Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income persons are provided with health care services. Under existing law, for certain hospitals that receive Medi-Cal reimbursement from the department and that are not under contract with the department pursuant to specified existing law, interim payments and cost report settlements for inpatient hospital services provided on and after July 1, 2008, are reduced by 10%, as specified. Existing law revises the amount of these payments, beginning on October 1, 2008, pursuant to a specified formula. Existing law exempts certain small and rural hospitals and certain open health facility planning areas from this revised formula. Existing law, for purposes of interim payments, specifically provides that open health facility planning areas with 3 or more hospitals with licensed general acute care beds are not exempt from this revised formula. Existing law, for purposes of the cost report settlements, specifically provides that open health facility planning areas with more than 3 hospitals with licensed general acute care beds are not exempt from this revised formula. This bill would revise both of the above provisions to prohibit a state-owned or state-operated hospital from being included in determining the number of hospitals in an open health facility planning area. This bill would revise the cost report settlement provision by requiring that an open health facility planning area have 3 or more specified hospitals, instead of more than 3 specified hospitals. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Sponsored bills
This measure would memorialize the Congress and the President of the United States to uphold protections of women's equality and to encourage all Americans to participate in the celebration of Women's Equality Day on August 26, 2010, the 90th anniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.
This measure would declare April 2010 as Financial Aid and Literacy Month to raise public awareness about the need for increased financial literacy.
This measure would recognize the week of April 18, 2010, through April 24, 2010, as Crime Victims' Rights Week.
Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to provide breast cancer and cervical cancer screening services to eligible low-income individuals under a federal grant made under the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention breast and cervical cancer early detection program. Funding for these services is provided by a combination of federal and state moneys. Existing law requires these services to be provided at the level of funding budgeted from state and other resources during the fiscal year in which the Legislature has appropriated funds to the department for this purpose. This bill would, insofar as consistent with federal law and without jeopardizing federal funding, require the department to provide breast cancer screening and diagnostic services to individuals of any age who are exhibiting symptoms, with a physician's recommendation, and individuals 40 years of age or older, provided the individual otherwise meets the state eligibility requirements. This bill would appropriate an unspecified amount to the department for the breast and cervical cancer early detection program.
Under existing law, a petition for an initiative or referendum measure may not be circulated for signature until a draft of the measure is submitted to the Attorney General for preparation of a circulating title and summary. This bill would revise this procedure on July 1, 2011. The bill would require the Attorney General, before preparing a circulating title and summary for an initiative measure, to forward it to the Secretary of State. The bill would require that the Secretary of State post the measure on his or her Internet Web site for a period of 30 days, during which the public would be permitted to post comments concerning the measure. The bill would permit the proponents of the measure, no earlier than 30 days or more than 120 days after it is posted, to direct the Attorney General, in writing, to prepare a circulating title and summary of the measure as originally drafted, to prepare a circulating title and summary of a revised measure, or to post a revised measure on the Secretary of State's Internet Web site for an additional 30-day review period.
Existing law authorizes only a juvenile court judicial officer to make orders regarding the administration of psychotropic medications for a dependent child or a ward who has been removed from the physical custody of his or her parent. Existing law requires court authorization except in an emergency situation, as specified, for the administration of psychotropic medication to be based on a request from a physician, indicating the reasons for the request, a description of the child's or ward's diagnosis and behavior, the expected results of the medication, and a description of any side effects of the medication. Existing law requires the officer to approve or deny the request for authorization to administer psychotropic medication, or set the matter for hearing, as specified, within 7 court days. This bill would, in a pilot project operative only until January 1, 2014, in 3 counties that are selected by the State Department of Social Services in consultation with the Judicial Council and 2 other specified entities, expand the authority of a juvenile court judicial officer to make orders regarding the administration of psychotropic medications to include a dependent child or ward who has been removed from the physical custody of his or her parent or guardian, or a child who has been removed from the physical custody of a parent or guardian pending adjudication as a dependent child. The pilot project would require the physician submitting the request for psychotropic medication to have conducted an examination of the child or ward. The pilot project would require the request to indicate additional information, including the child's medical history and a description of any clinically indicated therapy recommended for the child to participate in during the 6-month period until the next court review of the psychotropic medication. The pilot project would require the juvenile court judicial officer, before authorizing the administration of psychotropic medication, to make certain findings, including that the child's or ward's caregiver has been informed, and the child or ward has been informed in an age and developmentally appropriate manner, about the recommended medications, the anticipated benefits, the nature, degree, duration, and probability of side effects and significant risks, and any other recommended treatments, that the child or ward has been informed of the right to request a hearing, and that a plan is in place for regular monitoring of the medication, as specified. The pilot project would require a dependent child or ward to be present in court for any hearing on the request for authorization to administer psychotropic medication, except as specified. The pilot project would authorize the court to inquire about specified information in any proceeding in the juvenile court following court authorization for the administration of psychotropic medication to a child or ward. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services, after consultation with the State Department of Mental Health, to report to the Legislature regarding the pilot project before July 1, 2014, as specified. The bill would require the Judicial Council to adopt rules and forms to implement these provisions on or before July 1, 2011. These provisions would remain in effect until January 1, 2015.
