Medi-Cal: rural hospitals.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which basic health care services are provided to qualified low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid provisions. Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to consider the special needs of rural hospitals that are financially distressed and in danger of closure, and authorizes the department to provide technical and other assistance relating to Medi-Cal to these hospitals, as specified. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.