Medi-Cal: hospice providers: forms.

The entire amendment to Section 4369.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code was deleted. This section had required the Office of Problem Gambling to develop a gambling disorder prevention program (including toll-free crisis line, public awareness campaigns, training) and a treatment program (including telehealth counseling, group treatment, outpatient and inpatient residential treatment). The bill no longer touches gambling disorder policy at all.

A new subdivision (g) was added to Section 14132.752 stating that the section shall not limit the department's authority to implement additional fraud-prevention measures as authorized or required by state or federal law. This is a savings clause preserving DHCS flexibility beyond what the bill specifies.

Subdivision (d)(2) was clarified by inserting 'by a hospice provider' after 'A claim for reimbursement under this section,' making the actor explicit.

Senator Grove was added as co-author, indicating Senate sponsorship of the amendment.

Entirely new Section 14132.752 added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, requiring Medi-Cal fee-for-service hospice providers to use a department-developed online form to notify DHCS when a member elects hospice services. Email or paper submissions are explicitly not accepted.

The new hospice attestation requirements apply only to the Medi-Cal fee-for-service delivery system. For managed care, providers must follow their assigned plan's submission requirements, including those in All Plan Letter 25-008 or its successor.

County health officers are added alongside the Governor and Legislature as entities that can request information from the Office of Problem Gambling regarding the comprehensive program.

Hospice providers must submit the online form within 5 calendar days after the member's election to receive hospice services, and must do so in conjunction with counseling the member, obtaining informed consent, and completing the Medi-Cal Hospice Program Election Notice Form (DHCS 8052).

Providers must maintain the election notice form in the member's medical records and make it available to DHCS upon request or during a state or federal audit.

In the gambling disorder treatment program, telephone counseling is replaced with telehealth counseling as an authorized state-funded treatment service.

Submission of the online form is required for reimbursement eligibility, but does not guarantee reimbursement. Claims are processed only after DHCS validates the information and applies the relevant hospice billing code.