Health information network.

Existing law makes legislative findings and declarations on health information technology, including that there is a need to promote secure electronic health data exchange among specified individuals, such as health care providers and consumers of health care, and that specified federal law provides unprecedented opportunity for California to develop a statewide health information technology infrastructure to improve the state's health care system. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. This bill would establish the statewide health information network (statewide HIN) governing board, an independent public entity not affiliated with an agency or department with specified membership, to provide the data infrastructure needed to meet California's health care access, equity, affordability, public health, and quality goals, as specified. The bill would require the governing board to issue a request for proposals to select an operating entity with specified minimum capabilities to support the electronic exchange of health information between, and aggregate and integrate data from multiple sources within, the State of California, among other responsibilities. The bill would require the statewide HIN to take specified actions with respect to reporting on, and auditing the security and finances of, the health information network. The bill would require the statewide HIN to convene a health technology advisory committee with specified membership to advise the statewide HIN and set agendas, hold public meetings with stakeholders, and solicit external input on behalf of the statewide HIN. The bill would also require a health care entity, including a hospital, health system, skilled nursing facility, laboratory, physician practice, health care service plan, health insurer, and the State Department of Health Care Services, to submit specified data to the operating entity. The bill would authorize the statewide HIN to add additional health care entities or data to the list of entities required to submit data to the statewide HIN by adopting a subsequent regulation. The bill would also require a health care service plan, health insurer, and a health care provider to collect and submit health equity data to the operating entity.