(a) The State Department of Health Care Services, in conjunction with the State Department of Social Services, shall implement a simplified eligibility process as part of CalFresh to expedite Medi-Cal program and Healthy Families Program enrollment for CalFresh recipients, including children and their eligible parents or caretaker relatives who are not enrolled in those programs.

(b) Each county welfare department shall develop a data list of family members residing in eligible CalFresh households who are not enrolled in the Medi-Cal program or the Healthy Families Program.

(c) The county welfare department shall develop a notice informing individuals identified pursuant to subdivision (b) that they may be entitled to receive benefits under the Medi-Cal program or the Healthy Families Program.

(d) At the time of the CalFresh household’s annual recertification, the county welfare department shall send the notice specified in subdivision (c) to the individuals identified in subdivision (b). The notice shall include a request for permission to use the information in the CalFresh recipient’s case file to make a determination of eligibility for the Medi-Cal program and the Healthy Families Program.

(e) The notice shall be written in culturally and linguistically appropriate language and at an appropriate literacy level. The notice shall include information on the Medi-Cal program and the Healthy Families Program, and a telephone number that CalFresh recipients may call for additional information.

(f) To apply for medical assistance under the Medi-Cal program, the CalFresh recipient shall sign, date, and return the notice requesting that an eligibility determination be made. Upon receipt of the notice, the county welfare department shall make an eligibility determination by utilizing the information in the CalFresh recipient’s case file or paper application. The Medi-Cal application date shall be the date the notice is received by the county welfare department. If the CalFresh case file does not include sufficient information to establish Medi-Cal program eligibility, the county welfare department shall request, either orally or in writing, additional information from the CalFresh recipient.

(g) If the CalFresh recipient is determined to be eligible to participate in the Medi-Cal program with a share of cost, or is determined to be ineligible for Medi-Cal, information pertinent to the CalFresh recipient’s eligibility for the Healthy Families Program shall be forwarded by the county welfare department to the Healthy Families Program statewide administrator for immediate processing. If there is insufficient information to establish Healthy Families Program eligibility, the administrator shall request, either orally or in writing, additional information from the CalFresh recipient.

(h) Counties shall include the cost of implementing this section in their annual administrative budget requests to the State Department of Health Care Services.

(i) This section shall be implemented on or after July 1, 2003, but only to the extent federal financial participation is available.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 227, Sec. 93. (AB 1400) Effective January 1, 2012.)