DHCS Stakeholder Update – March 3, 2023
Top News
End of the Public Health Emergency (PHE): Key Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Dates
The announcement that the federal COVID-19 PHE will end on May 11, 2023, has implications for Medicaid and CHIP programs. Additionally, DHCS is acting to make permanent several flexibilities implemented over the course of the PHE. Below is a summary of end dates for key federal Medicaid provisions, with additional details on how DHCS is unwinding the PHE in the Medi-Cal program.
Hais txog Medicaid thiab CHIP COVID-19 cov kev cai raws li American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA):
Optional COVID-19 Group for Uninsured Individuals: California has taken advantage of the “optional COVID-19 group” that provides uninsured individuals with Medi-Cal coverage for COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatment. This coverage expires on the last day of the PHE (May 11). In order to prepare individuals in this group for the end of the PHE, DHCS will send member notices on April 24, 2023.
No-Cost Coverage for COVID-19 Vaccines, Testing, and Treatment to Members: Medicaid is required to cover COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatment with no cost-sharing for members through the last day of the first calendar quarter that begins one year after the last day of the COVID-19 PHE. DHCS is electing to permanently extend coverage for COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatment at no cost beyond the ARPA coverage period.
Enhanced Federal Match for COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccine Administration: States receive 100 percent federal matching funds for coverage of vaccines and vaccine administration, as enacted by ARPA. These matching funds also end on the last day of the first calendar quarter that begins one year after the last day of the COVID-19 PHE (September 30, 2024). As described above, Medi-Cal will continue to cover COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine administration.
Hais txog txoj cai flexibilities ua tau los ntawm PHE:
Section 1135 waivers expire at the end of the PHE (May 11). Medicaid programs are unable to extend flexibilities authorized under 1135 waivers. Additionally, DHCS is electing to discontinue emergency Medi-Cal provider enrollment flexibilities, effective March 29, 2023, as recently announced.
Medicaid Disaster Relief State Plan Amendments (SPAs) typically expire at the end of the PHE (May 11), but DHCS is making permanent many policies authorized under Disaster Relief SPAs. For details on the specific policies that are being made permanent through the traditional SPA process, please see Part I of the Medi-Cal COVID-19 PHE and Continuous Coverage Operational Unwinding Plan.
Tshooj 1915(c) Cov Lus Qhia Ntxiv K lossis Tshooj 1115 Cov Lus Qhia Ntxiv K hnub xaus sib txawv raws li kev zam, tab sis feem ntau yuav tsis pub dhau rau lub hlis tom qab xaus ntawm PHE. Ib yam li ntawd, DHCS npaj siab yuav ua rau qee qhov kev hloov pauv ntawm 1915 (c) thiab 1115 ua rau cov cai Medi-Cal mus tas li tom qab qhov kawg ntawm PHE. Yog xav paub ntxiv txog cov cai no, thov saib ntu I ntawm Medi-Cal COVID-19 PHE thiab Continuous Coverage Operational Unwinding Plan.
Kev hloov kho tshiab
Tam sim no Qhib: Muab Kev Nkag Mus Nkag thiab Hloov Kho Kev Noj Qab Haus Huv (PATH) Technical Assistance (TA) Daim Ntawv Thov Kev Lag Luam
Thaum Lub Ob Hlis Ntuj hnub tim 27, DHCS tau qhib daim ntawv thov PATH TA Marketplace Project Eligibility. Cov chaw muab kev pabcuam Medi-Cal uas tau xa Daim Ntawv Sau Npe Rau Tus Neeg Tau Txais thiab tau txais kev pom zoo ua tus neeg tau txais TA tam sim no tuaj yeem yuav khoom thiab thov cov kev pabcuam TA dawb los ntawm Marketplace. Cov kev pabcuam TA tau muab los ntawm kev xaiv thawj zaug ntawm 47 tus neeg muag khoom tshwj xeeb. Lawv yuav pab cov kws kho mob, cov koom haum hauv zej zog (CBOs), Medi-Cal Tribal thiab Designees of Indian Health Programs, cov nroog, thiab lwm tus neeg tau txais TA tsim nyog los tsim thiab xa cov Kev Tswj Xyuas Kev Saib Xyuas Zoo thiab Kev Txhawb Nqa Hauv Zej Zog kom ua tiav. Yog xav paub ntxiv, mus saib ca-path.com/ta-marketplace.
PATH Capacity and Infrastructure Transition, Expansion, and Development (CITED) Round 2 Application Now Open
On February 28, DHCS opened the PATH CITED Round 2 application window. The PATH CITED initiative provides funding to on-the-ground partners, such as CBOs, public hospitals, county agencies, Tribes, and others to help them successfully participate in the Medi-Cal delivery system. New companies are encouraged to become Medi-Cal providers to deliver Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports. Entities interested in applying for Round 2 are encouraged to join the upcoming informational webinar on March 3, from 10 to 11 a.m., to learn more about CITED funds and the application process. The deadline to apply for CITED Round 2 funding is May 31, 2023.
Please visit ca-path.com/cited to apply and for more information. For questions, please email cited@ca-path.com.
Hearing Aid Coverage for Children Program (HACCP) Action Plan and Communications Toolkit
On March 1, DHCS released the HACCP Action Plan, which provides an overview of DHCS’ comprehensive strategy on HACCP improvements in 2023 with actionable tactics to improve provider participation and increase program enrollment.
Tsis tas li ntawd xwb, thaum Lub Ob Hlis Ntuj hnub tim 28, DHCS tau tshaj tawm HACCP Communications Toolkit thiab Program Data dashboard los txhawb cov hom phiaj no. Cov cuab yeej siv suav nrog kev xa xov hauv social media thiab cov ntaub ntawv luam tawm rau cov tsev neeg thiab cov kws kho mob uas tsim nyog rau HACCP, thiab DHCS' HACCP Program Data webpage. Cov ntaub ntawv ntxiv txog qhov kev pab cuam muaj nyob rau ntawm DHCS' HACCP webpage.
