(a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(1) During times of economic crisis, it is crucial to find areas within the program where efficiencies can be achieved while continuing to provide community-based services that support independence.
(2) Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) has been vulnerable to fraud and, despite attempts to curtail and prevent fraud, including, but not limited to, a moratorium on new facilities and onsite treatment authorization request review, fraud continues in this area.
(3) The state has added services and programs to enable vulnerable populations to remain in the community, including, but not limited to, the Money Follows the Person project, California’s Section 1115(a) Comprehensive Medi-Cal Demonstration Project Waiver: a Bridge to Reform, and services and supports, including day programs, provided under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500)). It also continues to explore opportunities to add additional services and programs to help individuals remain in the community, including, but not limited to, pilot projects to better meet the health care needs of individuals dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and exploring the Community First Choice Option as a Medi-Cal benefit.
(4) There are alternative services to meet the needs of Medi-Cal beneficiaries utilizing ADHC, including in-home supportive services, physical, occupational, and speech therapies, nonemergency medical transportation, and home health services.
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature for the department to obtain federal approval to eliminate ADHC as an optional Medi-Cal benefit.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 162, Sec. 225. (SB 1171) Effective January 1, 2013.)