CCS/Medi-Cal Information

Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition is currently working with the California State Department of Health Services on a new hospice and palliative care benefit for children.

CHPCC’s Pediatric Palliative Care Powerpoint Download powerpoint presentation

The Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care waiver program mandated by the Nick Snow Act is a pilot program that will begin in early 2009 in these counties:

• Santa Cruz
• Monterey
• San Diego
• Alameda
• Santa Clara

In 2010, six additional counties will be added:

• Humboldt
• Marin
• Orange
• Sacramento
• San Francisco
• Sonoma

In 2011 these counties will be added:

• Fresno
• Los Angeles

Our goal is for a statewide benefit once the three-year pilot project is successful. This information is from the Children’s Medical Services office of the California State Department of Health Services website.

To learn more click here.

The Nick Snow Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Act of 2006/ Assembly Bill 1745 requires the State Department of Health to submit a waiver to the federal government that allows children with life limiting or life threatening conditions to receive concurrent curative and palliative care. Currently, full service palliative care i.e. Hospice Care, is only provided to children when 1) a physician determines that the child has 6 months or less to live and 2) that the child forgoes curative therapy. The Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Branch has been designated as the lead agency to write the waiver and will work with the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition www.ChildrensHospice.org, the Medi-Cal Waiver Analysis Branch, and other stakeholders in developing the waiver. The CMS Branch will also oversee the administration and evaluation of the waiver. The goal of the waiver is to promote the development of comprehensive Pediatric Palliative Care demonstration programs that allow for the provision of expanded hospice type services and curative care concurrently. These programs should improve quality of life for children with life limiting or life threatening conditions, and their family members. Cost neutrality should be achieved by reducing hospital stays and other unnecessary services. The email address for collaboration on this topic is ccsppc@dhs.ca.gov.

To view CCS palliative care numbered letter about authorization for payment of palliative care: - click here. To view “Palliative Care Options for CCS Eligible Children” – click here