Title
Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board receive a presentation from the Executive Director from the Governing Board of the State’s County Medical Services Program, a program that provides healthcare, healthcare grants, and healthcare workforce development for 35 of California’s small to medium-sized counties, including El Dorado County.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The County Medical Services Program (CMSP) was established in 1983 as a state-county partnership, when California law eliminated low-income adults from Medi-Cal and transferred responsibility for their health care to California counties. As a result, California counties became responsible for provision of basic health care to medically indigent residents. This law also recognized that many smaller, rural counties were not in the position to assume this new responsibility and provided counties with a population of 300,000 or fewer with the option of contracting back with the State to provide these health care services through CMSP. CMSP offers healthcare grants and healthcare workforce development to the 35 CMSP counties and provides essential health care services for uninsured, low-income, indigent adults who are not otherwise eligible for other publicly funded health care programs (such as Medi-Cal).
CMSP has made many changes since it was established in 1983, including the creation of the CMSP Governing Board in 1995; movement of most indigent adults from CMSP to Medi-Cal under the Affordable Care Act; changes to Realignment funding affecting CMSP program funding; and most recently, the addition of a new CMSP primary care benefit program for low-income adults in CMSP counties that are not enrolled in other health coverage called Connect to Care. The CMSP Governing Board provides policy direction for the CMSP benefit and grant programs. As a part of this responsibility, the Governing Board sets program eligibility requirements, determines the scope of covered health care benefits, and sets provider reimbursement rates.
The Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) currently receives and administers multiple grants from CMSP. Without CMSP, indigent El Dorado County residents otherwise ineligible for health care coverage would undoubtedly defer preventive care, go without medical management of chronic conditions, and seek medical assistance only when urgent or emergency care is needed. These cost burdens would be borne by the healthcare system, particularly our hospitals and ambulance system partners. Lack of a healthcare program would also make follow-up care difficult, likely leading to repeated medical crises. While CMSP, Connect to Care, and Path to Health serve only a small proportion of the population, it can be of critical value to those individuals it serves.
Over the years, the Board of Supervisors has considered and voted on various agreements to accept or use CMSP funding for eligible purposes. Despite the program's numerous changes over the years, there appears to have been no program-update presentations since at least 2005. This CMSP presentation will provide an update to the Board regarding Connect to Care and other CMSP programs available to County residents.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to receive the presentation from CMSP
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with this Agenda item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Daniel Del Monte, Interim Director, HHSA