(a) Where it is expected to be cost-effective, the director may, in conducting Medi-Cal acute care inpatient hospital utilization control, establish a program of aggressive case management of elective, nonemergency acute care hospital admissions for the purpose of reducing both the numbers and duration of acute care hospital stays by Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
(b) In conducting the case management program, the department may, conduct daily reviews to determine the need for additional days of inpatient care.
(c) In undertaking this case management program, the director may enter into contracts, on a bid or nonbid basis, for the purposes of obtaining the necessary expertise to train and educate utilization control staff in case management concepts, principles and techniques, identify and recommend cost-effective therapies, services and technology as alternatives to elective acute care hospitalization or to directly provide the case management and diversion services.
(d) In order to achieve maximum cost savings the Legislature hereby determines that an expedited contract process for contracts under this section is necessary. Therefore, contracts under this article may be on a nonbid basis, and shall be exempt from the provisions of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10290) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code. Contracts shall have no force and effect unless approved by the Department of Finance.
(e) The department shall seek all federal waivers necessary to allow for federal financial participation under this section.
(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 722, Sec. 122. Effective September 15, 1992.)