(1) 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. Existing law requires that health care providers apply to, and be certified by, the department prior to their participation in the Medi-Cal program. Existing law allows the department, if specified conditions are met, to grant provisional provider status or preferred provisional provider status to an applicant or provider, and requires the department to terminate that status if any of specified grounds exist. Existing law provides that, if an application for provisional provider status or preferred provisional provider status is denied under specified provisions, or that status is terminated under the provisions described above, the applicant or provider is prohibited from reapplying for enrollment or continued enrollment in the Medi-Cal program or for participation in any health care program administered by the department for a period of 3 years from the date the application package is denied or the provisional provider status is terminated, or from the date of the final decision following an appeal from that denial or termination, except as specified. Existing law provides that, if an application for provisional provider status or preferred provisional provider status is denied based upon a conviction for specified offenses or acts, the applicant or provider is prohibited from reapplying for enrollment or continued enrollment in the Medi-Cal program or for participation in any health care program administered by the department for a period of 10 years from the date the application package is denied or the provisional provider status or preferred provisional provider status is terminated, or from the date of the final decision following an appeal from that denial or termination. This bill would delete the provisions that provide that the 3-year and 10-year prohibitions may begin from the date of the final decision following an appeal from that denial or termination. (2) Existing law requires the Director of Health Care Services to adopt procedures for the review of grievances or complaints filed by Medi-Cal service providers concerning the processing or payment of money that the provider alleges is payable under the Medi-Cal program. A provider who complies with these procedures and is not satisfied with the director's decision regarding that claim may seek appropriate judicial remedies within a specified time period. This bill would, instead, specify that the provider who has complied with these procedures may, within the time period prescribed in existing law, seek a writ of mandate. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 14043.28 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 1540, that would become operative only if AB 1540 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2010, and this bill is chaptered last.
Sponsored bills
Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person who is not licensed as a physician and surgeon under the act to use certain words, letters, and phrases or any other terms that imply that he or she is authorized to practice medicine as a physician and surgeon. This bill would authorize certain persons who are not licensed as physicians and surgeons under the act to use the words "doctor" or "physician," the letters or prefix "Dr.," or the initials "M.D.," as specified. Existing law authorizes the board to issue a probationary license subject to specified terms and conditions, including restrictions against engaging in certain types of medical practice. Existing law authorizes a licensee who demonstrates that he or she is unable to practice medicine due to a disability to request a waiver of the license renewal fee. Under existing law, a licensee granted that waiver is prohibited from practicing medicine until he or she establishes that the disability no longer exists or signs an agreement, under penalty of perjury, agreeing to limit his or her practice in the manner prescribed by the reviewing physician. Existing law authorizes the board to commence disciplinary actions relating to physicians and surgeons including, but not limited to, unprofessional conduct, as defined, and to issue letters of reprimand, and suspend and revoke licenses. This bill would authorize an applicant for a license who is otherwise eligible for a license but is unable to practice some aspects of medicine safely due to a disability to receive a limited license if the applicant pays the license fee and signs an agreement agreeing to limit his or her practice in the manner prescribed by the reviewing physician and agreed to by the board. The bill would make any person who knowingly provides false information in this agreement subject to any sanctions available to the board. The bill would authorize the board to require the applicant to obtain an independent clinical evaluation of his or her ability to practice medicine safely as a condition of receiving the limited license. Under existing law, licensees of the board are required to pay licensure fees, including an initial licensing fee of $790 and a biennial renewal fee of $790. Existing law authorizes the board to increase those fees in certain circumstances and states the intent of the Legislature that, in setting these fees, the board seek to maintain a reserve in the Contingent Fund of the Medical Board equal to 2 months' operating expenditures. This bill would require those fees to be fixed by the board at a maximum of $790, while retaining the authority of the board to raise those fees in certain circumstances. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that, in setting those fees, the board seek to maintain a reserve in the Contingent Fund of the Medical Board in an amount not less than 2 nor more than 4 months' operating expenditures. The bill would also require the Office of State Audits and Evaluations within the Department of Finance to commence a preliminary review of the board's financial status by January 1, 2012, and to make the results of that review available upon request by June 1, 2012, as specified.
Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop and administer a vehicle registration amnesty program, to be in effect from January 1, 2010, until December 31, 2010, for vehicles that were previously registered or classified incorrectly and that, pursuant to the program, become correctly registered. Existing law requires the department to grant amnesty to a vehicle owner if specified conditions are met by December 31, 2010. This bill would authorize the Bureau of Automotive Repair to charge a vehicle owner who participates in this amnesty program a fee of $160 for each referee station inspection conducted pursuant to these provisions and would require the fee to be collected by the referee station performing the inspection. The bill would provide that a contract to perform referee services may authorize direct compensation to the referee contractor from the inspection fees collected pursuant to these provisions and would require the referee contractor to deposit the inspection fees collected from the vehicle owner into a separate trust account, as specified. The bill would require the department, where it conducts the inspections, to deposit the fees into the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund.
The County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 authorizes the board of retirement of San Bernardino County, upon resolution by the board of retirement, to appoint specified management, investment, and legal personnel. These appointees are not classified as county employees and are therefore not subject to the civil service system, but are employees of that retirement system, subject to the terms of employment determined by the board of retirement. This bill would enact similar provisions to extend the authority of the board of retirement in San Bernardino County, upon adoption by resolution, to appoint specified personnel outside the civil service system, including supervisors and employees with specialized training and knowledge in pension benefit member services, investment reporting compliance, investment accounting, pension benefit tax reporting, pension benefit financial accounting, pension law, and legal counsel. The bill would make a conforming change.
This measure would recognize the pioneering work of promotores and community health workers in delivering vital and cost-effective health care services in communities throughout California and declare October 2009 as California Promotores Month.
This measure would make various statements regarding the importance of New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) to the California economy and would declare the necessity for the Legislature to utilize its vested powers to keep NUMMI in California.
This measure would proclaim October 23 to October 31, 2009, inclusive, as Red Ribbon Week, and would encourage all Californians to help build drug-free communities and participate in drug prevention activities.
This measure would recognize the importance of California Native American Day, celebrated this year on September 25, 2009, and the concurrent California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference to the enhancement of awareness of California Indian culture.
This measure would designate the month of October 2009, and every October thereafter, as Italian American Heritage Month. This measure would encourage public schools to highlight and include Italian American achievements and contributions to the culture of California and to take steps to promote the inclusion of the role and contributions of Italian Americans to the culture and history of California and the United States in elementary and secondary social science textbooks during the revision process for those textbooks.
This measure would urge the State Air Resources Board to meet the statutory requirements of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 by ensuring that its analysis of specified emission reduction measures include prescribed components.