(a) (1) In counties selected by the director with the concurrence of the county, a special county health authority may be established in order to meet the problems of delivery of publicly assisted medical care in each county, and to demonstrate ways of promoting quality care and cost efficiency. Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude the department from expanding Medi-Cal managed care in ways other than those provided for in this section, including, but not limited to, the establishment of a public benefit corporation as set forth in Section 5110 of the Corporations Code.
(2) For purposes of this section, “health authority” means an entity separate from the county that meets the requirements of state and federal law and the quality, cost, and access criteria established by the department.
(b) The board of supervisors of a county described in subdivision (a) may, by ordinance, establish a health authority to negotiate and enter into contracts authorized by Section 14087.3, and to arrange for the provision of health care services provided pursuant to this chapter. If the board of supervisors elects to enact this ordinance, all rights, powers, duties, privileges, and immunities vested in a county contracting with the department under this article shall be vested in the health authority. The health authority may also enter into contracts for the provision of health care services to individuals including, but not limited to, those covered under Subchapter XVIII (commencing with Section 1395) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code, those entitled to coverage under other publicly supported programs, those employed by public agencies or private businesses, and uninsured or indigent individuals.
(c) The enabling ordinance shall specify the membership of the governing board of the health authority, the qualifications for individual members, the manner of appointment, selection, or removal of board members, and how long they shall serve, and any other matters the board of supervisors deems necessary or convenient for the conduct of the health authority’s activities. Members of the governing board shall be appointed by the board of supervisors to represent the interests of the county, the general public, beneficiaries, physicians, hospitals, clinics, and other nonphysician health care providers. The health authority so established shall be considered an entity separate from the county and shall file a statement required by Section 53051 of the Government Code. The health authority shall have the power to acquire, possess, and dispose of real or personal property, as necessary for the performance of its functions, to employ personnel and contract for services required to meet its obligations, to sue or be sued, and to enter into agreements under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code. Any obligations of a health authority, statutory, contractual, or otherwise, shall be obligations solely of the health authority and shall not be the obligations of the county or of the state.
(d) Upon creation, the health authority may borrow from the county, and the county may lend the health authority funds or issue revenue anticipation notes to obtain those funds necessary to commence operations.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, both the county and the health authority shall be eligible to receive funding under subdivision (p) of Section 14163, and the health authority shall be considered to have satisfied the requirements of that subdivision.
(f) The health authority shall be deemed to be a public agency that is a unit of local government for purposes of all grant programs and other funding and loan guarantee programs.
(g) It is the intent of the Legislature that if a health authority is formed pursuant to this section, the county shall, with respect to its medical facilities and programs, occupy no greater or lesser status than any other health care provider in negotiating with the health authority for contracts to provide health care services. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to interfere with or limit the health authority in giving preference in negotiating to disproportionate share hospitals or other providers of health care to medically indigent or uninsured individuals.
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a member of the governing board of the health authority shall not be deemed to be interested in a contract entered into by the health authority within the meaning of Article 4 (commencing with Section 1090) of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code if all the following apply:
(1) The member was appointed to represent the interests of physicians, health care practitioners, hospitals, pharmacies, or other health care organizations, or beneficiaries.
(2) The contract authorizes the member or the organization the member represents to provide services to beneficiaries under the health authority’s programs.
(3) The contract contains substantially the same terms and conditions as contracts entered into with other individuals or organizations that the member was appointed to represent.
(4) The member does not influence or attempt to influence the health authority or another member of the health authority to enter into the contract in which the member is interested.
(5) The member discloses the interest to the health authority and abstains from voting on the contract.
(6) The governing board notes the member’s disclosure and abstention in its official records and authorizes the contract in good faith by a vote of its membership sufficient for the purpose without counting the vote of the interested member.
(i) All claims for money or damages against the health authority shall be governed by Part 3 (commencing with Section 900) and Part 4 (commencing with Section 940) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code, except as provided by other statutes or regulations that expressly apply to the health authority.
(j) (1) The health authority shall be considered a public entity for purposes of Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of Title 1 of the Government Code.
(2) The health authority, members of its governing board, and its employees, are protected by the immunities applicable to public entities and public employees governed by Part 1 (commencing with Section 810) and Part 2 (commencing with Section 814) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code, except as provided by other statutes or regulations that apply expressly to the health authority.
