Medi-Cal: serious mental illness: drugs.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons pursuant to a schedule of benefits. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, the provision of prescription drugs is a Medi-Cal benefit, subject to the list of contract drugs and utilization controls. After a determination of cost benefit, existing law requires the Director of Health Care Services to modify or eliminate the requirement of prior authorization as a control for treatment, supplies, or equipment that costs less than…