjustment to its per-visit rate, and, after the rate adjustment has been approved by the department, require the FQHC or RHC to bill a medical visit and another health visit that take place on the same day at a single location as separate visits. The bill would make other conforming changes. This bill would require the department, by January 15, 2010, to submit a state plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reflecting the changes described above.