Medi-Cal: provider directory: skilled nursing facilities.

Senator Ochoa Bogh's Medi-Cal provider directory legislation requires the State Department of Health Care Services to include skilled nursing facilities as a searchable category within the Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Care Options online directory. The measure adds to existing federal Medicaid requirements that mandate state publication of online physician directories while giving states discretion to list additional provider types.

The department must annually update the directory's skilled nursing facility information to maintain accuracy and public accessibility. These updates will occur in coordination with existing provider directory requirements under state and federal law, including provisions in the Welfare and Institutions Code and federal Medicaid statutes.

The directory expansion builds upon the current Medi-Cal managed care system, which informs applicants and beneficiaries about their healthcare options through various methods, including online provider listings. By incorporating skilled nursing facilities into the searchable directory, the measure aims to help Medi-Cal participants locate and evaluate these specialized care providers within their managed care networks.