DHCS is providing this update of significant developments regarding DHCS programs.
Top News
PATH Technical Assistance (TA) Marketplace Applications Being Accepted
On October 4, DHCS launched a TA
vendor application for the
Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) TA Marketplace. This initiative will provide technical assistance resources to providers, community-based organizations (CBOs), counties, local public health jurisdictions, Tribal Partners, and others to help build their capacity to become Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports providers, now offered through Medi-Cal managed care plans. Specifically, the TA Marketplace will offer hands-on technical support and off-the-shelf resources from vendors to establish the infrastructure needed to implement ECM and Community Supports.
Potential Technical Assistance vendors are encouraged to apply. For more information about PATH and the TA vendor application, visit the
TA Marketplace webpage. For questions about the vendor email application process, please email
ta-marketplace@ca-path.com.
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM)
Retroactive to October 1, 2022, specific therapeutic and non-therapeutic CGM systems are now pharmacy-billed medical supply benefits through Medi-Cal Rx. A
bulletin was sent to providers and key stakeholders on October 4 announcing the update.
Stakeholder Comments on Doula Provider Manual due October 14
At the Doula Advisory Workgroup meeting on September 30, DHCS released for stakeholder review and comment a draft of the provider manual for doula services. The draft provider manual contains information on services, billing codes and instructions for doula services. Comments are due by October 14, 2022, and may be submitted to DoulaBenefit@dhcs.ca.gov. For more information, please visit the doula services webpage.
Program Updates
Health Enrollment Navigators Update
In September, DHCS sent a Notice of Intent to Award to intended project partners, notifying them of their approved award amount. To date, every project partner accepted their award notice from DHCS, and allocation agreements were issued and being finalized. Partners will be authorized to perform navigator project activities immediately upon DHCS receipt/countersigning of their respective agreements.
As of October 4, DHCS has countersigned nine allocation agreements for Alameda County, California Coverage & Health Initiatives, Catholic Charities of California, Community Service Solutions, Innercare, Sacramento Covered, San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium, Tuolumne County, and Ventura County, with twenty more counties and six community-based organizations pending submission and/or DHCS countersignature. Once all allocation agreements are fully executed, DHCS will post individual partner information, including grant award details, targeted populations to be served, geographic regions to be covered, and work plan details, on the
Medi-Cal Health Enrollment Navigators Project webpage.
Medicare-Medi-Cal Plans (MMPs) and Medicare Open Enrollment Period
As part of CalAIM, MMPs will be open for enrollment during the Medicare open enrollment period beginning October 15 through December 7. These new plans are available and will replace Cal MediConnect plans in the seven California counties with Cal MediConnect plans (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, and Santa Clara). MMPs are a type of Medicare Advantage plan available to people with both Medicare and Medi-Cal. Benefits in both programs are coordinated by one managed care plan to reduce fragmentation and improve care for a population that often has multiple chronic conditions and many providers. During the 2022 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, dual eligible beneficiaries will have the option to voluntarily join a MMP, with a start date of January 1, 2023.
To enroll in a MMP, individuals can contact their preferred plan or call 1(800) MEDICARE. For more information and a list of MMPs in each county, visit the
MMP webpage. Additional information is available on the
Future of Cal MediConnect webpage.
California Data Exchange Framework (DxF) Educational Initiative Grant Opportunity for Associations
To support DxF implementation, the
Center for Data Insights and Innovation (CDII) developed DxF educational initiative grants. This funding will support outreach and education to organizations that will sign a statewide data-sharing agreement (DSA). A Request for Application (RFA) detailing how organizations can apply for these grants, along with eligibility requirements, is online at
Request for Application 2022-219-CDII - Educational Initiative Grants (Data Exchange Framework). Responses are due by October 24, 2022, at 3 p.m. PST.
The
California DxF is the first statewide DSA that will accelerate and expand health information exchange among health care entities, government agencies, and social service programs beginning in 2024. The DxF will directly support California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiatives. Additional DxF grant opportunities, including grants to support technical assistance and health information organization onboarding for signatories, will be shared at a future date.
