BILL NUMBER: AB 922 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 2, 2011
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 31, 2011
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 20, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 29, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Monning
FEBRUARY 18, 2011
An act to amend Section 13975 of the Government Code, and to
amend Sections 1341 and 1368.02 of, and to add Division 115
(commencing with Section 136000) to, the Health and Safety Code,
relating to health care coverage.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 922, as amended, Monning. Office of Patient Advocate.
Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975,
provides for the 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 creates within the Department of Managed Health Care an
Office of Patient Advocate to assist enrollees with regard to health
care coverage, which is headed by a patient advocate recommended to
the Governor by the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. The
Office of Patient Advocate is responsible for, among other things,
developing educational and informational guides for consumers,
compiling an annual publication of a quality of care report card, and
rendering advice and assistance to enrollees. The annual budget of
the Office of Patient Advocate is separately identified in the annual
budget request of the department. The California Health and Human
Services Agency consists of, among others, the State Department of
Health Care Services, the State Department of Mental Health, the
State Department of Public Health, and the State Department of Social
Services.
This bill would transfer the Office of Patient Advocate
from the Department of Managed Health Care and,
effective July 1, 2012, the Office of Patient Advocate to the
California Health and Human Services Agency. The bill would delete
the requirement that the patient advocate be recommended to the
Governor by the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. The
bill, effective January 1, 2013, would add additional duties and
responsibilities to the existing duties of the Office of Patient
Advocate with regard to providing outreach and education about health
care coverage to consumers. The bill, effective January 1, 2013,
would authorize the office to contract with community organizations,
subject to specified requirements, to provide those
certain services and would also require the
office to adopt certain standards and procedures regarding those
organizations. The bill, effective January 1, 2013, would require
specified state agencies to report to the office regarding consumer
complaints submitted to those agencies by individuals with complaints
about their health care coverage. The bill would provide that
funding for the actual and necessary expenses of the office shall be
provided, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, from transfers
of moneys from the Managed Care Fund and the Insurance Fund, to be
based on the number of covered lives in the state that are covered by
plans or insurers, as determined by the Department of Managed Health
Care and the Department of Insurance, in proportion to the total
number of covered lives in the state. The bill would establish the
Office of Patient Advocate Trust Fund for those purposes and would
make moneys deposited into that fund available for purposes of
administering the program, subject to appropriation by the
Legislature. The bill would also authorize the office to apply to the
federal government for moneys to fund the office and
require authorize the office to request from the
federal government specified grant moneys.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 13975 of the
Government Code is amended to read:
13975. The Business and Transportation Agency in state government
is hereby renamed the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency.
The agency consists of the State Department of Alcoholic Beverage
Control, the Department of the California Highway Patrol, the
Department of Corporations, the Department of Housing and Community
Development, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Real
Estate, the Department of Transportation, the Department of
Financial Institutions, the Department of Managed Health
Care, and the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of
San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun; and the
Suisun. The California Housing Finance Agency is also located
within the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, as specified
in Division 31 (commencing with Section 50000) of the Health and
Safety Code.
SEC. 2. Section 1341 of the Health and
Safety Code is amended to read:
1341. (a) There is in state government, in the
Business, Transportation and Housing California Health
and Human Services Agency, a Department of Managed Health Care
that has charge of the execution of the laws of this state relating
to health care service plans and the health care service plan
business including, but not limited to, those laws directing the
department to ensure that health care service plans provide enrollees
with access to quality health care services and protect and promote
the interests of enrollees.
(b) The chief officer of the Department of Managed Health Care is
the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care. The director
shall be appointed by the Governor and shall hold office at the
pleasure of the Governor. The director shall receive an annual salary
as fixed in the Government Code. Within 15 days from the time of the
director's appointment, the director shall take and subscribe to the
constitutional oath of office and file it in the office of the
Secretary of State.
(c) The director shall be responsible for the performance of all
duties, the exercise of all powers and jurisdiction, and the
assumption and discharge of all responsibilities vested by law in the
department. The director has and may exercise all powers necessary
or convenient for the administration and enforcement of, among other
laws, the laws described in subdivision (a).