(k) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as otherwise provided in this section, a county shall not be liable for any act or omission of the health authority.
(l) The transfer of responsibility for health care services to the health authority shall not relieve the county of its responsibility for indigent care pursuant to Section 17000.
(m) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing board of the health authority may meet in closed session to consider and take action on matters pertaining to contracts, and to contract negotiations by health authority staff with providers of health care services concerning all matters related to rates of payment.
(n) (1) (A) Notwithstanding the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code), the governing board of the health authority may meet in closed session for the purpose of discussion of, or taking action on matters involving, health authority trade secrets.
(B) The requirement that the authority make a public report of actions taken in closed session and the vote or abstention of every member present may be limited to a brief general description of the action taken and the vote so as to prevent the disclosure of a trade secret.
(C) For purposes of this section, “health authority trade secret” means a trade secret, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 3426.1 of the Civil Code, that also meets both of the following criteria:
(i) The secrecy of the information is necessary for the health authority to initiate a new service, program, marketing strategy, business plan, or technology, or to add a benefit or product.
(ii) Premature disclosure of the trade secret would create a substantial probability of depriving the health authority of a substantial economic benefit or opportunity.
(2) Those records of the health authority that reveal the health authority’s trade secrets are exempt from disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code), or any similar local law requiring the disclosure of public records. This exemption shall apply for a period of two years after the service, program, marketing strategy, business plan, technology, benefit, or product that is the subject of the trade secret is formally adopted by the governing body of the health authority, provided that the service, program, marketing strategy, business plan, technology, benefit, or product continues to be a trade secret. The governing board may delete the portion or portions containing trade secrets from any documents that were finally approved in closed session held pursuant to this subdivision that are provided to persons who have made the timely or standing request.
(o) Notwithstanding Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of, and Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of, the Government Code, or any other provision of law, any peer review body, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 805 of the Business and Professions Code, formed pursuant to the powers granted to the health authority authorized by this section, may, at its discretion and without notice to the public, meet in closed session, so long as the purpose of the meeting is the peer review body’s discharge of its responsibility to evaluate and improve the quality of care rendered by health facilities and health practitioners, pursuant to the powers granted to the health authority. The peer review body and its members shall receive, to the fullest extent, all immunities, privileges, and protections available to those peer review bodies, their individual members, and persons or entities assisting in the peer review process, including those afforded by Section 1157 of the Evidence Code and Section 1370 of the Health and Safety Code.
(p) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, those records of the health authority and of the county that reveal the health authority’s rates of payment for health care services or the health authority’s deliberative processes, discussions, communications, or any other portion of the negotiations with providers of health care services for rates of payment, shall not be required to be disclosed pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code), or any similar local law requiring the disclosure of public records. However, three years after a contract or amendment to a contract is fully executed, the portion of the contract or amendment containing the rates of payment shall be open to inspection.
(q) Notwithstanding the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code), or Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of, and Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of, the Government Code, or any other provision of state or local law requiring disclosure of public records, those records of a peer review body, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 805 of the Business and Professions Code, formed pursuant to the powers granted to the health authority authorized by this section, shall not be required to be disclosed. The records and proceedings of the peer review body and its individual members shall receive, to the fullest extent, all immunities, privileges, and protections available to those records and proceedings, including those afforded by Section 1157 of the Evidence Code and Section 1370 of the Health and Safety Code.
(r) Except as expressly provided by other provisions of this section, all exemptions and exclusions from disclosure as public records pursuant to the California Public Records Act, including, but not limited to, those pertaining to trade secrets and information withheld in the public interest, shall be fully applicable for all state agencies and local agencies with respect to all writings that the health authority is required to prepare, produce, or submit pursuant to this section.
(s) (1) Any health authority formed pursuant to this section shall obtain licensure as a health care service plan under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 3 of the Health and Safety Code).
(2) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (t), a health authority may not operate health plans or programs for individuals covered under Subchapter XVIII (commencing with Section 1395) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code, or for private businesses, until the health authority is in full compliance with all of the requirements of the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, including tangible net equity requirements applicable to a licensed health care service plan.
(t) Commencing on the date that the health authority first receives Medi-Cal capitated payments for the provision of health care services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries and until the time that the health authority is in compliance with all the requirements regarding tangible net equity applicable to a health care service plan licensed under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, the following provisions shall apply:
(1) The health authority may select and design its automated management information system, but the department, in cooperation with the health authority, prior to making capitated payments, 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 health authority and any other information generally required by the department in its contracts with health care service plans.
