Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is in part governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions.

Under existing law, a critical access hospital is eligible for supplemental payments for Medi-Cal covered outpatient services rendered to Medi-Cal eligible persons, as specified.

This bill would appropriate $5,500,000 from the General Fund to the department for the purpose of providing supplemental payments for services covered under the Medi-Cal program, with the stated intent that these payments facilitate the maintenance of operations of the health care system in the County of Inyo and thereby prevent the closure of hospitals within the county.

The bill would require that, of the appropriated moneys, $2,500,000 be distributed to the Northern Inyo Healthcare District and $3,000,0000 be distributed to the Southern Inyo Healthcare District. Under the bill, these payments would be in addition to any supplemental payments received by a hospital within the county pursuant to the above-described provision regarding critical access hospitals.

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

14105.175.

(a) (1) The sum of five million five hundred thousand dollars ($5,500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the State Department of Health Care Services for the purpose of providing supplemental payments, for services covered under the Medi-Cal program, to the providers described in subdivision (b).

(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that these supplemental payments facilitate the maintenance of operations of the health care system in the County of Inyo and thereby prevent the closure of hospitals within the county.

(b) The moneys appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be distributed as follows:

(1) The sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) shall be distributed to the Northern Inyo Healthcare District.

(2) The sum of three million dollars ($3,000,0000) shall be distributed to the Southern Inyo Healthcare District.

(c) The payments described in this section shall be in addition to any supplemental payments received by a hospital within the County of Inyo pursuant to Section 14105.17.

The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the unique and urgent circumstances facing the two hospitals serving the County of Inyo. These health facilities operate in one of the most remote and sparsely populated regions of the state, covering vast geographic distances with limited alternative access to care. Without targeted statutory relief, the financial instability threatening these hospitals places residents at serious risk of losing critical emergency and inpatient services.