SECTION 1. SEC. 3. Section 1368.02
of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
1368.02. (a) The director shall establish and maintain a
toll-free telephone number for the purpose of receiving complaints
regarding health care service plans regulated by the director.
(b) Every health care service plan shall publish the department's
toll-free telephone number, the department's TDD line for the hearing
and speech impaired, the plan's telephone number, and the department'
s Internet Web site address, on every plan contract, on every
evidence of coverage, on copies of plan grievance procedures, on plan
complaint forms, and on all written notices to enrollees required
under the grievance process of the plan, including any written
communications to an enrollee that offer the enrollee the opportunity
to participate in the grievance process of the plan and on all
written responses to grievances. The department's telephone number,
the department's TDD line, the plan's telephone number, and the
department's Internet Web site address shall be displayed by the plan
in each of these documents in 12-point boldface type in the
following regular type statement:
"The California Department of Managed Health Care is responsible
for regulating health care service plans. If you have a grievance
against your health plan, you should first telephone your health plan
at (insert health plan's telephone number) and use your health plan'
s grievance process before contacting the department. Utilizing this
grievance procedure does not prohibit any potential legal rights or
remedies that may be available to you. If you need help with a
grievance involving an emergency, a grievance that has not been
satisfactorily resolved by your health plan, or a grievance that has
remained unresolved for more than 30 days, you may call the
department for assistance. You may also be eligible for an
Independent Medical Review (IMR). If you are eligible for IMR, the
IMR process will provide an impartial review of medical decisions
made by a health plan related to the medical necessity of a proposed
service or treatment, coverage decisions for treatments that are
experimental or investigational in nature and payment disputes for
emergency or urgent medical services. The department also has a
toll-free telephone number (1-888-HMO-2219) and a TDD line
(1-877-688-9891) for the hearing and speech impaired. The department'
s Internet Web site http://www.hmohelp.ca.gov has complaint forms,
IMR application forms and instructions online."
SEC. 2. SEC. 4. Division 115
(commencing with Section 136000) is added to the Health and Safety
Code, to read:
DIVISION 115. Office of Patient Advocate
136000. (a) (1) There Effective July 1,
2012, there is hereby transferred from the Department of
Managed Health Care the Office of Patient Advocate to be established
within the California Health and Human Services Agency, to
represent the interests of enrollees provide
assistance to, and advocate on behalf of, individuals served by
health care service plans regulated by the Department of Managed
Health Care, insureds covered by health insurers regulated by the
Department of Insurance, and individuals who receive or are eligible
for other health care coverage in California, including coverage
available through the Medi-Cal program, the California Health Benefit
Exchange, the Healthy Families Program, or any other county or state
health care program. The goal of the office shall be to help those
enrollees, insureds, and individuals to
secure health care coverage the
health care services to which they are entitled or for
which they are eligible under the law.
Notwithstanding any provision of this division, each regulator and
public health coverage program shall
retain its respective authority , including its authority
to resolve complaints, grievances, and appeals.
(2) The office shall be headed by a patient advocate appointed by
the Governor. The patient advocate shall serve at the pleasure of the
Governor.
(3) The provisions of this division affecting insureds covered by
health insurers regulated by the Department of Insurance and
individuals who receive or are eligible for coverage available
through the Medi-Cal program, the California Health Benefit Exchange,
the Healthy Families Program, or any other county or state health
care program shall commence on January 1, 2013, except that for the
period July 1, 2012, to January 1, 2013, the office shall continue
with any duties, responsibilities, or activities of the office
authorized as of July 1, 2011, shall continue to be authorized.
(b) (1) The duties of the office shall include, but not be limited
to, all of the following:
(A) Developing , in consultation with the Managed Risk
Medical Insurance Board, the State Department of Health Care
Services, the California Health Benefit Exchange, the
Department of Managed Health Care, and the Department of Insurance,
educational and informational guides for consumers describing
their rights and responsibilities, and informing them on effective
ways to exercise their rights to secure health care coverage. The
guides shall be easy to read and understand and shall be made
available in English and other threshold languages, using an
appropriate literacy level, and in a culturally competent manner. The
informational guides shall be made available to the public by the
office, including being made accessible on the office's Internet Web
site and through public outreach and educational programs.