(2) In addition to the reports required by the Department of Managed Health Care under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, and the rules of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care promulgated thereunder, the health authority shall provide on a monthly basis to the department, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the members of the health authority, a copy of the automated report described in paragraph (1) 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 or 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 health authority to provide health care services.
(3) In addition to the reporting and notification obligations the health authority has under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, the chief executive officer or director of the health authority shall immediately notify the department, the Department of Managed Health Care, and the members of the governing board of the health authority 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 health authority being unable to meet its financial obligations to health care providers or to other parties. Written notice shall describe the fact or facts, the anticipated fiscal consequences, and the actions that will be taken to address the anticipated consequences.
(4) The Department of Managed Health Care shall not 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 health authority under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 after three years from the date of commencement of capitated payments to the health authority. Until the time the health authority is in compliance with all of the tangible net equity requirements under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, and the rules of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care promulgated thereunder, the health authority shall develop a stop-loss program appropriate to the risks of the health authority. The program shall be satisfactory to both the department and the Department of Managed Health Care.
(5) In the event that the health authority votes to file a petition of bankruptcy, or the board of supervisors notifies the department of its intent to terminate the health authority, the department shall immediately convert the authority’s Medi-Cal beneficiaries to either of the following:
(A) To other managed care contractors when available, provided those 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.
(B) To the extent that other managed care contractors are unavailable or the department determines that the action is otherwise in the best interest of any particular beneficiary, to a fee-for-service reimbursement system pending the availability of managed care contractors, provided those 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, or if 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. Beneficiary eligibility for Medi-Cal shall not be affected by this action. Beneficiaries who have been or who are scheduled to be converted 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 the federal freedom-of-choice requirements.
(6) The health authority shall submit to a review of financial records when the department determines, based on data reported by the health authority or otherwise, that the health authority will not be able to meet its financial obligations to health care providers contracting with the health authority. Where the review of financial records determines that the health authority will not be able to meet its financial obligations to contracting health care providers for the provision of health care services, the director shall immediately terminate the contract between the health authority and the state, and immediately convert the health authority Medi-Cal beneficiaries in accordance with paragraph (5) in order to ensure uninterrupted provision of health care services to the beneficiaries and to minimize financial disruption to providers. The action of the director shall be the final administrative determination. Beneficiary eligibility for Medi-Cal shall not be affected by this action. Beneficiaries who have been or who are scheduled to be converted 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 health authority shall authorize and permit the department to administer the number of covered Medi-Cal enrollments in such a manner that the health authority’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 health authority is terminated, files for bankruptcy, or otherwise no longer functions for the purpose 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 health authority.
(9) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to impair or diminish the authority of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, nor shall anything in this section be construed to reduce or otherwise limit the obligation of a health authority licensed as a health care service plan to comply with the requirements of the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, and the rules of the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care promulgated thereunder.
(u) In the event a health authority may no longer function for the purposes for which it is established, at the time the health authority’s then-existing obligations have been satisfied or the health authority’s assets have been exhausted, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance, terminate the health authority.
(v) (1) Prior to the termination of the health authority, the board of supervisors shall notify the department of its intent to terminate the health authority. The department shall conduct an audit of the health authority’s records within 30 days of the notification to determine the liabilities and assets of the health authority.
(2) The department shall report its findings to the board within 10 days of completion of the audit. The board shall prepare a plan to liquidate or otherwise dispose of the assets of the health authority and to pay the liabilities of the health authority to the extent of the health authority’s assets, and present the plan to the department within 30 days upon receipt of these findings.
(w) Any assets of the health authority shall be disposed of pursuant to provisions contained in the contract entered into between the state and the health authority pursuant to this section.
(x) Upon termination of a health authority by the board, the county shall manage any remaining assets of the health authority until superseded by a department-approved plan. Any liabilities of the health authority shall not become obligations of the county upon either the termination of the health authority or the liquidation or disposition of the health authority’s remaining assets.
(y) This section shall apply to any county health authority or any county special commission operating under this article or Article 2.81 (commencing with Section 14087.96), except to the extent that this section conflicts with Sections 14087.31, 14087.35, and 14087.36 or Article 2.81 (commencing with Section 14087.96).
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 228, Sec. 12.4. Effective August 16, 2004.)