HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/10/1997 BAKERSFIELD
Alar~t~ndy, City Manager / Oacquie Sullivan, Chair
Staff: Trudy Slater // Irma Carson
Patricia DeMond
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
LEGISLATIVE AND LITIGATION COMMITTEE
Regular Meeting
Thursday, April 10, 1997
4:30 p.m.
City Manager's Conference Room
1. ROLL CALL
Called to order at 4:50 p.m.
Members present: Councilmember Jacquie Sullivan, Chair
Councilmember Irma Carson
Councilmember Patricia DeMond
2. APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 6, 1997 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
Approved as submitted.
3. PRESENTATIONS
None
4. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
None
APPROVED AS SUBMI~I'ED JUNE 23, 1997
FILE COPY
Agenda Summary Report
Legislative and Litigation Committee
April 10, 1997
Page -2-
5. DEFERRED BUSINESS
None
6. NEW BUSINESS
A. DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE PAYMENTS: GOOD SAMARITAN
HOSPITAL (AB 1150)
Administrative Analyst Trudy Slater explained that the issue of
disproportionate share payments relating to Good Samaritan Hospital, located in
the County of Kern, had been referred to the Committee at the Council meeting of
March 26. Mr. Bob Orr had spoken on behalf of Victor Brewer of Good Samaritan
Hospital asking support for AB 1150.
Ms. Slater explained that at the time Mr. Orr had spoken before the Council,
AB 1150 was indeed a "Good Sam" bill. Since that time the information relating to
Good Samaritan Hospital had been moved to AB 147. At the time of the Committee
meeting, AB 1150 dealt only with the establishment of a Kern County Health
Authority by the Board of Supervisors, an issue separate from the "Good Sam" bill.
AB 147, the new "Good Sam" bill, would allow Good Sam to re-report to the
State Department of Health Services on charges incurred by the hospital for the
1995-96 disproportionate share hospital payment qualification period. (A
disproportionate share hospital is generally defined as one that has
disproportionately higher costs, volume, or services related to the provision of
services to Medi-Cal or other Iow-income patients than the statewide average.) The
Department would then be required to recalculate the disproportionate share
payment based on the new figures. Th'e difference between what the Department
had already provided and the new amount would be paid to Good Sam or,
alternatively, would be considered as full and complete compromise for any and all
disputed or undisputed recoupment discrepancies for all prior payment periods.
The Committee agreed that it would be difficult for it to support a bill which
would identify one particular hospital for this type of process. As this could have
a direct impact on the County and Kern Medical Center rather than the City, the
Committee felt that the City's involvement was at best indirect. Also, as there had
been several changes since Mr. Orr had requested City support, the Committee felt
Agenda Summary Report
Legislative and Litigation Committee
April 10, 1997
Page -3-
it was premature to take a stance at this point. Staff was directed to monitor the
progress of the "Good Sam" bill.
A motion was made and approved to direct staff to prepare a letter for
Chairman Sullivan's signature to Mr. Orr explaining the Committee's position and
that no further action was needed.
7. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.
Staff Attendees: Administrative Analyst Trudy Slater
(P:~&L~.041097.MIN)