BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    





                                                                AB 1462

                                                                Page  1


        GOVERNOR'S VETO
        AB 1462 (Feuer)
        As Amended July 14, 2009
        2/3 vote

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        |ASSEMBLY:  |77-0 |(May 21, 2009)  |SENATE: |36-1 |(September 3,  |
        |           |     |                |        |     |2009)          |
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        |ASSEMBLY:  |77-0 |(September 9,   |        |     |               |
        |           |     |2009)           |        |     |               |
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         Original Committee Reference:    HEALTH  

         SUMMARY :  Requires the California Medical Assistance Commission  
        (CMAC) to consider graduate medical education (GME) programs in  
        negotiating Medi-Cal inpatient contracts with hospitals or in drawing  
        specifications for competitive bidding.  Incorporates changes  
        proposed by AB 366 (Ruskin) of 2009 to prevent chaptering out.

         The Senate amendments  address chaptering conflicts that are created  
        by another bill that amends the same statute.

         EXISTING LAW  :

        1)Requires the Governor to designate a person in his or her office to  
          act as a special negotiator (in practice, CMAC) to negotiate rates,  
          terms, and conditions for contracts with hospitals for inpatient  
          services to be rendered to Medi-Cal Program beneficiaries.

        2)Permits the special negotiator, if he or she deems it expedient, to  
          call for bids, in lieu of negotiations, and requires the special  
          negotiator to consider, when contracting, the total funds  
          appropriated for inpatient hospital services.

        3)Requires the negotiator to take into account specified factors in  
          negotiating contracts or in drawing specifications for competitive  
          bidding.









                                                                AB 1462

                                                                Page  2



         AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY  , this bill was substantially similar to the  
        version approved by the Senate.

         FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Senate Appropriations Committee,  
        pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs. 
         
        GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE  :

        "While I understand the author's interest in securing additional  
        resources for California hospitals, this bill is unnecessary.  The  
        California Medical Assistance Commission already takes a multitude of  
        factors into consideration when negotiating hospital inpatient  
        service contracts.  In fact, it would be impossible to list all these  
        various factors in statute.  The broad approach already outlined in  
        law allows the Commission administrative flexibility during  
        negotiations in order to best serve the hospitals and the state's  
        Medi-Cal program."

         Analysis Prepared by  :    Marjorie Swartz / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097    
        FN: 0003398