Office of AIDS

Ryan White and the Low Income Health Program (LIHP)

The Low Income Health Program (LIHP) was established by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to help California prepare for health care reform. It is an optional, county Medi-Cal-like program that expands primary medical coverage to certain uninsured, low-income adults. Some HIV-positive individuals who receive Ryan White (RW) and/or AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) services are eligible for this program. The Office of AIDS (OA) together with DHCS, federal partners, and stakeholders is assisting counties with transitioning eligible RW clients to LIHP.

OA activities include: 

• OA and DHCS together created a RW/LIHP stakeholder advisory committee which includes providers, case managers, HIV advocates, representatives of California Conference of Local AIDS Directors and County Health Executives Association of California, LIHP administrators, and HIV-positive consumers. This group provides guidance on transition policy decisions. Click here for a full membership roster.
• OA conducts two different monthly stakeholder calls for: 1) county RW coordinators, ADAP coordinators, and LIHP administrators; and 2) county ADAP coordinators and ADAP enrollment workers.
• OA provides training sessions for ADAP enrollment workers and completed a series of trainings for RW case managers and benefit counselors.
• Working together with HIV Advocates, providers county representatives, and other stakeholders, OA created an ADAP to LIHP transition flowchart that visually displays the ADAP to LIHP transition process.
• OA issues guidance memos, stakeholder call summaries, FAQs, and resources. See links below. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The following documents were generated from issues raised in meetings and stakeholder calls.

• Sixth set of FAQs - ADAP Data Sharing with LIHPs (PDF)(posted April 6, 2013)
• Fifth set of  FAQs - ADAP Pharmacy Back-billing Reimbursement for LIHP Drug Expenditures (PDF) (posted October, 2 2012) 
• Fourth set of FAQs - Retroactive Enrollment and Back-billing for LIHP Services (PDF) (posted July 11, 2012)
• FAQs about the use of ADAP client information by local public health departments by local public health departments to assist with the transition of ADAP clients to LIHP (PDF)(posted April 19, 2012)
• Third set of FAQs about the Ryan White and LIHP programs in CA (PDF)(posted September 12, 2011; updated November 16, 2011)
• Second set of FAQs about the Ryan White and LIHP programs in CA (PDF) (posted August 11, 2011; updated August 26, 2011)
• First set of FAQs about the Ryan White and LIHP programs in CA (PDF) (posted August 1, 2011; updated August 26, 2011)

Guidance Letters and ADAP-LIHP Transition Flowchart

• Guidance from DHCS on Immigration Status Requirements for LIHP Eligibility (PDF)  (Posted July 26, 2012)
• ADAP - LIHP Application Process Flow Chart (PDF)(revised September 19, 2012)
• ADAP - LIHP Narrative Description of Flow Chart (mp3, 11MB)(posted June 12, 2012) 
• Federal HRSA Guidance with Respect to Screening Individuals with Insurance Coverage for Eligibility in California's Low Income Health Program (PDF) (posted June 6, 2012)
• Guidance to Counties on LIHP Screening Plans and Additional Questions to Consider, dated November 10, 2011 (PDF)(posted March 4, 2012)
• Ryan White Part B Planning Process: Low-Income Health Program Screening Guidance (PDF) (posted September 19, 2011)
• Federal HRSA Guidance to Ryan White Providers with Respect to Screening for Eligibility in California's Low Income Health Program (PDF)(posted August 18, 2011)
• California Waiver Letter from HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) (PDF)(posted August 9, 2011)

ADAP Management Memos Addressing LIHP Topics

For more ADAP management memos click here.

Number   Subject - 2013

2013-02 Important Update for ADAP Enrollment Application Processing – Monterey County (PDF)
2013-03 Important Update for ADAP Enrollment Application Processing – Tulare County (PDF)
2013-04 Revised Income Eligibility Criteria for ADAP Clients Applying to the Low Income Health Program in Kern and Santa Clara Counties (PDF)

• 2012-07         IMPORTANT UPDATE - LOW INCOME HEALTH PROGRAM SCREENING FOR ADAP CLIENTS WITH PRIVATE INSURANCE OR MEDICARE PART D (PDF) (dated September 20, 2012)
• 2012-06        San Joaquin County: Important Update for ADAP Enrollment Application Processing (PDF)
• 2012-05        Alameda and Placer Counties and County Medical Services Program (CMSP): Important Update for ADAP Enrollment Application Processing (PDF)(revised August 9, 2012)
• 2012-04        Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Santa Cruz Counties: Important Update for ADAP Enrollment Application Processing (PDF)(updated June 20, 2012)
• 2012-03          Revised Grace Periods for ADAP Clients Applying to the Low Income Health Program in San Francisco and Orange Counties; and Updated Program Name for San Mateo County (PDF)(dated April 12, 2012)
• 2012-01        Contra Costa, Kern, Orange, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Ventura Counties:Important Update for ADAP Enrollment Application Process (PDF) (dated February 29, 2012)
• 2011-06         Interim Process for reporting ADAP clients who become enrolled in the Low Income Health Program (PDF)(dated December 22, 2011)

 IAS Management Memos Addressing LIHP Topics

        Number   Subject

• 2012-01         Low-Income Health Program Update (PDF)(dated October 2, 2012)

RW and LIHP Stakeholder Meeting Minutes

For an overview of LIHP meetings conducted by OA and DHCS please click here.

• Minutes from April 20, 2012  weekly RW/LIHP advocate call (PDF) (posted May 4, 2012)
• Minutes from the March 20, 2012 monthly RW/LIHP stakeholder call (including repeat call on April 5, 2012) (PDF)(posted May 8, 2012)
• Minutes from the February 24, 2012 monthly RW/LIHP stakeholder call (PDF)(posted March 2, 2012)
• Summary from October 31, 2011 OA, DHCS, and HRSA teleconference with Legacy counties (PDF)(posted March 7, 2012)

Contact Information and Other Resources

DHCS Low Income Health Program (LIHP) - Please submit LIHP-specific questions to the California Department of Health Care Services at LIHP@DHCS.ca.gov
Roster of DHCS/OA LIHP Stakeholder Advisory Group Members (PDF) (Revised July 26, 2012)
Primary Program Contacts for the Local Low Income Health Program (PDF)- This list of local LIHP contacts is maintained by DHCS. (updated June 28, 2012)
Local Ryan White Part B HIV Care Program (HCP) Contacts (PDF)- (revised July 11, 2012)
• Ryan White/LIHP Agency Cross-Match, September 7, 2011 version (Excel)(WinZip)  - Ryan White/LIHP provider spreadsheet.  Please check with your local LIHP program for most recent contacts.  (posted September 7, 2011)

• HIV/AIDS Bureau, Division of Service Systems, FAQs (PDF)- Answers to frequently asked questions from HRSA on the National Monitoring Standards for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A and B Grantees. (posted August 29, 2011)

• HIV/AIDS Bureau, Division of Service Systems, Universal Monitoring Standards (PDF)- More detailed information from HRSA on Program and Fiscal Monitoring Standards for Ryan White Part A and B Grantees. (posted August 29, 2011)

• 2010 ADAP Expenditures and Rebates Across Income Levels, by County (PDF)- Prepared for LIHP use. (posted August 4, 2011)