The California Constitution provides that the electors may propose statutes or amendments to the state constitution through the initiative process by presenting to the Secretary of State a petition that sets forth the text of the proposed statute or amendment to the Constitution and is certified to have been signed by a certain number of electors. This measure would prohibit an initiative measure that would result in a net increase in state or local government costs other than costs attributable to the issuance, sale, or repayment of bonds, from being submitted to the electors or having any effect unless and until the Legislative Analyst and the Director of Finance jointly determine that the initiative measure provides for additional revenues in an amount that meets or exceeds the net increase in costs.
Existing law does not provide a system of universal health care coverage for California residents. Existing law provides for the creation of various programs to provide health care services to persons who have limited incomes and meet various eligibility requirements. These programs include the Healthy Families Program administered by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, and the Medi‑Cal program administered by the State Department of Health Care Services. Existing law provides for the regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and health insurers by the Department of Insurance. This bill would establish the California Healthcare System to be administered by the newly created California Healthcare Agency under the control of a Healthcare Commissioner appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate. The bill would make all California residents eligible for specified health care benefits under the California Healthcare System, which would, on a single-payer basis, negotiate for or set fees for health care services provided through the system and pay claims for those services. The bill would provide that a resident of the state with a household income, as specified, at or below 200% of the federal poverty level would be eligible for the type of benefits provided under the Medi-Cal program. The bill would require the commissioner to seek all necessary waivers, exemptions, agreements, or legislation to allow various existing federal, state, and local health care payments to be paid to the California Healthcare System, which would then assume responsibility for all benefits and services previously paid for with those funds. The bill would create the Healthcare Policy Board to establish policy on medical issues and various other matters relating to the system. The bill would create the Office of Patient Advocacy within the agency to represent the interests of health care consumers relative to the system. The bill would create within the agency the Office of Health Planning to plan for the health care needs of the population, and the Office of Health Care Quality, headed by a chief medical officer, to support the delivery of high quality care and promote provider and patient satisfaction. The bill would create the Office of Inspector General for the California Healthcare System within the Attorney General's office, which would have various oversight powers. The bill would prohibit health care service plan contracts or health insurance policies from being issued for services covered by the California Healthcare System. The bill would create the Healthcare Fund and the Payments Board to administer the finances of the California Healthcare System. The bill would create the California Healthcare Premium Commission (Premium Commission) to determine the cost of the California Healthcare System and to develop a premium structure for the system that complies with specified standards. The bill would require the Premium Commission to recommend a premium structure to the Governor and the Legislature on or before January 1, 2013, and to make a draft recommendation to the Governor, the Legislature, and the public 90 days before submitting its final premium structure recommendation. The bill would specify that only its provisions relating to the Premium Commission would become operative on January 1, 2011, with its remaining provisions becoming operative on the date the Secretary of California Health and Human Services notifies the Legislature, as specified, that sufficient funding exists to implement the California Healthcare System. The bill would require that system to be operative within 2 years of that date and would provide for various transition processes for that period. The bill would extend the application of certain insurance fraud laws to providers of services and products under the system, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program by revising the definition of a crime. The bill would enact other related provisions relative to budgeting, regional entities, federal preemption, subrogation, collective bargaining agreements, compensation of health care providers, conflict of interest, patient grievances, independent medical review, and associated matters. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This measure would urge the President and the Congress of the United States to consider the removal of commercial, economic, and financial restrictions relating to agricultural sales to Cuba.