Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing federal law establishes the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration, which is designed to achieve various objectives with respect to institutional and home- and community-based long-term care services provided under state Medicaid programs. Under the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration, an eligible individual is required to meet prescribed qualifications, including that they have resided in an inpatient facility for at least 60 consecutive days.

Existing law requires the department to provide services consistent with the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration for transitioning eligible individuals out of an inpatient facility who have resided in that setting for fewer than 60 days. Existing law requires the department to cease to enroll beneficiaries under these provisions commencing January 1, 2023, and to cease providing these services commencing January 1, 2024. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2025.

This bill would instead require the department to cease to enroll beneficiaries commencing January 1, 2026, and to cease providing those services commencing January 1, 2027. The bill would extend the repeal date of those provisions to January 1, 2028.