One-Time Appropriation for Title X
In accordance with
Senate Bill 154 (Chapter 43, Statutes of 2022), DHCS provided a one-time appropriation of $10 million to Essential Access Health, a not-for-profit organization that leads the Title X federal family planning program in California, to backfill the loss of federal Title X funding. This funding maintains and supports the delivery of equitable, affordable, high quality, and client-centered family planning services to low–income patients across the state. California's Title X provider network includes hospitals, federally qualified health centers, city and county health departments, universities, Urban Indian Health Centers, and women's health clinics throughout the state.
Funding to Support American Indians Living in San Francisco
On September 29, DHCS provided the Friendship House Association of American Indians with $15 million to assist with the construction costs of Village San Francisco, which will be a multi-use facility serving the approximately 9,000 American Indians residing in San Francisco. One-time General Funds were included in
Senate Bill 154 (Chapter 43, Statutes of 2022) to support the establishment of Village San Francisco. This approved proposal supports the DHCS Quality Strategy goal of eliminating health disparities by helping ensure American Indians have access to culturally appropriate behavioral health services, including substance use disorder services, residential treatment, transitional housing, and aftercare.
Reestablishment of American Indian Health Policy Panel (AIHPP)
In accordance with the
DHCS Tribal Engagement Plan, DHCS is reestablishing the AIHPP as an advisory body to provide advice on the Indian Health Program on the level of resources, priorities, criteria, and guidelines necessary to implement programs that impact the health status of American Indians and their families. The AIHPP is authorized in
Health and Safety Code Section 124595 and requires nomination of members by the California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. (CRIHB) and the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health, Inc. (CCUIH), and two-at large representatives. DHCS distributed requests for nominations on October 3 to CRIHB and CCUIH. DHCS will release an announcement for membership applications for the at-large Indian health program representatives by October 14.
Smile, California Campaign for Medi-Cal Dental Services Update
The Back-Tooth-School (BTS) promotion is currently in progress and will run through the end of November. All BTS materials can be found on the Oral Health and School Readiness webpages on
SmileCalifornia.org and
SonrieCalifornia.org. Special Smile Alerts were sent during the first two weeks of October to promote BTS and to remind partners and stakeholder to register and attend the BTS Webinar on October 12. During the week of October 3, a paid social media campaign was launched as part of the BTS promotion on Facebook and Instagram. Additionally, a new “Fotonovelas" sub-tab was published to the
Members page on SmileCalifornia.org and the
Miembros page on SonrieCalifornia.org. The sub-tabs will house digital versions of the Fotonovelas with flipbook plugins.
Join Our Team
DHCS is hiring
multiple Attorney III positions in the Office of Legal Services to work in one or more of the following areas: privacy and information services, public contracting, health care benefits, managed care, financing, and more.
DHCS is also hiring Californians to join our fiscal, human resources, auditing, health policy and information technology teams, along with other professions. For more information, please visit the
CalCareers website.
DHCS is dedicated to preserving and improving the overall health and well-being of all Californians. DHCS' mission is to provide the most vulnerable residents with access to affordable, integrated, high-quality, equitable health care—and is currently transforming the Medi-Cal program to make sure it provides the care Californians need to live healthier lives.
Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings and Webinars
Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) and Behavioral Health Stakeholder Advisory Committee (BH-SAC) Meetings
On October 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., DHCS will host the next SAC and BH-SAC hybrid meeting. The October 20 meeting will open as a joint meeting with topics shared by SAC and BH-SAC. A BH-SAC meeting will be held after the joint meeting; there is no SAC-only meeting. Attendees can attend in person at The California Endowment at 1414 K St., Sacramento, or virtually.
Advance registration is required if attending virtually. Meeting materials will be posted on the
SAC and
BH-SAC webpages.
Rescheduled: Fee Schedule Workgroup Meeting
On October 24, DHCS, in collaboration with the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), will virtually host the
first public workgroup meeting (advance registration required) to inform the development of the statewide all-payer fee schedule for school-based behavioral health services under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. The meeting was previously scheduled for October 3. DHCS and DMHC will engage workgroup members on a variety of policy and operational topics to inform the development and refinement of the program design.
Postponed: Nursing Facility Financing Reform Webinar
The previously scheduled October 11 webinar has been postponed. DHCS is working to reschedule the webinar and will provide the updated date as soon as possible. Information about Nursing Facility Financing Reform and the rescheduled webinar will be posted on the Long-Term Care Reimbursement webpage when available.
