14017.5. (Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1014, Sec. 1.)

The department shall not issue identification cards to Medi-Cal recipients on a statewide basis until (1) a pilot project has been completed which indicates that the General Fund savings from reduced unauthorized use of Medi-Cal cards more than offsets the costs of issuing the identification cards, and (2) the Legislature has specifically appropriated the funds necessary to issue identification cards to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. If identification cards are issued by the department on a pilot project or statewide basis, the department shall notify providers that current Medi-Cal beneficiaries have been issued identification cards in accordance with Section 14017. At that time, it shall be the responsibility of the provider prior to rendering nonemergency Medi-Cal reimbursable services to persons presenting themselves as Medi-Cal beneficiaries to verify the person’s identity by matching the name and signature on their identification card issued by the department or their valid California driver’s license or California identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, against a signature executed at the time of service and further by visually verifying their likeness to the photograph on the identification card or driver’s license. If the provider complies in good faith, he or she shall not be held responsible by having payments withheld by the state.