California Department of Social Services - State Hearings Division
Notes from the Training Bureau - August 13, 2003

Reference: Welfare and Institutions Code (W&IC) §§10618.5, 18925

W&IC §10618.5 requires the county to develop and send a notice to food stamp applicants who are determined to be eligible for food stamps, but did not indicate an interest in Medi-Cal. The notice shall inform food stamp applicants that they may be entitled to receive Medi-Cal. The notice also is required to request permission of such food stamp applicants to use information in the food stamp case file to make a determination of Medi-Cal eligibility. The notice also includes a request for permission to forward information in the food stamp case file to the Healthy Families program if the individual is determined to be ineligible for Medi-Cal or eligible with a share of cost.

W&IC §18925 requires the DHS in conjunction with the CDSS to implement a simplified eligibility process as part of the food stamp program to expedite Medi-Cal and Healthy Families program enrollment for food stamp recipients.

Counties must implement W&IC §§10618.5 and 18925 effective July 1, 2003. The notices must also include Medi-Cal Rights and Responsibilities, a Medi-Cal Confidentiality Notice and Medi-Cal Privacy Notice information. The CDSS attached a sample notice that complies with the requirements of §§10618.5 and 18925.

A prepaid self-addressed return envelope must be provided for each notice given to the applicant or recipient. The county may choose to create one notice that applies to both food stamp applicants and recipients if that notice meets the conditions of §§10618.5 and 18925.