Family Health Centers of San Diego v. State Dept. of Health Care Services CA3

BACKGROUND

A. Legal background The federal Medicaid program is a cooperative federal-state assistance program designed to expand access to medical care for low income persons. (Department of Health Services v. Superior Court (1991) 232 Cal.App.3d 776, 778; 42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq.) Through the program, the federal government provides financial assistance to states so that they may reimburse health care providers who furnish necessary medical services to qualified indigent persons. (Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center v. Belshé (1996) 13 Cal.4th 748, 751; Three Lower Counties Community Health Services, Inc. v. State of Maryland (4th Cir. 2007) 498 F.3d 294, 297 (Three Lower Counties).) California participates in the Medicaid program through its California Medical Assistance Program, or “Medi-Cal.” (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 14000 et seq.; Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center, supra, 13 Cal.4th at p. 751.) The Department is the state agency responsible for

2 administering California’s Medi-Cal program in compliance with the state Medicaid plan and applicable federal and state Medicaid laws and regulations. (Redding Medical Center v. Bontá (1999) 75 Cal.App.4th 478, 480 (Redding); Welf. &…