(B) Compiling an annual publication, to be made available on the
office's Internet Web site, of a quality of care report card,
including, but not limited to, health care service plans.
(C) Rendering advice and assistance to
consumers regarding procedures, rights, and responsibilities
related to the filing of complaints, grievances, and appeals,
including appeals of denials of care with the health care
coverage program denying eligibility, and appeals with the internal
appeal or grievance process of the health care service plan, health
insurer, group health plan, or other county or state health care
program involved, and provide information about any external appeal
process. of coverage denials and information about any
external appeal process.
(D) Rendering advice and assistance to consumers with problems
related to health care services, including care and service problems
and claims or payment problems.
(E)
(D) Making referrals to the appropriate state agency
regarding studies, investigations, audits, or enforcement that may be
appropriate to protect the interests of consumers.
(F)
(E) Coordinating and working with other government and
nongovernment patient assistance programs and health care
ombudsperson programs.
(2) The office shall employ necessary staff. The office may employ
or contract with experts when necessary to carry out the functions
of the office. The patient advocate shall make an annual budget
request for the office which shall be identified in the annual Budget
Act.
(3) The Until January 1, 2013, the
office shall have access to records of the Department of Managed
Health Care and the Department of Insurance ,
including, but not limited to, information related to health care
service plan or health insurer audits, surveys, and enrollee or
insured grievances.
(4) The patient advocate shall annually issue a public report on
the activities of the office, and shall appear before the appropriate
policy and fiscal committees of the Senate and Assembly, if
requested, to report and make recommendations on the activities of
the office.
(c) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office shall also
(5) The office shall adopt standards for the organizations with
which it contracts pursuant to this section to ensure compliance with
the privacy and confidentiality laws of this state, including, but
not limited to, the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 1798) of Division 3 of the Civil Code). The
office shall conduct privacy trainings as necessary, and regularly
verify that the organizations have measures in place to ensure
compliance with this provision.
(c) In enacting this act, the
Legislature recognizes that, because of the enactment of federal
health care reform on March 23, 2010, and the implementation of
various provisions by January 1, 2014, it is appropriate to transfer
the Office of Patient Advocate and to confer new responsibilities on
the Office of Patient Advocate, including assisting consumers in
obtaining health care coverage and obtaining health care through
health coverage that is regulated by multiple regulators, both state
and federal. The new responsibilities include assisting consumers in
navigating both public and private health care coverage and assisting
consumers in determining which regulator regulates the health care
coverage of a particular consumer. In order to assist in implementing
federal health care reform in California, commencing January 1,
2013, the office, in addition to the duties set forth in
subdivision (b), shall also do all of the following:
(1) Receive and respond to all inquiries, complaints, and requests
for assistance from individuals concerning all
health care coverage available in California.
(2) Provide , and assist in the provision of, outreach
and education about health care coverage options as set forth in
subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) ,
including, but not limited to:
(A) Information regarding applying for coverage; the cost of
coverage; and renewal in, and transitions between, health
coverage programs; and education about how to navigate the
health care arena, including what health care services a plan or
insurer offers or provides, how to select a plan or insurer, and how
to find a doctor or other health care provider.
programs.
(B) Information and referral for all types of payers, including
public programs such as Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Medicare;
private coverage, including employer-sponsored coverage, self-insured
plans, unsubsidized Exchange coverage, and Exchange coverage with
tax subsidies or tax credits; and other sources of care, such as
county services, community clinics, discounted hospital care, or
charity care.
(3) Educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities with
respect to health care coverage.
(4) Advise and assist consumers with resolving problems with
obtaining premium tax credits under Section 36B of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(5) Provide explanations to consumers on resolving problems
related to health care services, and, if necessary, provide direct
assistance to consumers in filing complaints, grievances, or appeals
with the appropriate regulator or public program.
(6) Advising consumers on problems related to mental health parity
and coverage for substance abuse treatment, consistent with existing
state and federal law, including assistance in filing complaints,
grievances, or appeals with the appropriate regulator or public
program.
