Bill Text: CA AB523 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2022-02-10 - Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. [AB523 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB523-Introduced.html

---

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 523

---

Introduced by Assembly Member Nazarian

February 10, 2021

---

An act to add Section 14593.3 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to the elderly.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 523, as introduced, Nazarian. Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.

Existing federal law establishes the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), which provides specified services for older individuals at a PACE center, as defined, in part, as a facility that includes a primary care clinic, so that they may continue living in the community. Federal law authorizes states to implement the PACE program as a Medicaid state option.

Existing state law establishes the California Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE program), to provide community-based, risk-based, and capitated long-term care services as optional services under the state’s Medi-Cal State Plan, as specified. Existing law authorizes the State Department of Health Care Services to enter into contracts with various entities for the purpose of implementing the PACE program and fully implementing the single state agency responsibilities assumed by the department pursuant to those contracts, as specified.

This bill would require the department to make permanent the specified PACE program flexibilities instituted, on or before January 1, 2021, in response to the state of emergency caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) through all-facility letters, or other similar instructions taken without regulatory action. The bill would require the department to work with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to determine how to extend PACE flexibilities approved during the COVID-19 emergency.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

---

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 14593.3 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

14593.3.

 (a) The department shall make permanent the changes in the California Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) program the department instituted, on or before January 1, 2021, in response to the state of emergency caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) through all-facility letters, or other similar instructions taken without regulatory action, in the following areas:

(1) Telehealth.

(2) PACE enrollment agreements.

(3) Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) services provided in the home.

(4) Involuntary disenrollments – Out of Service Area.

(5) Facility beds.

(6) Marketing.

(7) Marketing exams.

(b) The department shall work with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to determine how to extend PACE flexibilities approved during the COVID-19 emergency.