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(a) For purposes of this chapter, “PACE organization” means an entity as defined in Section 460.6 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) The director shall establish the California Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE program) to provide community-based, risk-based, and capitated long-term care services as optional services under the state’s Medi-Cal State Plan and under contracts entered into between the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the department, and PACE organizations, meeting the requirements of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33) and any other applicable law or regulation.
(c) A primary care clinic, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1200 of the Health and Safety Code, an adult day health care center, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1570.7 of the Health and Safety Code, or a home health agency, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1727 of the Health and Safety Code, that exclusively serves PACE participants, as defined in Section 460.6 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, is exempt from licensure by the State Department of Public Health. A primary care clinic, an adult day health care center, or a home health agency that exclusively serves PACE participants shall be overseen and regulated by the department.
(1) A primary care clinic, adult day health care center, or home health agency approved by the department pursuant to this section to operate exclusively as part of a PACE organization may provide services to individuals who are being assessed for eligibility to enroll in the PACE program for not more than 60 calendar days after an individual submits an application for enrollment.
(2) If the department determines that a primary care clinic, adult day health care center, or home health agency approved to operate exclusively as part of a PACE organization has provided services to individuals other than those enrolled in the PACE program, or who are being assessed for eligibility pursuant to paragraph (1), the clinic, adult day health care center, or home health agency shall apply for licensure with the State Department of Public Health. A primary care clinic, adult day health care center, or home health agency required to obtain licensure from the State Department of Public Health pursuant to this paragraph shall apply for the license not later than 60 calendar days following the determination by the department described in this paragraph. The clinic, adult day health care center, or home health agency shall not accept any new participants in the PACE program until licensure is obtained.
(3) This subdivision shall become operative only if the director determines, and communicates that determination in writing to the State Department of Public Health, that operating standards compliance programs consistent with subdivisions (d) and (e) have been established for implementation of this section. A primary care clinic, adult day health care center, or home health agency, as defined in this subdivision, shall remain under the oversight and regulatory authority of the State Department of Public Health until the director communicates their written determination to the State Department of Public Health.
(d) In order to provide services to PACE participants, PACE organizations exempt from licensure pursuant to this section shall be in compliance with all of the operating standards:
(1) A primary care clinic that exclusively serves PACE participants, or that also serves individuals who are being assessed for eligibility to enroll in a PACE program for not more than 60 calendar days after an individual submits an application for enrollment, shall be in compliance with the clinic operating standards set forth in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1200) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, except as modified by the department, to meet the needs of PACE participants or those individuals being assessed.
(2) An adult day health care center that exclusively serves PACE participants, or that also serves individuals who are being assessed for eligibility to enroll in a PACE program for not more than 60 calendar days after an individual submits an application for enrollment, shall be in compliance with the center operating standards set forth in Chapter 3.3 (commencing with Section 1570) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, except as modified by the department, to meet the needs of PACE participants or those individuals being assessed.
(3) A home health agency that exclusively serves PACE participants, or that also serves individuals who are being assessed for eligibility to enroll in a PACE program for not more than 60 calendar days after an individual submits an application for enrollment, shall be in compliance with the agency operating standards set forth in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 1725) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, except as modified by the department, to meet the needs of PACE participants or those individuals being assessed.
(e) A PACE organization exempt from licensure pursuant to this section shall cooperate with the department’s evaluation, oversight, and ongoing monitoring and shall comply with the operating standards, as described in subdivision (d). The PACE organization’s cooperation shall include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Permitting the department or its agent immediate access to inspect any physical locations involved with the PACE organization’s services.
(2) Immediately providing the department or its agent with copies of any requested records regarding the PACE organization and services offered to PACE participants.
(3) Immediately providing the department or its agent with requested information regarding the PACE organization’s operations.
(f) (1) Before approving an adult day health care center that exclusively serves PACE participants, or that also serves individuals who are being assessed for eligibility to enroll in a PACE program for not more than 60 calendar days after an individual submits an application for enrollment, the department shall obtain a criminal record clearance for the administrator, program director, and fiscal officer of the proposed adult day health care center. The department shall obtain the criminal record clearances each time these positions are to be filled. The adult day health care center facility shall not allow a newly hired administrator, program director, or fiscal officer to have direct contact with clients or residents of the facility before completion of the criminal record clearance set forth in this subdivision.
(2) The criminal record clearance shall require the administrator, program director, and fiscal officer to submit electronic fingerprint images and related information required by the Department of Justice to the Department of Justice, for the purpose of obtaining information as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal convictions, state or federal arrests, and state or federal arrests for which the Department of Justice establishes that the person is free on bail or on their recognizance pending trial or appeal.
(3) When received, the Department of Justice shall transmit fingerprint images and related information received pursuant to this section to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of obtaining a federal criminal history records check. The Department of Justice shall review the information returned from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and compile and disseminate a response to the department.
(4) The Department of Justice shall provide a state-level or federal-level criminal offender record information search response to the department pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code.
