San Mateo County Municipal Code Ch. 2.20 Health System

There is hereby established a Health System under the administrative supervision of the Director of the Health System. The Director of the Health System may also be referred to as the Chief of the Health System.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06: Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

The Director of the Health System shall be charged with the enforcement of all County ordinances and State laws and applicable State regulations relating to health and sanitation. The Director shall oversee the management by the Chief Executive Officer of San Mateo Medical Center and any clinics established and operated by the County. The Director shall also administer all programs pertaining to the local Emergency Medical Services Agency, environmental health services, behavioral health and recovery services, sanitation, community health, correctional health, vital statistics, aging and adult services, family health, animal licensing and animal control. The Director shall also formulate policies and procedures for the operation of the various health programs and services rendered by the department. The Director shall also supervise and control the issuance of any permits required under County ordinance or State laws relating to health and sanitation programs rendered by the department.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06; Ord. 4327, 09/12/06; Ord. 4331, 10/17/06: Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

(Ord. No. 04483, § 2, 10-20-2009)

There is hereby created the office of Public Guardian of the County of San Mateo, State of California. The Director of the Health System is hereby appointed Public Guardian and shall have the powers and duties prescribed by general law for said office of Public Guardian. The Director of the Health System may designate the Director of Aging and Adult Services as Public Guardian.

(Ord. 4324, 08/15/06: Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

The Director of the Health System is hereby appointed Public Administrator and shall have the powers and duties prescribed by general law for said office of Public Administrator.

(Ord. No. 04571, § 3, 5-24-2011, eff. 7-1-2011)

The Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center, shall be responsible for the development and implementation of rules and regulations concerning policies and procedures in the administration of all San Mateo Medical Center programs. Such rules and regulations shall be presented for review and approval to the San Mateo Medical Center governing board and/or the Board of Supervisors, where applicable.

(Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

Procedures for securing payment for care shall be established to implement the statutes contained in the Welfare and Institutions Code. San Mateo County may require recipients of care to sign an agreement to reimburse the County for care provided. A recipient may be required to execute a lien on any real property, owned or acquired by said recipient, to secure the repayment of monies expended by the County for the recipient's support. The Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center, shall adopt a scale for determining the amount of payment required, based on the following factors:

1. Amount of the account or sums due the County;

2. The actual market value of the debtor's real property; and

3. Liabilities and responsibilities of the debtor. Such liens may not be enforced during the life of the recipient, unless the property securing same is sold, conveyed, or otherwise disposed of, but any income from such property shall be applied to the cost of said aid. In those cases in which the recipient is survived by a dependent spouse or child, the lien may not be enforced until the death of that spouse or child, or until such time as said spouse or dependent child has achieved self-maintenance, or until the property is sold, conveyed, or otherwise disposed of.

(Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

The Board of Supervisors may fix, by resolution, the rates to be charged for services rendered by any San Mateo Medical Center facility to those persons or responsible relatives who are able to pay all or a portion of the cost of such services. Such determination shall be based upon a study of the cost to the County of rendering such services.

(Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

Before any medical or hospital care at San Mateo Medical Center, except emergency care, shall be given to or for any person, such person may be required to make a written verified statement of all monies and income which such person receives each month, and the nature, location, and value of all property and assets in which such person has any interest, legal, equitable, or otherwise, and the names, places of residence, and income of all family members who have a legal obligation to support the patient.

(Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

(a) The amount of the hospital charge and the method of payment of that charge to be paid by each patient eligible for services pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 17000 shall be determined according to a fee schedule and a payment schedule established by the Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center, and approved by the San Mateo Medical Center governing board and Board of Supervisors. The fee schedule and the payment schedules shall be based upon the patient's income and the size of the patient's family unit, which shall be defined as the number of persons in the unit which the patient has the legal obligation to support, or the number of persons in the unit which have a legal obligation to support the patient.

(b) Upon determination of the charges owed by the patient, the patient shall be billed for that amount.

(c) All patients, other than those who are determined to be able to pay for the full cost of services shall be advised in writing that should they come into possession of assets, other than funds received under a program of public assistance, that would render them financially able to pay either in whole or in part for the services furnished them at less than full charges, they will be billed for the amount of charges which were discounted.

(Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

Pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 1473, the Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center, is designated as the County officer authorized to adjust or compromise San Mateo Medical Center charges. The Chief Executive Officer may adjust or compromise hospital charges for any of the reasons stated in Health and Safety Code section 1473.

(Ord. 4438, 09/09/08)

(a) The Public Authority Advisory Committee shall consist of five (5) members, three (3) of whom shall be individuals who are current or past users of personal assistance services paid for through public or private funds or current or past recipients of In-Home Supportive Services pursuant to Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. "Users of services" shall be defined to mean either the recipient of services or a member of the recipient's household who provides services to the recipient.

(b) The remaining two (2) members of the Public Authority Advisory Committee shall be appointed based on their interest in public service and experience and/or educational background relevant to the functions of the Public Authority.

(c) Members of the Public Authority Advisory Committee should have familiarity and knowledge of personal assistance services, the capacity to understand areas of advisement and provide constructive input to the Public Authority concerning in the administration of its duties; and the ability (with or without reasonable accommodation) to attend regularly scheduled meetings.

(d) Members of the Public Authority Advisory Committee shall be appointed by majority vote of the Board of Supervisors and shall serve at the pleasure thereof.

(e) Members of the Public Authority Advisory Committee shall serve terms of four (4) years, which terms begin on January 1 of the year of appointment and end on December 31 of the fourth year. Upon conclusion of a term, a member may be reappointed subject to a maximum of three full terms. The aforementioned three term limit does not include partial terms to which members may be appointed at the beginning of their service, or holdover service caused by delay in appointing a replacement at the end of a member's service.

(f) The Public Authority Advisory Committee shall comply with all standing rules for county boards, commissions and advisory committees that are established by the Board of Supervisors.

(g) The Public Authority Advisory Committee shall be staffed by the Public Authority.

(Ord. No. 04742, § 1, 7-21-2015)