(a)

1. (1) For purposes of this section, “waiver personal care services” means personal care services authorized by the department for persons who are eligible for either nursing or model nursing facility waiver services.

2. (2) Waiver personal care services shall satisfy all of the following criteria:

   1. (A) The services shall be defined in the nursing and model nursing facility waivers.
   2. (B) The services shall differ in scope from services that may be authorized under Section 14132.95 or 14132.952.
   3. (C) The services shall not replace any hours of services authorized or that may be authorized under Section 14132.95 or 14132.952.

(b) An individual may receive waiver personal care services if all of the following conditions are met:

1. (1) The individual has been approved by the department to receive services in accordance with a waiver approved under Section 1915(c) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396n(c)) for persons who would otherwise require care in a nursing facility.
2. (2) The individual has doctor’s orders that specify that he or she requires waiver personal care services in order to remain in his or her own home.
3. (3) The individual chooses, either personally or through a substitute decisionmaker who is recognized under state law for purposes of giving consent for medical treatment, to receive waiver personal care services, as well as medically necessary skilled nursing services, in order to remain in his or her own home.
4. (4) The waiver personal care services and all other waiver services for the individual do not result in costs that exceed the fiscal limit established under the waiver.

(c) The department shall notify the administrator of the In-Home Supportive Services program in the county of residence of any individual who meets all requirements of subdivision (b) and has been authorized by the department to receive waiver personal care services. The county of residence shall then do the following:

1. (1) Inform the department of the services that the individual is authorized to receive under Section 14132.95 or 14132.952 at the time he or she becomes eligible for waiver personal care services.
2. (2) Determine the individual’s eligibility for services under Section 14132.95 or 14132.952 if he or she is not currently authorized to receive those services and if he or she has not been previously determined eligible for those services.
3. (3) Implement the department’s authorization for waiver personal care services for the individual at the quantity and scope authorized by the department.

(d)

1. (1) Waiver personal care services approved by the department for individuals who meet the requirements of subdivision (b) may be provided in either of the following ways, or a combination of both:

   1. (A) By a licensed and certified home health agency participating in the Medi-Cal program.
   2. (B) By one or more providers of personal care services under Article 7 (commencing with Section 12300) of Chapter 3 and subdivision (d) of Section 14132.95, when the individual elects, in writing, to utilize these service providers.
2. (2) The department shall approve waiver personal care services for individuals who meet the requirements of subdivision (b) only when the department finds that the individual’s receipt of waiver personal care services is necessary in order to enable the individual to be maintained safely in his or her own home and community.
3. (3) When waiver personal care services are provided by a licensed and certified home health agency, the home health agency shall receive payment in the manner by which it would receive payment for any other service approved by the department.

4. (4)

   1. (A) When waiver personal care services are provided by one or more providers of personal care services under Article 7 (commencing with Section 12300) of Chapter 3 and subdivision (d) of Section 14132.95, the providers shall receive payment on a schedule and in a manner by which providers of personal care services receive payment. The State Department of Social Services shall commence making payments for waiver personal care services when its payment system has been modified to accommodate those payments. A county is not obligated to administer waiver personal care services until the State Department of Social Services payment system has been modified to accommodate those payments. However, any county or public authority or nonprofit consortium that administers the In-Home Supportive Services and personal care services programs may pay providers for the delivery of waiver personal care services if it chooses to do so. In that case, the county, public authority, or nonprofit consortium shall be reimbursed by the department for the waiver personal care services authorized by the department and provided to an individual upon submittal of documentation as required by the waiver, and in accordance with the requirements of the department.
   2. (B) For purposes of subparagraph (A) and to the extent the department obtains any federal approvals it deems necessary to implement this subparagraph, “payment” includes wages and benefits. Payments provided pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be available for service dates on or after the effective date specified in the applicable federal approval obtained by the department and only after the Case Management Information and Payroll System (CMIPS) system has been modified to accommodate these payments, or on July 1, 2019, whichever is sooner.