(a) When a managed care contractor that is authorized to provide California Children’s Services (CCS) covered services pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 14094.3 or Article 2.985 (commencing with Section 14094.4) expands a managed care plan’s CCS coverage area to other counties, the contractor shall comply with CCS program standards including, but not limited to, referral of newborns to the appropriate neonatal intensive care level, referral of children requiring pediatric intensive care to CCS-approved pediatric intensive care units, and referral of children with CCS eligible conditions to CCS-approved inpatient facilities and special care centers in accordance with subdivision (c) of Section 14093.05.
(b) The managed care contractor shall comply with CCS program medical eligibility regulations. Questions regarding interpretation of state CCS medical eligibility regulations, or disagreements between the county CCS program and the managed care contractor regarding interpretation of those regulations, shall be resolved by the local CCS program, in consultation with the state CCS program. The resolution determined by the CCS program shall be communicated in writing to the managed care contractor.
(c) In following the treatment plan developed in accordance with CCS program requirements, the managed care contractor shall ensure the timely referral of children with special health care needs to CCS-paneled providers who are board-certified in both pediatrics and in the appropriate pediatric subspecialty.
(d) The managed care contractor shall report expenditures and savings separately for CCS covered services and CCS eligible children, in accordance with paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 14093.05.
(e) All children who are enrolled with a managed care contractor who are seeking CCS program benefits shall retain all rights to CCS program appeals and fair hearings of denials of medical eligibility or of service authorizations. Information regarding the number, nature, and disposition of appeals and fair hearings shall be part of an annual report to the Legislature on managed care contractor compliance with CCS standards, regulations, and procedures. This report shall be made available to the public.
(f) The department, in consultation with stakeholder groups, shall develop unique pediatric plan performance standards and measurements, including, but not limited to, the health outcomes of children with special health care needs.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 625, Sec. 4. (SB 586) Effective January 1, 2017.)