Jurris.COM
Article 11.1. Consumer Operated And Oriented Plans of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 2.2. >> Article 11.1.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions
shall apply:
(a) "Consumer operated and oriented plan" means a nonprofit member organization or nonprofit member corporation that has been established consistent with the requirements of Section 1322 of PPACA and Subpart F (commencing with Section 156.500) of Part 156 of Subchapter B of Subtitle A of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations and remains in full compliance with those requirements. A consumer operated and oriented plan shall also be known as a "CO-OP."
(a) "Consumer operated and oriented plan" means a nonprofit member organization or nonprofit member corporation that has been established consistent with the requirements of Section 1322 of PPACA and Subpart F (commencing with Section 156.500) of Part 156 of Subchapter B of Subtitle A of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations and remains in full compliance with those requirements. A consumer operated and oriented plan shall also be known as a "CO-OP."
(b) "Formation board" means the initial board of directors of a
CO-OP before it has begun accepting enrollment and had an election by
the members of the CO-OP to the board of directors.
(c) "Member" includes all individuals, including dependents, 18 years of age or older covered under health care service plan contracts issued by the CO-OP health care service plan.
(d) "Operational board" means the board of directors elected by the members of the CO-OP after it has begun accepting enrollment under its health care service plan contracts.
(e) "PPACA" means the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), and any rules or regulations issued thereunder.
(f) "Nonprofit member organization" or "nonprofit member corporation" means a nonprofit public benefit corporation organized under Part 2 (commencing with Section 5110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code, a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation organized under Part 3 (commencing with Section 7110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code, or a similar entity organized under applicable provisions of the Corporations Code, or in the case of a foreign corporation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, a mutual benefit corporation, or a similar entity organized under nonprofit laws in a state other than California.
(g) "Solvency loan" means a loan provided by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to a nonprofit member organization or nonprofit member corporation seeking to become licensed as a CO-OP health care service plan, to be used to assist in meeting the state's fiscal soundness and solvency requirements.
(h) "Start-up loan" means a loan provided by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to a nonprofit member organization or nonprofit member corporation seeking to become licensed as a CO-OP health care service plan, to be used for allowed expenses associated with establishing a CO-OP, as further specified by PPACA.
(c) "Member" includes all individuals, including dependents, 18 years of age or older covered under health care service plan contracts issued by the CO-OP health care service plan.
(d) "Operational board" means the board of directors elected by the members of the CO-OP after it has begun accepting enrollment under its health care service plan contracts.
(e) "PPACA" means the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), and any rules or regulations issued thereunder.
(f) "Nonprofit member organization" or "nonprofit member corporation" means a nonprofit public benefit corporation organized under Part 2 (commencing with Section 5110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code, a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation organized under Part 3 (commencing with Section 7110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code, or a similar entity organized under applicable provisions of the Corporations Code, or in the case of a foreign corporation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, a mutual benefit corporation, or a similar entity organized under nonprofit laws in a state other than California.
(g) "Solvency loan" means a loan provided by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to a nonprofit member organization or nonprofit member corporation seeking to become licensed as a CO-OP health care service plan, to be used to assist in meeting the state's fiscal soundness and solvency requirements.
(h) "Start-up loan" means a loan provided by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to a nonprofit member organization or nonprofit member corporation seeking to become licensed as a CO-OP health care service plan, to be used for allowed expenses associated with establishing a CO-OP, as further specified by PPACA.
The director shall have the authority to issue a license
to act as a health care service plan to a CO-OP that has been
organized as a nonprofit member organization or nonprofit member
corporation under the laws of this state. The director may also issue
a license to act as a health care service plan to a foreign CO-OP
that has been organized as a nonprofit member organization or
nonprofit member corporation under the laws of another state,
provided that the entity meets the requirements governing CO-OPs
under PPACA and this article. A CO-OP seeking or maintaining a
license pursuant to this article shall be subject to the same fees
that are imposed on other health care service plans pursuant to
Article 3 (commencing with Section 1349).
(a) A domestic or foreign CO-OP licensed as a health care
service plan pursuant to this article shall be subject to all of the
provisions of this chapter and all applicable rules and regulations
of the director, including, but not limited to, the general
provisions governing the issuance of a license in Article 3
(commencing with Section 1349), the operation and renewal provisions
in Article 6 (commencing with Section 1375), and the financial
responsibility requirements in Article 9 (commencing with Section
1300.75) of Chapter 2 of Division 1 of Title 28 of the California
Code of Regulations.
(b) In compliance with Section 1322(c)(5) of PPACA (42 U.S.C. Sec. 18042(c)(5)), and any rules or regulations issued under that section, a domestic or foreign CO-OP licensed as a health care service plan shall be subject to any state laws that do not prevent the application of requirements under PPACA.
(b) In compliance with Section 1322(c)(5) of PPACA (42 U.S.C. Sec. 18042(c)(5)), and any rules or regulations issued under that section, a domestic or foreign CO-OP licensed as a health care service plan shall be subject to any state laws that do not prevent the application of requirements under PPACA.
The director may request any documentation relating to a
CO-OP's start-up loan or solvency loan.
(a) A CO-OP shall be subject at all times to the
prohibitions in PPACA against converting or selling to a for-profit
or nonconsumer-operated entity at any time after receiving a solvency
loan.
(b) A CO-OP shall do all of the following, in addition to any other requirements imposed under Section 156.515 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations:
(1) Implement policies and procedures to foster and ensure member control of the organization. For purposes of this paragraph, a CO-OP shall meet the following requirements:
(A) The CO-OP shall have governing documents that incorporate governing rules that ensure that the directors of the operational board are elected by a majority vote of a quorum of the CO-OP members.
