7353. (Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 24, Sec. 193.)

The State Department of State Hospitals shall pay the premium for third-party health coverage for Medicare beneficiaries who are patients at state hospitals under the jurisdiction of the State Department of State Hospitals. The department shall, when a mental health state hospital patient’s coverage would lapse due to lack of sufficient income or financial resources, or any other reason, continue the health coverage by paying the costs of continuation or group coverage pursuant to federal law or converting from a group to an individual plan.