The Medicaid program, which is authorized by title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 United States Code section 1396 et seq., is a health insurance program for the indigent. Medi-Cal, which is Californias version of this program, is administered by DHS. (See Memorial Hospital-Ceres v. Belsh (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 233, 235; Mercy Hospital & Medical Center v. Department of Health Services (1981) 115 Cal.App.3d 270, 276.) Among the health care services that must be provided by states participating in the Medicaid program are hospital inpatient services.
The Medicaid program, which is authorized by title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 United States Code section 1396 et seq., is a health insurance program for the indigent. Medi-Cal, which is California's version of this program, is administered by DHS. (See Memorial Hospital-Ceres v. Belshé (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 233, 235; Mercy Hospital Medical Center v. Department of Health Services (1981) 115 Cal.App.3d 270, 276.) Among the health care services that must be provided by states participating in the Medicaid program are hospital inpatient services.
(Helena F. v. West Contra Costa Unified School District, supra, 49 Cal.App.4th at p. 1799.) DMC also cites to Memorial Hospital-Ceres v. Belshe (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 233 for the proposition that services furnished by a contract hospital which are not covered by contracts must be cost reimbursed. Belshe involved whether DHCS properly used the hospital's average overall cost rather than its psychiatric unit costs to compute reimbursement rates for uncontracted psychiatric services.
Medi-Cal is the program by which the State of California provides medical services to its indigent population. ( Memorial Hospital-Ceres v. Belshé (1998) 67 Cal.App.4th 233, 235.) To facilitate the provision of indigent mental health services at the local level in a manner consistent with federal law, the Legislature has authorized the development of "mental health plans," which are required to operate within guidelines established by DMH. (Welf.