Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics: visits.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services, including federally qualified health center (FQHC) services and rural health clinic (RHC) services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, FQHC and RHC services are reimbursed on a per-visit basis, as specified. This bill would require the department to seek any necessary federal approvals and issue appropriate guidance to allow an FQHC or RHC to bill, under a supervising licensed behavioral health practitioner, for an encounter between an FQHC or RHC patient and an associate clinical social worker or associate marriage and family therapist when certain requirements are met, including that the visit is billed under the supervising licensed behavioral health practitioner of the FQHC or RHC. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14132.100 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 32 to be operative only if this bill and AB 32 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.