(B) All members of the CO-OP shall be eligible to vote for each director on the CO-OP's operational board.
(C) Each member of the CO-OP shall have one vote in the election of each director of the CO-OP's operational board.
(D) The first elected directors of the CO-OP's operational board shall be elected no later than one year after the effective date on which the CO-OP provides coverage to its first member; the entire operational board shall be elected no later than two years after the same date.
(E) Elections of the directors on the CO-OP's operational board shall be contested so that the total number of candidates for vacant positions on the operational board exceeds the number of vacant positions, except in cases where a seat is vacated midterm due to death, resignation, or removal.
(F) A majority of the voting directors on the operational board shall be members of the CO-OP.
(2) Have an operational board of directors that meets the following requirements:
(A) Each director shall have one vote unless he or she is a nonvoting director.
(B) Positions on the board of directors may be designated for individuals with specialized expertise, experience, or affiliation (for example, providers, employers, including small business consortia, and unions); however, those positions shall not constitute a majority of the operational board even if the individuals in those positions are also members of the CO-OP.
(C) (i) No representative of any federal, state, or local government, or of any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof, and no representative of any organization described in Section 156.510(b)(1)(i) of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations may serve as staff of the CO-OP or on the CO-OP's formation board or operational board.
(ii) No board member or staff of the CO-OP shall enter into an agreement or transaction that would jeopardize member control as required by Section 156.515 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations. A board member or staff of the CO-OP shall only enter into arm's length transactions as described in Section 156.510(b)(2) (ii) of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(3) Have governing documents that incorporate ethics, conflict of interest, and disclosure standards. These standards shall protect against health care coverage industry involvement and interference. In addition, these standards shall ensure that each director acts in the sole interest of the CO-OP, its members, and its local geographic community, as appropriate, and acts consistently with the terms of the CO-OP's governance documents and applicable state and federal law. At a minimum, these standards shall include the following:
(A) A mechanism to identify potential ethical or other conflicts of interest.
(B) A duty on the CO-OP's executive officers and directors to publicly disclose all potential conflicts of interest pursuant to the same standards required for state boards or commissions.
(C) A process to determine the extent to which a conflict exists.
(D) A process to address any conflict of interest.
(E) A process to be followed in the event a director or executive officer of the CO-OP violates the standards described in this paragraph.
(b) A CO-OP shall do all of the following, in addition to any other requirements imposed under Section 156.515 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations:
(1) Implement policies and procedures to foster and ensure member control of the organization. For purposes of this paragraph, a CO-OP shall meet the following requirements:
(A) The CO-OP shall have governing documents that incorporate governing rules that ensure that the directors of the operational board are elected by a majority vote of a quorum of the CO-OP members.
(B) All members of the CO-OP shall be eligible to vote for each director on the CO-OP's operational board.
(C) Each member of the CO-OP shall have one vote in the election of each director of the CO-OP's operational board.
(D) The first elected directors of the CO-OP's operational board shall be elected no later than one year after the effective date on which the CO-OP provides coverage to its first member; the entire operational board shall be elected no later than two years after the same date.
(E) Elections of the directors on the CO-OP's operational board shall be contested so that the total number of candidates for vacant positions on the operational board exceeds the number of vacant positions, except in cases where a seat is vacated midterm due to death, resignation, or removal.
(F) A majority of the voting directors on the operational board shall be members of the CO-OP.
(2) Have an operational board of directors that meets the following requirements:
(A) Each director shall have one vote unless he or she is a nonvoting director.
(B) Positions on the board of directors may be designated for individuals with specialized expertise, experience, or affiliation (for example, providers, employers, including small business consortia, and unions); however, those positions shall not constitute a majority of the operational board even if the individuals in those positions are also members of the CO-OP.
(C) (i) No representative of any federal, state, or local government, or of any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof, and no representative of any organization described in Section 156.510(b)(1)(i) of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations may serve as staff of the CO-OP or on the CO-OP's formation board or operational board.
(ii) No board member or staff of the CO-OP shall enter into an agreement or transaction that would jeopardize member control as required by Section 156.515 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations. A board member or staff of the CO-OP shall only enter into arm's length transactions as described in Section 156.510(b)(2) (ii) of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(3) Have governing documents that incorporate ethics, conflict of interest, and disclosure standards. These standards shall protect against health care coverage industry involvement and interference. In addition, these standards shall ensure that each director acts in the sole interest of the CO-OP, its members, and its local geographic community, as appropriate, and acts consistently with the terms of the CO-OP's governance documents and applicable state and federal law. At a minimum, these standards shall include the following:
(A) A mechanism to identify potential ethical or other conflicts of interest.
(B) A duty on the CO-OP's executive officers and directors to publicly disclose all potential conflicts of interest pursuant to the same standards required for state boards or commissions.
(C) A process to determine the extent to which a conflict exists.
(D) A process to address any conflict of interest.
(E) A process to be followed in the event a director or executive officer of the CO-OP violates the standards described in this paragraph.
In addition to any applicable requirements in this chapter
for maintaining a license, a CO-OP is required at all times to be in
full compliance with the requirements of PPACA governing CO-OPs. The
department may request the federal government's certification that a
CO-OP is in compliance with the requirements of PPACA governing
CO-OPs, as well as the status of the CO-OP's compliance with its
obligations under any loan or loan modification agreement.
