Content about Medicaid

Senior officials from the federal Centers on Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – the federal agency that oversees nationwide the Medicare and Medicaid (called “Medi-Cal” in California) programs and the new Administration for Community Living agency will hold a public conference call this morning at 10:30 AM Pacific Time (1:30 PM Eastern Time) until 11:30 AM Pacific Time (2:30 PM Eastern Time) on the release of the final federal regulations for the Medicaid Community First Choice Option. [Note correction on time – thanks to Lorreta Stevens).    Officials will also provide more information about a new proposed federal rule regarding Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services.

The Obama Administration rejected California’s request to expand, as authorized in the 2011-2012 State Budget, co-payments for Medi-Cal recipients on a range of services. The decision by the federal Centers on Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is seen as a major victory for people with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind, seniors and others in the Medi-Cal program and a significant setback to the Brown Administration’s efforts to close an on-going budget deficit. It is one of the very few times the federal agency has actually denied the State’s requests over the past years dealing with cutbacks to the Medi-Cal program.

The Brown Administration is hosting the first meeting of an appointed stakeholder group known as the "Community First Choice Option (CFCO) Development and Implementation Council." The meeting will be held at the California State University, Sacramento November 17th from 1:30PM to 3:30PM with telephone access available to those outside the area.  This is a critical step in developing a proposal which could mean more federal dollars for the In-Home Supportive Services program.