Monkeypox (Mpox) Vaccine Administration
Lub Chaw rau Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) tsis ntev los no tau pom zoo SPA 22-0062 kom them nyiaj rov qab rau Tsoom Fwv Saib Xyuas Kev Noj Qab Haus Huv (FQHCs), Cov Chaw Kho Mob Hauv Nroog (RHCs), Indian Kev Pabcuam Kev Noj Qab Haus Huv Memorandum of Agreement (IHS-MOA,) thiab Tribal FQHC cov chaw kho mob ntawm tus nqi-rau-kev pabcuam (FF. Nws yog rov qab mus rau lub Yim Hli 17, 2022, thiab txuas ntxiv mus txog qhov kawg ntawm Mpox lub xeev kev noj qab haus huv xwm txheej ceev (Lub Ib Hlis 31, 2023).
Cov tshuaj tiv thaiv Mpox uas tau txhaj thaum lub sijhawm mus ntsib chaw ua haujlwm rau cov kws kho mob uas tsim nyog muaj cai tau txais nyiaj rov qab ntawm lawv tus kheej Prospective Payment System lossis All-Inclusive tus nqi. Cov kws kho mob raug ceeb toom tias txhua zaus txhaj tshuaj tiv thaiv Mpox yuav raug xa mus rau chaw ua haujlwm lossis tsuas yog mus ntsib kws kho mob xwb, tsis yog ob qho tib si. Cov kws kho mob uas tsim nyog yuav pib xa cov ntawv thov rau cov tswv cuab uas tau sau npe rau hauv Medi-Cal cov phiaj xwm kev kho mob rau kev ntsib tshuaj tiv thaiv Mpox xwb. Txij li lub Peb Hlis Ntuj hnub tim 10, 2023, cov kws kho mob tuaj yeem xa cov ntawv thov rau cov tswv cuab FFS raws li cov lus qhia luam tawm hauv tsab xov xwm Lub Kaum Ob Hlis Ntuj hnub tim 13, 2022 "Kev Them Nyiaj Rau Cov Tshuaj Tiv Thaiv Kab Mob Mpox ntawm Tus Nqi Medicare ". Cov kws kho mob yuav tau txais 120 hnub ua ntej xa cov ntaub ntawv txhaj tshuaj Mpox.
Medi-Cal Rx
Thaum Lub Ob Hlis 24, 2023, Phase II, Wave 2 ntawm Medi-Cal Rx Reinstatement Plan tau ua tiav tiav. Cov kws kho mob yuav tsum xa daim ntawv tso cai ua ntej rau 46 chav kawm tshuaj ntxiv, suav nrog cov khoom siv kho mob, thiab cov tshuaj pib tshiab rau cov tswv cuab hnub nyoog 22 xyoos thiab laus dua.
Ib qho kev ceeb toom suav rov qab 30 hnub, hu ua Theem III Nqa 1: Kev So Haujlwm ntawm Txoj Cai Hloov Pauv rau Cov Neeg Tau Txais Txiaj Ntsig 22 Xyoos thiab Laus Dua, kuj tau tshaj tawm los tshaj tawm theem tom ntej ntawm Txoj Kev Npaj Rov Qab Medi-Cal Rx. Qhov no yog ib qho kev ceeb toom tias Medi-Cal Rx yuav pib thawj zaug ntawm cov kev hloov pauv txoj cai rau cov tswv cuab hnub nyoog 22 xyoo thiab laus dua pib thaum Lub Peb Hlis 24, 2023.
Koom nrog peb pab neeg
DHCS is hiring for our fiscal, human resources, legal, auditing, health policy, and information technology teams. For more information, please visit the CalCareers website.
DHCS tau mob siab rau kev khaws cia thiab txhim kho tag nrho cov kev noj qab haus huv thiab kev noj qab haus huv ntawm txhua tus neeg California.
DHCS lub luag haujlwm yog los muab cov neeg nyob hauv lub xeev uas muaj kev pheej hmoo siab tshaj plaws kom muaj kev ncaj ncees rau kev pheej yig, kev sib koom ua ke, kev saib xyuas kev noj qab haus huv zoo, thiab tam sim no tab tom hloov kho Medi-Cal kev pab cuam kom paub tseeb tias nws muab kev saib xyuas cov neeg California xav tau kev noj qab haus huv, lub neej zoo siab dua.
Cov Rooj Sib Tham Cov Neeg Koom Tes thiab Webinar yuav los tom ntej
Lub Chaw Saib Xyuas Kev Noj Qab Haus Huv Nyiaj Txiag Kev Hloov Kho Webinar
On March 10, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., DHCS will host a stakeholder webinar (advance registration required) to discuss the development of the Workforce Standards Program and present an update on the Workforce and Quality Incentive Program. Additional information is posted on the Nursing Facility Financing Reform (AB 186) webpage.
Hauv Case Koj Tsis Tau Nws
California Awards $4.6 Million to Emergency Departments (EDs) to Train Behavioral Health Navigators
On March 1, DHCS awarded more than $4.6 million to 39 hospitals with EDs, each receiving $120,000 to train behavioral health navigators to help expand access to substance use disorder and mental health services. The awards are part of DHCS’ CalBridge Behavioral Health Navigator Program. CalBridge is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 under key initiatives for Medi-Cal’s Home and Community-Based Services, and aims to train and expand the ED workforce to address the urgent need for behavioral health patient care. These awards are part of a larger effort by CalHHS to strengthen California’s health and human services workforce.