(a) There is hereby established in the Department of Managed Health Care the Financial Solvency Standards Board composed of eight members. The members shall consist of the director, or the director’s designee, and seven members appointed by the director. The seven members appointed by the director may be, but are not necessarily limited to, individuals with training and experience in the following subject areas or fields: medical and health care economics; accountancy, with experience in integrated or affiliated health care delivery systems; excess loss insurance underwriting in the medical, hospital, and health plan business; actuarial studies in the area of health care delivery systems; management and administration in integrated or affiliated health care delivery systems; investment banking; and information technology in integrated or affiliated health care delivery systems. The members appointed by the director shall be appointed for a term of three years, but may be removed or reappointed by the director before the expiration of the term.
(b) The purpose of the board is to do all of the following:
(1) Advise the director on matters of financial solvency affecting the delivery of health care services.
(2) Develop and recommend to the director financial solvency requirements and standards relating to plan operations, plan-affiliate operations and transactions, plan-provider contractual relationships, and provider-affiliate operations and transactions.
(3) Periodically monitor and report on the implementation and results of the financial solvency requirements and standards.
(c) Financial solvency requirements and standards recommended to the director by the board may, after a period of review and comment not to exceed 45 days, be noticed for adoption as regulations as proposed or modified under the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). During the director’s 45-day review and comment period, the director, in consultation with the board, may postpone the adoption of the requirements and standards pending further review and comment. Nothing in this subdivision prohibits the director from adopting regulations, including emergency regulations, under the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.
(d) The board shall meet at least quarterly and at the call of the chair. In order to preserve the independence of the board, the director shall not serve as chair. The members of the board may establish their own rules and procedures. All members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed from department funds for expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.
(e) For purposes of this section, “board” means the Financial Solvency Standards Board.
(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 577, Sec. 10. Effective October 13, 2007.)