|
On April 6, 2026, the Family PACT Portal will be updated to include:
1. The reintroduction of the Restricted Scope Medi-Cal question back into the Other Health Coverage section, and
2. A new Override Eligibility Date Request function.
Restricted Scope Medi-Cal Question
In the Other Health Coverage section, “Do you have restricted scope Medi-Cal that does not cover contraceptive methods?” has been added back into the Family PACT Portal in response to changes in the Medi-Cal Program. It corresponds to this question on the Client Eligibility Certification (CEC) Form (DHCS 4461): “I have restricted Medi-Cal (such as “Emergency Medi-Cal”) that does not cover contraceptive methods.”
For more information on eligibility determination, see Family PACT Policies, Procedures and Billing Instructions Manual (PPBI) section: client elig.
New Override Eligibility Date Request Function
The Family PACT Portal will now allow entitled provider staff and Site Certifiers to submit a request via the portal to backdate the effective eligibility start dates for Family PACT clients who were unable to be enrolled in the portal in real-time due to portal downtime/system outage (or other specific reasons detailed below).
Important Note: This new functionality does not change the existing Family PACT Program policy requirement to submit a client application on the date eligibility has been determined. (See PPBI section: hap id and client elig.)
When the Family PACT Portal is experiencing an outage or scheduled downtime (or is otherwise inaccessible), Family PACT providers should initiate downtime procedures as follows:
-
Complete the CEC Form (DHCS 4461) to determine eligibility.
- If eligible, proceed with the visit under the Family PACT program.
-
Once the Family PACT Portal is available, enroll the client in the Family PACT Portal and use the new Override Eligibility Date Request function.
o Note: Providers can use the Override Eligibility Date Request Function for existing clients (e.g., reporting a change, recertification).
Details of the Override Eligibility Date Request Function:
- Site Certifiers and entitled provider staff can backdate a client’s eligibility start date up to 90 days.
- A request to override a client's eligibility start date is allowed if a client is currently eligible for Family PACT and is not in their recertification period.
- Site Certifiers and entitled provider staff must provide the following:
a. The requested overridden eligibility start date, and
b. One of the following reasons for the eligibility date change:
- Eligibility determination affected by technical issue
- Provider staff did not enter client information at eligibility determination
- Inaccurate determination of client ineligibility
- Other [text field]
The portal job aids have been updated to reflect these changes. A new Override Eligibility Date Request job aid has been created with detailed instructions and is available on the Family PACT Portal Resources webpage: Site Certifiers and Provider Staff Portal Resources. The Online Training Center will be updated soon.
For any questions or assistance, please contact FamilyPact@dhcs.ca.gov or via phone at 916-650-0414.
| 
