California has notified the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) that it will administer their own high-risk pool instead of allowing the federal government to implement the program. Last Friday, HHS announced that California will receive $761 million for the pool. The new provision in the health care reform law states that U.S. residents will be eligible for health coverage under the high-risk pools if they have a pre-existing condition and have been without health insurance for at least six months.