(d) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office may contract with
community-based consumer assistance organizations to assist in any or
all of the duties of subdivisions (b) and (c) in accordance with
Section 19130 of the Government Code.
(e) (1) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office shall collect,
track, quantify, and analyze problems and inquiries encountered by
consumers with respect to health care coverage, including, but not
limited to, the complaints reported to the network of health consumer
assistance organizations and the agencies under subdivision (m). The
office shall publicly report its analysis of these problems and
inquiries at least quarterly on its Internet Web site.
(2) The office shall track, analyze, and publicly report on
complaints reported to the office under subdivision (m) according to
the nature and resolution of the complaints, including, but not
limited to, the age, race, ethnicity, language, geographic region,
and gender of the complainants in order to identify the most common
types of problems and the problems faced by particular populations,
including any health disparity population.
(3) The office shall track, analyze, and report on those
complaints by all of the following:
(A) Health insurer or health care service plan.
(B) Age, race, ethnicity, language preference, geographic region,
and gender.
(C) The type of health care coverage program and its respective
regulator.
(D) The timeliness of resolution of complaints.
(4) In analyzing and reporting complaints, the office shall take
into account the number of individuals enrolled by each health
insurer or health care service plan and in each health care coverage
program.
(f) Commencing on January 1, 2013, in order to assist consumers in
navigating and resolving problems with health care coverage and
programs, the office shall do the following:
(B) Information and assistance regarding public programs, such as
Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Medicare; private coverage, including
employer-sponsored coverage, Exchange coverage, and other sources of
care if the consumer is not eligible for coverage, such as county
services, community clinics, discounted hospital care, or charity
care.
(3) Coordinate with other state and federal agencies engaged in
outreach and education regarding the implementation of federal health
care reform.
(4) Render assistance to, and advocate on behalf of, consumers
with problems related to health care services, including care and
service problems and claims or payment problems.
(5) Refer consumers to the appropriate regulator of their health
coverage programs for filing complaints, grievances, or claims, or
for payment problems.
(d) (1) Commencing January 1, 2013, the office shall track and
analyze data on problems and complaints by, and questions from,
consumers about health care coverage for the purpose of providing
public information about problems faced and information needed by
consumers in obtaining coverage and care. The data collected shall
include demographic data, source of coverage, regulator, and
resolution of complaints, including timeliness of resolution.
(2) The Department of Managed Health Care, the Department of
Health Care Services, the Department of Insurance, the Managed Risk
Medical Insurance Board, the California Health Benefit Exchange, and
other public coverage programs shall provide to the office data in
the aggregate concerning consumer complaints and grievances. For the
purpose of publicly reporting information about the problems faced by
consumers in obtaining care and coverage, the office shall analyze
data on consumer complaints and grievances resolved by these
agencies, including demographic data, source of coverage, insurer or
plan, resolution of complaints and other information intended to
improve health care and coverage for consumers. The office shall
develop and provide comprehensive and timely data and analysis based
on the information provided by other agencies.
(3) The office shall collect and report data to the United States
Secretary of Health and Human Services on complaints and consumer
assistance as required to comply with requirements of the federal
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148).
(e) Commencing in January 1, 2013, in order to assist consumers in
understanding the impact of federal health care reform as well as
navigating and resolving questions and problems with health care
coverage and programs, the office shall ensure that either the office
or a state agency contracting with the office shall do the
following:
(1) Operate a HealthHelp toll-free telephone
hotline number that can route callers to the proper regulating body
or public program for their question, their health plan, or the
consumer assistance program in their area and provide
interpreters for limited-English-proficient callers .
(2) Operate a HealthHelp Internet Web site,
other social media, and up-to-date communication systems to give
information regarding the consumer assistance programs.
(g) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office and any
(f) (1) The office may contract with community-based consumer
assistance organizations to assist in any or all of the duties of
subdivision (c) in accordance with Section 19130 of the Government
Code or provide grants to community-based consumer assistance
organizations for portions of these purposes.
