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(a) In lieu of, or in addition to, the imposition of any other sanction available to it, including the sanctions and penalties authorized under Section 14123.2 or 14171.6, and as the “single state agency” for California vested with authority to administer the Medi-Cal program, the department shall exercise the authority granted to it in Section 1002.2 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and may also impose the mandatory and permissive exclusions identified in Section 1128 of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1320a-7), and its implementing regulations, and impose civil penalties identified in Section 1128A of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1320a-7a), and its implementing regulations, against applicants and providers, as defined in Section 14043.1, or against billing agents, as defined in Section 14040.1. The department may also terminate, or refuse to enter into, a provider agreement authorized under Section 14043.2 with an applicant or provider, as defined in Section 14043.1, upon the grounds specified in Section 1866(b)(2) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395cc(b)(2)). Notwithstanding Section 100171 of the Health and Safety Code or any other provision of law, any appeal by an applicant, provider, or billing agent of the imposition of a civil penalty, exclusion, or other sanction pursuant to this subdivision shall be in accordance with Section 14043.65, except that where the action is based upon a conviction for any crime involving fraud or abuse of the Medi-Cal, Medicaid, or Medicare programs, or an exclusion by the federal government from the Medicaid or Medicare programs, the action shall be automatic and not subject to appeal or hearing.
(b) In addition, the department may impose the intermediate sanctions identified in Section 1846 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395w-2), and its implementing regulations, against any provider that is a clinical laboratory, as defined in Section 1206 of the Business and Professions Code. The imposition and appeal of this intermediate sanction shall be in accordance with Article 8 (commencing with Section 1065) of Chapter 2 of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.
(c) (1) In addition, the department may issue a written warning notice of improper billing or improper cost report computation, which shall specifically identify the statute, regulation, or rule that is being violated, to a provider via certified mail, return receipt requested, whenever a review of the provider’s paid claims or a provider’s cost report demonstrates a pattern of improper billing or improper cost report computation. The review shall not take into account claims that were denied or payment reductions. The warning notice shall be in a format that specifically apprises the provider of the item or service improperly billed and, if applicable, the deficiencies in the manner in which provider costs were computed. The warning notice may be issued with annual cost report audit findings, or in addition to any audit or any other action that the department is authorized to take. The failure of the department to exercise its discretion to issue the warning notice shall not limit its authority to audit or take any action authorized by law. The warning notice shall provide the provider with the opportunity to contest the warning notice and explain to the department the correctness of the provider’s bill or cost report computation. If the department accepts the provider’s explanation, in whole or in part, no further action related to the notice or part of the notice that the department accepts as correct shall be taken pursuant to this section.
(2) Civil money penalties may be imposed in the following circumstances:
(A) If a provider presents or causes to be presented claims for payment by the Medi-Cal program that are:
(i) Billed improperly, and are for a service or item about which the provider has received two or more warning notices of improper billing, the provider may, in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed by law, be subject to a civil money penalty of one hundred dollars ($100) per claim, or up to two times the amount improperly claimed for each item or service, whichever is greater.
(ii) For a service or item for which the department solicits provider costs for use in calculating Medi-Cal reimbursement or in calculating and assigning Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, the cost reports relevant to the claims are improperly calculated, and the provider has received two or more warning notices of improper cost report computation regarding substantially similar errors, the provider may, in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed by law, be subject to a civil money penalty of one hundred dollars ($100) per adjustment by the department to the costs submitted by the provider, or up to two times the amount improperly claimed for each item or service, whichever is greater.
(B) If a provider presents or causes to be presented claims for payment by the Medi-Cal program that are:
(i) Billed improperly, and are for a service or item about which the provider has received three or more warning notices of improper billing, or has been assessed a penalty under subparagraph (A), the provider may, in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed by law, be subject to a civil money penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per claim, or up to three times the amount improperly claimed for each item or service, whichever is greater.
(ii) For a service or item for which the department solicits provider costs for use in calculating Medi-Cal reimbursement or in calculating and assigning Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, and the cost reports relevant to the claims are improperly calculated, and the provider has received three or more warning notices of improper cost report computation regarding substantially similar errors, or has been assessed a penalty under subparagraph (A), the provider may, in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed by law, be subject to a civil money penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per adjustment by the department to the costs submitted by the provider, or three times the amount claimed for each item or service, whichever is greater.
(3) Any provider subjected to civil money penalties under paragraph (2) may appeal the decision to assess penalties pursuant to Section 100171 of the Health and Safety Code.