(a) (1) The center shall compile annual publications, to be made publicly available on the center’s internet website, including, but not limited to, a quality of care report card that reflects health care service plans, preferred provider organizations, and medical groups.

(2) The Department of Managed Health Care, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Insurance, the Exchange, the State Department of Social Services, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, and any other public health coverage program or state entity shall provide to the center data concerning the quality of care report card in the time, manner, and format requested by the center. The center may also request data related to the cost of care, quality of care, patient experience, socioeconomic status impact on health, access to care, and access to social services programs.

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(3) The center may request data from and contract with academic or nonprofit organizations related to quality of health care and patient experience to develop the quality of care report card.

(b) The center shall produce an annual report to be made publicly available on the center’s internet website by December 31, 2022, and annually thereafter, of health care consumer or patient assistance help centers, call centers, ombudsperson, or other assistance centers operated by the Department of Managed Health Care, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Insurance, and the Exchange, that includes, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) The types of calls received and the number of calls.

(2) The call center’s role with regard to each type of call, question, complaint, or grievance.

(3) The call center’s protocol for responding to requests for assistance from health care consumers, including any performance standards.

(4) The protocol for referring or transferring calls outside the jurisdiction of the call center.

(5) The call center’s methodology of tracking calls, complaints, grievances, or inquiries.

(c) (1) The center may collect and analyze data on problems and complaints by, and questions from, consumers about health care coverage for the purpose of providing public information about problems faced and information needed by consumers in obtaining coverage and care. The data collected shall include demographic data, insurer or plan data, appeals, source of coverage, regulator, type of problem or issue or comparable types of problems or issues, and resolution of complaints, including timeliness of resolution. Notwithstanding § 10231.5 of the Government Code, the center shall submit a report by December 31, 2022, and annually thereafter to the Legislature. The report shall be submitted in compliance with § 9795 of the Government Code. The format may be modified annually as needed based upon comments from the Legislature and stakeholders.

(2) The Department of Managed Health Care, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Insurance, the Exchange, and any other public health coverage programs shall provide to the center data concerning call centers to meet the reporting requirements in this section in the time, data elements, manner, and format requested by the center.

(3) For the purpose of publicly reporting information as required in paragraph (1) and this paragraph about the problems faced by consumers in obtaining care and coverage, the center shall analyze data on consumer complaints, appeals, and grievances resolved by the agencies listed in subdivision (b), including demographic data, source of coverage, insurer or plan, resolution of complaints, and other information intended to improve health care and coverage for consumers.

(d) To the extent that funds are appropriated in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, the center shall do all of the following to assist state entities that provide public health coverage programs or oversight of health insurance or health care service plans:

(1) After evaluation of data from the Department of Insurance and the Department of Managed Health Care, coordinate with public health coverage programs and state oversight departments of public and commercial health coverage programs to provide assistance related to addressing the quality of care and patient experience of public and commercial health coverage programs that have been determined to be deficient in the annual quality of care report card.

(2) Create and provide tools and education to consumers of health insurance and public health coverage programs to better enable them to access and utilize the quality of care report card and the health care services to which they are eligible.

(3) Develop tools and education related to improvement of consumer access to care, quality of care, and addressing the disparities in quality of care related to socioeconomic status.

(4) Develop and implement consumer surveys of the patient experience, quality of care, and any other topic consistent with this section.

(5) Develop standards for departments within the California Health and Human Services Agency related to public reports published by the departments to ensure consumer readability and understanding across programs.

(e) If the departmental letters or other similar instruction are only issued to other state entities, the center may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of a departmental letter or other similar instruction, as necessary, notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(f) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Data” means information that is not individually identifiable health information, as defined in Section 160.103 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(2) “Exchange” means the California Health Benefit Exchange established pursuant to Title 22 (commencing with Section 100500) of the Government Code.

(3) “Health care” includes services provided by any health care coverage program.

(4) “Health care service plan” has the same meaning as that set forth in subdivision (f) of Section 1345. Health care service plan includes “specialized health care service plans,” including behavioral health plans.

(5) “Health coverage program” includes the Medi-Cal program, tax subsidies and premium credits under the Exchange, the Basic Health Program, if enacted, and county health care programs.

(6) “Health insurance” has the same meaning as set forth in § 106 of the Insurance Code.

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 696, Sec. 11. (AB 172) Effective October 8, 2021.)