14169.56. (Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 442, Sec. 30.)

(a) The department shall increase capitation payments to Medi-Cal managed health care plans for each subject fiscal year as set forth in this section.

(b) (1) Subject to the limitation in paragraph (2), the increased capitation payments shall be made as part of the monthly capitated payments made by the department to managed health care plans. The aggregate amount of increased capitation payments to all Medi-Cal managed health care plans for each subject fiscal year, or portion thereof, shall be the maximum amount for which federal financial participation is available on an aggregate statewide basis for the applicable subject fiscal year within a program period, or portion thereof.

(2) (A) The limitation in subparagraph (B) shall be applied with respect to a subject fiscal year or portion thereof for which the federal matching assistance percentage is less than 90 percent for expenditures for services furnished to individuals who meet the eligibility requirements in Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII) of Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII)), and who meet the conditions described in Section 1905(y) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396d(y)).

(B) During a subject fiscal year or portion thereof described in subparagraph (A), the aggregate amount of the increased capitation payments under this section shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the increased capitation payments that would be made if the nonfederal share of the increased capitation payments were the amount that the nonfederal share would have been if the federal matching assistance percentage were 90 percent for expenditures for services furnished to individuals who meet the eligibility requirements in Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII) of Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII)), and who meet the conditions described in Section 1905(y) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396d(y)).

(c) The department shall determine the amount of the increased capitation payments for each managed health care plan for each subject fiscal year or portion thereof during a program period. The department shall consider the composition of Medi-Cal enrollees in the plan, the anticipated utilization of hospital services by the plan’s Medi-Cal enrollees, and other factors that the department determines are reasonable and appropriate to ensure access to high-quality hospital services by the plan’s enrollees.

(d) The amount of increased capitation payments to each Medi-Cal managed health care plan shall not exceed an amount that results in capitation payments that are certified by the state’s actuary as meeting federal requirements, taking into account the requirement that all of the increased capitation payments under this section shall be paid by the Medi-Cal managed health care plans to hospitals for hospital services to Medi-Cal enrollees of the plan.

(e) (1) The increased capitation payments to managed health care plans under this section shall be made to support the availability of hospital services and ensure access to hospital services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The increased capitation payments to managed health care plans shall commence within 90 days after the date on which all necessary federal approvals have been received, and shall include, but not be limited to, the sum of the increased payments for all prior months for which payments are due.

(2) To secure the necessary funding for the payment or payments made pursuant to paragraph (1), the department may accumulate funds in the fund, for the purpose of funding managed health care capitation payments under this article regardless of the date on which capitation payments are scheduled to be paid in order to secure the necessary total funding for managed health care payments by the end of a program period.

(f) Payments to managed health care plans that would be paid consistent with actuarial certification and enrollment in the absence of the payments made pursuant to this section, including, but not limited to, payments described in Section 14182.15, shall not be reduced as a consequence of payments under this section.

(h) (1) In the event federal financial participation is not available for all of the increased capitation payments determined for a month pursuant to this section for any reason, the increased capitation payments mandated by this section for that month shall be reduced proportionately to the amount for which federal financial participation is available.

(2) The determination under this subdivision for any month in a program period shall be made after accounting for all federal financial participation necessary for full implementation of Section 14182.15 for that month.