Assembly Sub. 1 Votes on Remaining Issues
This week, Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services concluded their work with a final vote-only hearing to close-out all remaining open issues. Key actions of interest to CHEAC members are provided below.
Proposition 56 – Local Tobacco Program and Oral Health Program Rollover. The Administration’s May Revision proposed converting specific accounts under Proposition 56 to a continuous appropriation, which would allow rollover for both local oral health and tobacco programs. The Senate approved the transfer of the accounts related to oral health and local tobacco programs to continuous appropriations with the requirement to adopt placeholder language directing the California Department of Public Health to grant rollover for up to three years. However, the Assembly denied the Administration’s proposal for a continuous appropriation and instead adopted placeholder trailer bill to ensure counties could rollover Proposition 56 funds that flow through the California Department of Public Health for three years. This issue will move to the Budget Conference Committee.
Elimination of 340B Drug Purchasing in Medi-Cal. The Administration’s May Revision maintained their proposal to eliminate 340B Drug Purchasing in Medi-Cal. The Administration estimated the savings to be merely $16.6 million in annual General Fund savings beginning in 2021. The Assembly Subcommittee rejected the Administration’s proposal. This conforms with Senate action.
| Subject | Item | Assembly Sub. 1 Actions and Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous Glucose Monitors in Medi-Cal | $13 million ($6.5 m GF) ongoing and placeholder trailer bill to establish continuous glucose monitors as a covered benefit in Medi-Cal. | Approved |
| Dental Benefit | $12 million ($6 m GF) ongoing and placeholder trailer bill language to add silver diamine fluoride as a Medi-Cal covered benefit. | Approved |
| Asthma Home Visiting | $1 million General fund annually and placeholder language to clarify/ensure medically necessary asthma education and home assessments for poorly controlled asthma are a covered Medi-Cal benefit. | Approved Senate approved a similar proposal. |
| BCCTP Treatment Limitations | $8.4 million General Fund in 2018-19, $10.5 million in FY 2019-20, $8.5 million in FY 2020-21, $7.6 million in 2021-22 and $6.9 million ongoing to remove the limitations and expand coverage for the duration of the illness. Compliments SB 945 (Atkins) – CHEAC Supported | Approved. Conforms with Senate Action |
| Substance Use Screening Tool Expansion | $2.6 million General Fund ongoing to placeholder language to expand the SBIRT to authorize screening for misuse of opioids and other drugs. | Approved |
| Homeless Mentally Ill Outreach and Treatment | The Governor’s May Revision proposed $50 million in one-time General Fund for the California Department of Public Health to provide counties with targeted funding for multi-disciplinary teams to support intensive outreach, treatment and related services for homeless individuals with mental illness. | Approved with modification to allow cities with Whole Person Care Pilots to be eligible. Senate took similar action. |
| Valley Fever | $1 million for an outreach and awareness campaign for Valley Fever | Approved Senate approved $1 million for the awareness campaign and additional funding for the Valley Fever Institute. |
| STD Prevention | $10 million to support the work of local health jurisdictions to prevent the spread of STDs. | Approved |
| Hepatitis C Prevention | $6.6 million ongoing and placeholder trailer bill to implement Hepatitis C prevention efforts. | Approved |
| HIV/AIDS Prevention | • $10 million General Fund ongoing for HIV prevention services. • $2 million General Fund for three years for a demonstration project specific to HIV and transgender women • $3 million General Fund over three years for a demonstration project specific to HIV and older adults • $1million General Fund ongoing for provider education • $2 million and trailer bill to modify PrEP to provide more comprehensive coverage. | Assembly approved all actions. Senate approved similar proposals. |
| Opioid Treatment Navigation | $11 million General Fund ongoing as follows: • $7.7m grants to harm reduction programs for treatment navigation • $1.5m for staff training and capacity building for harm reduction programs • $1.76 million for state administration | Approved with placeholder trailer bill. |
| Adverse Childhood Experiences | $15 million MHSA funds to establish a three-year pilot in 12 cities and counties to test public health approaches to preventing childhood trauma and countering the effects. | Approved |
| Diabetes Awareness | $10 million one-time General Fund for a 24-month diabetes awareness campaign | Approved |
| CalWORKs Home Visiting | $158. million over three years to implement a home visiting program in CalWORKs. | Approved placeholder language and funding. |
| Fruits and Vegetables EBT Pilot | Stakeholder request for $9 million one-time General Funds for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot to increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables for low income residents in seven community-based pilots. | Approved Conforms to Senate action. |