(a) The Department of Health Care Access and Information shall convene a Health Care Equity Measures Advisory Committee, composed of at least one academic health care quality and measurement expert and at least six stakeholder representatives, including at least one representative of each of the following:

(1) Associations representing public hospitals and health systems.

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(2) Associations representing private hospitals and health systems.

(3) Organized labor.

(4) Organizations representing consumers.

(5) Organizations representing vulnerable populations.

(6) A representative of the department.

(b) (1) The advisory committee membership shall consist of no fewer than 9 persons and no more than 11 persons.

(2) The Director of the Department of Health Care Access and Information shall appoint the advisory committee members pursuant to subdivision (a). The initial terms of the committee members shall be established to create staggered terms of office by drawing lots at the first meeting of the committee. One-half of the committee members shall serve a two-year term, and one-half of the committee members shall serve a one-year term. After their initial term of office is complete, a committee member shall serve a two-year term. Each appointed member shall serve a term of two years. Each appointed member shall serve at the discretion of the director and may be removed at any time.

(3) The chairperson of the advisory committee shall be an appointed member and shall be elected by a majority of the appointed members.

(c) (1) The advisory committee shall assist and advise the director in reviewing and amending the appropriate measures that align with the health equity measures developed by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the hospital-, hospital system-, and integrated system-level related to access, quality, and outcomes, including any relevant Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Quality Indicators, that hospitals are required to report in their annual equity reports pursuant to Section 127372.

(2) The advisory committee shall provide recommendations pursuant to paragraph (1) no later than December 31, 2022, or 120 days after the release of the health equity measures by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, whichever occurs later. These recommendations shall be published on the department’s internet website.

(d) (1) The advisory committee shall assist and advise the director in reviewing, amending, and evaluating, as necessary, the appropriate disparities and performance areas to be addressed in the health equity plan that a hospital is required to include in their annual equity reports pursuant to Section 127372.

(2) The advisory committee shall consider differences in patient populations and geographic areas served when reviewing health equity plans.

(3) No later than September 30, 2027, or 24 months after the release of the health equity measures by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, whichever occurs later, the advisory committee shall make recommendations to the department regarding the health equity plan, as described in Section 127372. These recommendations shall be published on the department’s internet website.

(e) (1) The advisory committee shall, through its meetings, provide a forum for stakeholder and public engagement.

(2) The advisory committee shall meet at least twice per year or when requested by the director.

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 751, Sec. 2. (AB 1204) Effective January 1, 2022.)