Report 2014-130 Recommendation 17 Responses

Report 2014-130: California Department of Health Care Services: It Should Improve Its Administration and Oversight of School‑Based Medi-Cal Programs (Release Date: August 2015)

Recommendation #17 To: Health Care Services, Department of

To better maximize federal reimbursements for the administrative activities program, Health Care Services should, within six months, develop and implement a method to oversee and track the outreach efforts that local educational consortia and local governmental agencies use for ensuring that nonparticipating claiming units understand the benefits and consider participating in the administrative activities program.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From August 2019

Participation in the administrative activities program is voluntary on the part of the LEA. Outreach efforts provide information to the LEAs on the potential benefits of their participation in the program. Tracking the number of LEAs that have received the information has no correlation to the number of new claims submitted annually. Therefore, DHCS will continue to encourage LECs/LGAs to engage in outreach efforts but will not track the results of the outreach process, with the exception of noting the number of LEAs that actively participate in the program.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Will Not Implement


Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

DHCS developed and issued a brochure for the LEC/LGAs to send to non-participating LEAs on February 23, 2016

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

As we have noted in previous annual responses, the brochure that Health Care Services mentions in its response describes the administrative activities program and how entities can participate in the program. However, Health Care Services' response does not address its oversight of outreach efforts.


Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2017

DHCS developed and issued a brochure for the LEC/LGAs to send to non-participating LEAs on February 23, 2016

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

We cannot confirm that Health Care Services fully implemented this recommendation. The brochure Health Care Services mentions in its response describes the administrative activities program and how entities can participate in the program. However, Health Care Services' response does not address its oversight of outreach efforts.


1-Year Agency Response

On February 23, 2016, DHCS developed and issued a brochure for the LECs and LGAs to distribute to potential and past LEAs. In addition, each LEC or LGA may submit for approval to DHCS, brochures or other material they want to distribute.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

The brochure Health Care Services mentions in its response describes the administrative activities program and how entities can participate in the program. However, Health Care Services' response does not address its oversight of outreach efforts.


6-Month Agency Response

DHCS has developed a trifold brochure that was approved in December 2015. DHCS' implementation plan involves the distribution of the brochures to the LEAs through the LECs and LGAs beginning in February 2016.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented


60-Day Agency Response

DHCS has developed an SMAA marketing tool which will be distributed, once approved.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending


All Recommendations in 2014-130

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.