(a)
The commission shall obtain licensure as a health care service plan under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety Code.
(b)
Commencing on the date that the commission first receives Medi-Cal capitated payments for the provision of health care services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries and the commission is in full compliance with all of the requirements regarding tangible net equity applicable to a health care service plan licensed
under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety Code, all of the following provisions shall apply:
(1)
The commission is authorized to select and design its automated management information system, subject to the requirement that the department, in cooperation with the commission, prior to making capitated payments, approve the system. The department shall test the system to ensure that the system is capable of producing detailed, accurate, and timely financial information on the financial condition of the commission, and any other information that is generally required by the department in its contracts with other local initiatives and with health care service plans.
(2)
In addition to the reports required by the Department of Managed Health Care under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety Code
and the rules of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care adopted and promulgated thereunder, the commission shall provide, on a monthly basis, to the department, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the members of the commission a copy of the automated report described in subdivision (a) and a projection of assets and liabilities, including those that have been incurred but not reported, with an explanation of material increases or decreases in current or projected assets and liabilities. The explanation of increases and decreases in assets or liabilities shall be provided, upon request, to a hospital, independent physicians’ practice association, or community clinic that has contracted with the commission to provide health care services.
(3)
In addition to the reporting and notification requirements to which the commission is subject under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety
Code, the chief executive officer or director of the commission shall immediately notify the department, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the members of the commission, in writing, of any fact or facts that, in the chief executive officer’s or director’s reasonable and prudent judgment, is likely to result in the commission being unable to meet its financial obligations. The written notice shall describe the fact or facts, the anticipated financial consequences, and the actions that will be taken to address the anticipated consequences.
(4)
In no event shall the Department of Managed Health Care waive or vary, nor shall the department request the Department of Managed Health Care to waive or vary, the tangible net equity requirements for a commission under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety Code after three years after the date of the commencement of capitated payments to the commission.
Until the commission is in compliance with all of the tangible net equity requirements under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety Code and the rules of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care adopted and promulgated thereunder, the commission shall develop a stop-loss program that is appropriate to the risks of the commission. The stop-loss program shall be subject to the approval of the department and the Department of Managed Health Care.
(5)
In the event the commission votes to file a petition of bankruptcy, or the board of supervisors notifies the department that it intends to terminate the commission, the department shall immediately transfer the commission’s Medi-Cal beneficiaries to other managed care contractors, when the contractors are available, and the contractors are able to demonstrate that they can absorb the increased enrollment without detriment to the provision of
health care services to their existing enrollees. To the extent that other managed care providers are unavailable or the department determines that the transfer to the other contractors to a fee-for-service reimbursement system is in the best interest of any particular beneficiary, the department shall make that transfer to the fee-for-service system, pending the availability of managed care contractors that can demonstrate that they can absorb the increased enrollment without detriment to the provision of health care services to their existing enrollees, or until the department determines that providing care to any particular beneficiary pursuant to a fee-for-service reimbursement system is no longer necessary to protect the continuity of care or other interests of the beneficiary. Beneficiaries who have been or who are scheduled to be transferred to a fee-for-service reimbursement system or managed care contractor may make a choice to be enrolled in another managed care system, if one is available, in full
compliance with federal freedom-of-choice requirements.
(6)
The commission shall submit to a review of financial records when the department determines, based on data reported by the commission or other data received by the department, that the commission will not be able to meet its financial obligations to health care providers contracting with the commission. If the department, pursuant to a review of financial records under this paragraph, determines that the commission will not be able to meet its financial obligation to contracting health care providers for the provision of health care services, the Director of Health Services shall immediately terminate the contract between the commission and the department and shall immediately transfer the commission’s Medi-Cal beneficiaries in accordance with paragraph (5) in order to ensure uninterrupted provision of health care services to beneficiaries and to minimize financial disruption.
Beneficiary eligibility for Medi-Cal shall not be affected by this action. Beneficiaries who have been or who are scheduled to be transferred under paragraph (5) may make a choice to be enrolled in another managed care plan, if one is available, in full compliance with federal freedom-of-choice requirements.
(7)
It is the intent of the Legislature that the department shall implement Medi-Cal capitated enrollments in a manner that ensures that appropriate levels of health care services will be provided to Medi-Cal beneficiaries and that appropriate levels of administrative services will be furnished to health care providers. The contract between the department and the commission shall authorize the department to administer the number of covered Medi-Cal enrollments in a manner that ensures that the commission’s provider network and administrative structure are able to provide appropriate and timely services to beneficiaries and to participating
providers.
(8)
In the event a commission is terminated, files for bankruptcy, or otherwise no longer functions for the purposes for which it was established, the county shall, with respect to compensation for provision of health care services to beneficiaries, occupy no greater or lesser status than any other health care provider in the disbursement of assets of the commission.
(9)
Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair or diminish the authority of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety Code, nor shall any thing in this section be construed to reduce or otherwise limit the obligation of a commission licensed as a health care plan under Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety Code to comply with the requirements of that
chapter, and the rules of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care adopted thereunder.
