CA SB849

Establishes the Proposition 56 Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Act Program, operational until January 1, 2026, to provide loan assistance to recent graduate physicians and dentists serving Medi-Cal beneficiaries, funded from the Healthcare Treatment Fund.

Requires the Department of Health Care Services to administer separate payment pools for physicians and dentists, develop eligibility criteria prioritizing access and quality care, and establish minimum years of Medi-Cal enrollment required for participants.

Limits judicial challenges to the loan repayment program to 45 days after the bill's effective date, with provisions invalidating both the program and challenge procedures if any single provision is found unconstitutional.

Increases the Hospital Quality Assurance Revenue Fund cap for departmental staffing and administrative costs from $250,000 to $500,000 per fiscal quarter when implementing federal Medicaid pass-through payment requirements.

Authorizes a dental integration pilot program in San Mateo County, effective no sooner than July 1, 2019, transferring covered Medi-Cal dental services from fee-for-service to the Health Plan of San Mateo as a managed care benefit, with an external evaluation required by the sixth fiscal year of operation.