Section 1366.1 Of Article 4. Solicitation And Enrollment From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 2.2. >> Article 4.
1366.1
. (a) The department shall adopt regulations on or before
July 1, 2003, that establish an extended geographic accessibility
standard for access to health care providers served by a health care
service plan in counties with a population of 500,000 or less, and
that, as of January 1, 2002, have two or fewer health care service
plans providing coverage to the entire county in the commercial
market.
(b) This section shall not apply to specialized health care
service plans or health care service plan contracts that provide
benefits to enrollees through any of the following:
(1) Preferred provider contracting arrangements.
(2) The Medi-Cal program.
(3) The Healthy Families Program.
(4) The federal Medicare program.
(c) At least 30 days before a health care service plan files a
notice of material modification of its license with the department to
withdraw from a county with a population of 500,000 or less, the
health care service plan shall hold a public meeting in the county
from which it is intending to withdraw, and shall do all of the
following:
(1) Provide notice announcing the public meeting at least 30 days
prior to the public meeting to all affected enrollees, health care
providers with which it contracts, the members of the board of
supervisors of the affected county, the members of the city councils
of cities in the affected county, and members of the Legislature who
represent the affected county.
(2) Provide notice announcing the public meeting at least 15 days
prior to the public meeting in a newspaper of general circulation
within the affected county.
(3) At the public meeting, allow testimony, which may be limited
to a certain length of time by the health care service plan, of all
interested parties.
(4) File with the department for review, no less than 30 days
prior to the date of mailing or publication, the notices required
under paragraphs (1) and (2).
(d) The department may require a health care service plan that has
filed to withdraw from a portion of a county with a population of
less than 500,000, to hold a hearing for affected enrollees.
(e) A representative of the department shall attend the public
meeting described in this section.