Sierra County Municipal Code Ch. 2.91 Partnership Healthplan of California Commission

A. Partnership HealthPlan of California Commission (“Commission”) is a multi-county commission that has created a managed health care plan for Medi-Cal recipients. The purpose of this chapter is to authorize the County of Sierra to join the existing Commission. This will allow the implementation of a county-organized health system in Sierra County as authorized by California Welfare and Institutions Code § 14087.54.

B. The Commission has a proven record of improving health access to its members, who are Medi-Cal recipients, and improving Medi-Cal reimbursement rates to health care providers.

C. The Commission will negotiate an exclusive contract with the California Department of Health Care Services (“DHCS”) authorizing the expansion of the Partnership HealthPlan of California into Sierra County. This expansion is expected to occur on or about January 1, 2024. (Ord. 1103 § 1, eff. 10/21/21)

Pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code § 14087.54, the Sierra County Board of Supervisors hereby authorizes the County of Sierra to join the Commission. (Ord. 1103 § 1, eff. 10/21/21)

A. The Commission shall be comprised of Commissioners appointed by the Board of Supervisors of each member county. Commission representation shall be based on the number of Medi-Cal beneficiaries enrolled in the HealthPlan in each county as follows: one Commissioner per zero to 45,000 beneficiaries; two Commissioners per 45,000 to 60,000 beneficiaries; and three Commissioners per more than 60,000 beneficiaries.

B. The Commission members appointed by the Sierra County Board of Supervisors shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and shall be selected as follows:

1. Representation on behalf of Sierra County for Partnership HealthPlan Commission shall be as follows:

a. Individuals appointed to the Partnership Board may include the following:

i. Employees of the County within Health and Social Services and Behavioral Health;

ii. Local healthcare and medical providers who provide services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries;

iii. Medi-Cal beneficiaries;

iv. Family members of Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

Individuals may be appointed to the Partnership HealthPlan Commission by the Sierra County Board of Supervisors, with recommendations from the Sierra County Director of Health and Social Services and/or the Director of Behavioral Health.

Vacancies in the term of any member shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Supervisors in the same manner as all other County Commissions and Committees appointed by the Board of Supervisors. (Ord. 1126 § 1, eff. 12/21/23; Ord. 1103 § 1, eff. 10/21/21)

The term for the Commissioners appointed by the Sierra County Board of Supervisors shall be for four-year periods. Nothing herein shall prohibit a person from serving more than one term. Each appointed Commission member shall remain in office at the conclusion of that member’s term until a successor member has been selected and installed into office. An office shall become vacant if an appointed Commission member discontinues to live or work in the area from which appointed, or fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Commission. Each Commissioner appointed by the Board of Supervisors shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors and may be removed at any time, without cause or right of appeal. (Ord. 1126 § 1, eff. 12/21/23; Ord. 1103 § 1, eff. 10/21/21)

In collaboration with Partnership HealthPlan, the County may establish a local managed care committee that may include any members of the Partnership Board, and that would inform the County members on the Partnership HealthPlan Commission on behalf of Sierra County of local health needs, priorities and issues. Individuals on this local committee shall be nominated by the Sierra County Director of Health and Social Services and/or Director of Behavioral Services or their designee. (Ord. 1126 § 1, eff. 12/21/23; Ord. 1103 § 1, eff. 10/21/21)

The Commission shall continue to represent Sierra County until such time as the Sierra County Board of Supervisors terminates the representation. To terminate the representation, the Sierra County Board of Supervisors or its designee shall provide 90-day notice to other participating counties and the State Department of Health Care Services, as specified in Welfare and Institutions Code § 14087.54(g). (Ord. 1103 § 1, eff. 10/21/21)

If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this chapter is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this chapter. The Board of Supervisors hereby declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this chapter and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that one or more section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase be declared unconstitutional or invalid. (Ord. 1103 § 1, eff. 10/21/21)