Emergency services: psychiatric emergency medical conditions.
This bill would revise the definition of “psychiatric emergency medical condition” to make that definition applicable regardless of whether the patient is voluntary, or is involuntarily detained for evaluation and treatment. The bill would make conforming changes to provisions requiring facilities to provide that treatment. By expanding the definition of a crime with respect to those facilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would require the Medi-Cal program to cover emergency services and care necessary to treat an emergency medical condition, as defined, including all professional physical, mental, and substance use treatment services, including screening examinations necessary to determine the presence or absence of an emergency medical condition and, if an emergency medical condition exists, for all services medically necessary to stabilize the beneficiary.
The bill would require coverage, including by a Medi-Cal managed care plan, for emergency services necessary to relieve or eliminate a psychiatric emergency medical condition, regardless of duration, or whether the beneficiary is voluntary, or involuntarily detained for evaluation and treatment, including emergency room professional services.