SB 4: Medi-Cal: county organized health system: County of Orange.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which health care services are provided to qualified, low-income persons. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law authorizes a county board of supervisors, by ordinance, to establish a commission to negotiate an exclusive contract with the department to provide, or arrange for the provision of, health care services under the Medi-Cal program. This system of services provided by or through a county under these provisions is known as a county organized health system. Existing law requires the enabling ordinance to, among other things, specify the membership of the county commission, the qualifications for individual members, the manner of appointment, and how long they will serve. Pursuant to this authority, the County of Orange, by ordinance, established a commission to provide health care services under the Medi-Cal program.

This bill would codify those provisions of the enabling ordinance that prescribe the membership composition, the qualifications for individual members, tenure of the members, and the procedure for removing a member of the governing body of the commission established in the County of Orange, known as the Orange County Health Authority. The bill would authorize the governing body of the commission established in the County of Orange, subject to a ²/₃ vote of the full membership of the governing body, to increase the number of public members, or the number of current CalOptima members or family members of current CalOptima members who may serve as a member of the governing body, subject to an affirmative vote by a majority of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange. The bill would prescribe the duties and responsibilities of the governing body, including to serve the public interest of the CalOptima members and to ensure the operational well-being and fiscal solvency of the Orange County Health Authority, and would require the Orange County Health Authority to work to earn the publics trust through its commitment to accountability, responsiveness, transparency, reliability, and cooperation.

These provisions would remain in effect until January 1, 2023, and as of that date would be repealed.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Orange.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.