(5) The department shall request from the Department of Justice subsequent notification service, as provided pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for persons described in paragraph (1).
(6) The persons described in paragraph (1) shall be responsible for any costs associated with transmitting the electronic fingerprint images. The Department of Justice shall charge a fee sufficient to cover the cost of processing the request described in this subdivision.
(7) A criminal record clearance shall be complete when the department has obtained the person’s criminal offender record information search response from the Department of Justice and has determined that the person is not disqualified from engaging in the activity for which clearance is required.
(8) Notwithstanding any other law, the department may provide an individual with a copy of their state-level or federal-level criminal offender record information search response as provided to the department by the Department of Justice if the department has denied a criminal background clearance based on that response and the individual makes a written request to the department for a copy specifying an address to which it is to be sent. The state-level or federal-level criminal offender record information search response shall not be modified or altered from its form or content as provided by the Department of Justice and shall be provided to the address specified by the individual in the written request. The department shall retain a copy of the individual’s written request and the response and date provided.
(g) (1) To qualify for approval as a home health agency that exclusively serves PACE participants, or that also serves individuals who are being assessed for eligibility to enroll in a PACE program for not more than 60 calendar days after an individual submits an application for enrollment, the following persons shall submit electronic fingerprint images and related information required by the Department of Justice to the Department of Justice for the furnishing of the person’s criminal record to the department, at the person’s expense as provided in paragraph (6), for the purpose of obtaining information as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal convictions, state or federal arrests, and state or federal arrests for which the Department of Justice establishes that the person is free on bail or on their recognizance pending trial or appeal:
(A) The owner or owners of a private agency if the owners are individuals.
(B) If the owner of a private agency is a corporation, partnership, or association, an individual with a 10 percent or greater interest in that corporation, partnership, or association.
(C) The administrator.
(2) A facility shall not allow a newly hired administrator, program director, or fiscal officer to have direct contact with clients or residents of the facility before completion of the criminal record clearance process set forth in this subdivision.
(6) The persons described in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be responsible for any costs associated with transmitting the electronic fingerprint images. The fee to cover the processing costs of the Department of Justice, not including the costs associated with capturing or transmitting the fingerprint images and related information, shall not exceed thirty-two dollars ($32) per submission.
(h) The department may refuse to enter into, or may terminate, a contract with a PACE organization exempt from licensure pursuant to this section, based on the PACE organization’s failure to comply with the operating standards as described in subdivision (d), or based on the PACE organization’s failure to cooperate as described in subdivision (e).
(i) If a PACE organization exempt from licensure pursuant to this section fails to comply with subdivision (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g), the department may require the PACE organization to submit a corrective action plan to bring the PACE organization into compliance with the requirements of those subdivisions. If the department approves the corrective action plan, the PACE organization shall complete the corrective action plan to the satisfaction of the department. If the PACE organization fails to satisfactorily complete the corrective action plan within the time specified by the department, the department may take other action as specified in the PACE organization’s contract with the department.
(j) For purposes of implementing this section, the department may enter into exclusive or nonexclusive contracts, or may amend existing contracts, on a bid or negotiated basis. Contracts entered into or amended pursuant to this subdivision shall be exempt from Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 14825) of Part 5.5 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code and Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, and shall be exempt from the review or approval of any division of the Department of General Services.
(k) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this section, in whole or in part, by means of letters, bulletins, or other similar instructions, without taking regulatory action.
(l) This section shall be implemented only to the extent any necessary federal approvals are obtained and federal financial participation is available.
(m) The department shall implement the amendments made to this section by the act that added this subdivision no later than January 1, 2021, but only to the extent any necessary federal approvals are obtained and federal financial participation is available.
(n) (1) The department shall establish an administrative fee to be paid by each PACE organization exempt from licensure upon enrollment as a PACE provider, and annually thereafter, in an amount necessary to pay for reasonable costs of implementing and administering subdivisions (c) to (l), inclusive.
(2) (A) The fee described in this subdivision shall not be greater than the corresponding fee or fees otherwise imposed on a primary care clinic, home health agency, or adult day health care center pursuant to laws and regulations relating to licensing and regulation by the State Department of Public Health.
(B) It is the intent of the Legislature that the fee described in this subdivision is not an additional cost to a PACE organization because PACE organizations exempt from licensure are not subject to fees otherwise imposed for purposes of licensing and regulation by the State Department of Public Health.
(C) All fees paid to, and received by, the department pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the State Treasury and shall be credited to a special fund that is hereby created as the PACE Oversight Fund of the State Department of Health Care Services. Moneys deposited in this fund shall be expended by the department for the purposes of implementing and administering subdivisions (c) to (l), inclusive, upon appropriation by the Legislature. No surplus in the PACE Oversight Fund of the State Department of Health Care Services shall be deposited in, or transferred to, the General Fund or any other fund.
(o) The amendments made to this section by the act that added this subdivision shall be supported entirely by federal funds and special funds, unless otherwise specified in statute or unless specifically appropriated from the General Fund in the annual Budget Act or other enacted legislation.