BILL NUMBER: AB 2233	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 28, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 6, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Nielsen

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2010

   An act to add Section 5023.1 to the Penal Code, relating to
inmates.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2233, as amended, Nielsen. Inmates: health care.
   Existing law provides that the supervision, management  ,
 and control of state prisons, and the responsibility for the
care, custody, treatment, training, discipline, and employment of
persons confined therein are vested in the Secretary of the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 
   This bill, the Academic Correctional Health Care Act, would
require the department to create a preferred provider organization or
health management organization system of inmate health care delivery
that dramatically reduces costs to a level similar to other large
states, while providing a constitutional level of health care to
inmates. The department would be required to begin implementing the
program no later than one year after the effective date of the bill
and fully implement the program no later than 4 years after the
effective date.  
   The 
    This  bill would  also  require the
department, in cooperation with the University of California, Office
of the President, and in consultation with the Federal Receiver for
the California Prison Health Care Receivership Corporation, to engage
in a study to assess and evaluate the concept of  and mutual
interests in   turning   involving the
University of California system in  the delivery of inmate
health care  over to the University of California system, the
goals of which would be to significantly reduce   ,
with the good of significantly reducing  costs to taxpayers
while more efficiently providing a constitutional level of health
care to inmates. The study would be required to contain specified
elements. The department would be required to complete the study and
report to the Legislature by September 1, 2011.
   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 5023.1 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

   5023.1.  (a) This act shall be known and may be cited as the
Academic Correctional Health Care Act.
   (b)  The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations shall
create a preferred provider organization or health management
organization system of inmate health care delivery that dramatically
reduces costs to a level similar to other large states, which
currently is about one-half of California's costs, while providing a
constitutional level of health care to inmates.
   (c) The department shall give careful and expeditious
consideration to the emerging trend of partnering with the University
of California in the delivery of inmate health care. The department,

    5023.1.    (a)     The Department
of Corrections and Rehabilitation,  in cooperation with the
University of California, Office of the President, and in
consultation with the Federal Receiver for the California Prison
Health Care Receivership Corporation, shall engage in a study to
assess and evaluate the concept of  and mutual interests in
turning the delivery of inmate health care over to the University of
California system, the goals of which are to significantly reduce
  involving the University of California system in the
delivery of inmate healt   h care, with the goal of
significantly reducing  costs to taxpayers while more
efficiently providing a constitutional level of health care to
inmates. 
   (d) The department shall include in its study a review of similar
reorganizations in Texas, New Jersey, and Georgia, as well as the
findings contained in the NuPhysicia study ("Assessment and
Evaluation: California's Opportunities for Improved Inmate Health
Care Quality and Cost Controls" (March 17, 2010)).  
   (b) The department shall include in its study a review of similar
reorganizations in other states.  
   (e) The study shall consist of 
    (c)     The study shall consider 
topics, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Streamlining the leadership structure within the California
correctional health care system.
   (2) A separation of duties where one entity assesses quality and
controls budgets, while a separate entity is accountable for
execution and delivery of care.
   (3) Evaluating the efficacy of the existing decentralization of
leadership of the current 33 independent entities, as well as the
divisions of medical, dental, and mental health.
   (4) How to best leverage the existing academic health care
centers.
   (5) Implementation of true electronic medical records instead of
printing and scanning.
   (6) Expansion of telemedicine.
   (7) Centralization of pharmacy, supplies, and materials
management. 
   (f) 
    (d)  (1) The study shall be completed, and the
department shall report the study results to the Legislature by
September 1, 2011.
   (2) (A) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under this
subdivision shall become inoperative on September 1, 2015, pursuant
to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
   (B) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

   (g) The implementation of the program specified in subdivision (b)
shall begin no later than one year after the effective date of the
legislation, and the complete implementation of the program shall
occur within four years of the effective date.