(2) Commencing on January 1,
2013, any local community-based nonprofit consumer assistance
programs program with which the office
contracts shall include in their mission its
mission the assistance of, and duty to, health care consumers.
Contracting consumer assistance programs shall have experience in the
following areas:
(1)
(A) Assisting consumers in navigating the local health
care system.
(2)
(B) Advising consumers regarding their health care
coverage options and helping consumers enroll in and retain health
care coverage.
(3)
(C) Assisting consumers with problems in accessing
health care services.
(4)
(D) Serving consumers with special needs, including,
but not limited to, consumers with limited-English language
proficiency, consumers requiring culturally competent services,
low-income consumers, consumers with disabilities, consumers with low
literacy rates, and consumers with multiple health conditions,
including behavioral health.
(5) Collecting and reporting data on the categories of populations
listed in subdivision (e), including subgroup categories of race,
ethnicity, language preference, gender, and types of health care
coverage problems consumers face.
(h) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office shall collect and
report data to the United States Secretary of Health and Human
Services on the categories of populations listed in subdivision (e),
including subgroup categories of race, and types of problems and
inquiries encountered by consumers.
(E) Collecting and reporting data, including demographic data,
source of coverage, regulator, and resolution of complaints,
including timeliness of resolution.
(i)
(3) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office shall
develop protocols, procedures, and training modules for organizations
with which it contracts. The office shall implement and
oversee a training program with continuing education components for
organizations with which it contracts. which it
contracts.
(j)
(4) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office shall
adopt standards for organizations with which it contracts regarding
confidentiality and conduct. The office shall have the power
to revoke the contract of any organization that violates these
standards and shall include a clause reserving that power in every
contract entered into with such an organization.
(k)
(5) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office may
contract with consumer assistance programs to develop a series of
appropriate literacy level and culturally and linguistically
appropriate educational materials in all threshold languages for
consumers regarding health care coverage options and how to resolve
problems. These materials shall be made available to all
consumer assistance programs and on the Internet Web site of the
office.
(l)
(g) (1) Commencing on January 1, 2013, the office shall
develop protocols and procedures for assisting in the
resolution of consumer complaints and the establishment of
responsibility or referral, as appropriate, with regard to the
following agencies:
(A) The federal Department of Labor regarding employee welfare
benefit plans regulated under ERISA.
(B) The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program as
provided in Section 9541 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and, as
appropriate, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
regarding the Medicare Program.
(C) The Department of Managed Health Care regarding coverage under
health care service plans regulated under Chapter 2.2 (commencing
with Section 1340) of Division 2.
(D) The Department of Insurance regarding policies of health
insurance regulated under the Insurance Code.
(E) The State Department of Health Care Services regarding the
Medi-Cal program.
(F) The Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board regarding the Healthy
Families Program (Part 6.2 (commencing with Section 12693) of
Division 2 of the Insurance Code), the Access for Infants and Mothers
Program (Part 6.3 (commencing with Section 12695) of Division 2 of
the Insurance Code), the California Major Risk Medical Insurance
Program (Part 6.5 (commencing with Section 12700) of Division 2 of
the Insurance Code), and the Federal Temporary High Risk Pool (Part
6.6 (commencing with Section 12739.5) of Division 2 of the Insurance
Code).
(G) The Exchange regarding coverage through the Exchange.
(2) The protocols and procedures shall include all of the
following:
(A) A procedure for the referral of complaints and grievances to
the appropriate regulator or public program for resolution by the
relevant regulator or public program.
(B) A process for reporting to the appropriate regulator and
public program those complaints and grievances that were received and
resolved without filing a complaint or grievance with the regulator
or public program.
(m) Commencing on
January 1, 2013, the Department of Managed Health Care, the
Department of Insurance, the State Department of Health Care
Services, the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, and the Exchange
shall report only data and other information in its possession to the
office regarding consumer complaints submitted to those agencies,
including, but not limited to, the nature of the complaints, the
resolution of the complaints, the timeliness of the resolution, and
the age, race, ethnicity, language, geographic region, and gender of
the complainants, in a format and manner to be specified by the
office. This information shall be reported according to the
particular health insurer or health care service plan involved. This
information shall also
be reported according to the source of coverage, including
employer-based coverage, individual coverage, or specific public
program coverage, including Medicare, Medi-Cal, the Exchange, or
other publicly funded coverage. , including both of
the following:
(1) A procedure for referral of complaints and grievances to the
appropriate regulator or health coverage program for resolution by
the relevant regulator or public program.
