AB 2538: Medi-Cal: hospice providers: forms.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services through fee-for-service or managed care delivery systems. The Medi-Cal program is in part governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions.

Existing law provides for the licensure of hospice agencies by the State Department of Public Health to provide hospice services to an individual who is experiencing the last phase of life due to a terminal illness, as defined. Under existing law, hospice services are covered under the Medi-Cal program, subject to utilization controls and the availability of federal financial participation, as specified.

The State Department of Health Care Services administratively requires, effective March 2, 2026, a hospice provider to use a certain online attestation form to notify the department when a Medi-Cal fee-for-service member has elected to receive hospice services, as specified.

This bill would codify and recast those departmental procedures relating to the online form. The bill would require the hospice provider to submit the online form within 5 calendar days after the member’s election to receive hospice services, and to submit the form in conjunction with counseling, receipt of informed consent, and completion of a separate election notice form, as specified.

The bill would make these provisions applicable only to the Medi-Cal fee-for-service delivery system. In the case of Medi-Cal managed care, the bill would require a hospice provider to instead follow its assigned Medi-Cal managed care plan’s submission requirements, as specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 17, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2. August 17, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 5497.).
3. August 4, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
4. August 3, 2026From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
5. June 29, 2026Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
6. June 25, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 24).
7. June 10, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
8. May 27, 2026Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
9. May 14, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
10. May 14, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5056.)
11. May 7, 2026Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
12. May 6, 2026From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 6).