(2) A protocol or procedure for reporting to the appropriate
regulator and health coverage program regarding complaints and
grievances relevant to that agency that the office received and was
able to resolve without further action or referral.
(n)
(h) For purposes of this section, the following
definitions shall apply:
(1) "Consumer" or "individual" includes the individual or his or
her parent, guardian, conservator, or authorized representative.
(2) "Exchange" means the California Health Benefit Exchange
established pursuant to Title 22 (commencing with Section 100500) of
the Government Code.
(3) "Group health plan" has the same meaning as set forth in
Section 2791 of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec.
300gg-91).
(4)
(3) "Health care" includes behavioral health, including
both mental health and substance abuse treatment.
(5)
(4) "Health care service plan" has the same meaning as
that set forth in subdivision (f) of Section 1345. Health care
service plan includes "specialized health care service plans,"
including behavioral health plans.
(5) "Health coverage program" includes the Medi-Cal Program,
Healthy Families Program, tax subsidies and premium credits under the
Exchange, the Basic Health Program, if enacted, county health
coverage programs, and the Access for Infants and Mothers Program.
(6) "Health insurance" has the same meaning as set forth in
Section 106 of the Insurance Code.
(7) "Health insurer" means an insurer that issues policies of
health insurance.
(8) "Office" means the Office of Patient Advocate.
(9) "Threshold languages" shall mean Medi-Cal threshold
languages have the same meaning as for Medi-Cal
managed care .
136020. (a) The Effective July 1, 2012, t
he Office of Patient Advocate Trust Fund is hereby
created in the State Treasury, and, upon appropriation by the
Legislature, moneys in the fund shall be made available for the
purpose of this division. Any moneys in the fund that are unexpended
or unencumbered at the end of the fiscal year may be carried forward
to the next succeeding fiscal year.
(b) The office shall establish and maintain a prudent reserve in
the fund.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 16305.7 of the Government Code, all
interest earned on moneys that have been deposited in the fund shall
be retained in the fund and used for purposes consistent with this
division.
136030. (a) In Effective July 1, 2012, in
addition to the moneys received pursuant to subdivision (d),
funding for the actual and necessary expenses of the office in
implementing this division shall be provided, subject to
appropriation by the Legislature, from transfers of moneys from the
Managed Care Fund and the Insurance Fund.
(b) The share of funding from the Managed Care Fund shall be based
on the number of covered lives in the state that are covered under
plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care, including
covered lives under Medi-Cal managed care and the Healthy Families
Program, as determined by the Department of Managed Health Care, in
proportion to the total number of all covered lives in the state.
(c) The share of funding to be provided from the Insurance Fund
shall be based on the number of covered lives in the state that are
covered under health insurance policies and benefit plans regulated
by the Department of Insurance, including covered lives under
Medicare supplement plans, as determined by the Department of
Insurance, in proportion to the total number of all covered lives in
the state. For the 2012- 13 budget year, the
apportionment shall be effective for the period from January 1, 2013,
to July 1, 2013, consistent with paragraph (1) of
subdivision (a) of Section 136000.
(d) In addition to moneys received pursuant to subdivision (a),
the office may receive funding as follows:
(1) The office may apply to the United States Secretary of Health
and Human Services for federal grants.
(2) The office shall may apply to
the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services for a grant
under Section 2793 of the federal Public Health Service Act, as added
by Section 1002 of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (Public Law 111-148).
(3) To the extent permitted by federal law, the office may seek
federal financial participation for assisting beneficiaries of the
Medi-Cal program.
(e) All moneys received by the Office of Patient Advocate shall be
deposited into the fund specified in Section 136020.
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Text--Pages 7, 10, 14, and 15.
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