(a) Each plan applying for licensure under this chapter shall reimburse the director for the actual cost of processing the application, including overhead, up to an amount not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). The cost shall be billed not more frequently than monthly and shall be remitted by the applicant to the director within 30 days of the date of billing. The director shall not issue a license to an applicant prior to receiving payment in full from that applicant for all amounts charged pursuant to this subdivision.

(b) (1) In addition to other fees and reimbursements required to be paid under this chapter, each licensed plan shall pay to the director an amount as estimated by the director for the ensuing fiscal year, as a reimbursement of its share of all costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, costs and expenses associated with routine financial examinations, grievances, and complaints including maintaining a toll-free telephone number for consumer grievances and complaints, investigation and enforcement, medical surveys and reports, and overhead reasonably incurred in the administration of this chapter and not otherwise recovered by the director under this chapter or from the Managed Care Fund. The amount may be paid in two equal installments. The first installment shall be paid on or before August 1 of each year, and the second installment shall be paid on or before December 15 of each year.

(2) The amount paid by each plan shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000) plus an amount up to, but not exceeding, an amount computed in accordance with paragraph (3).

(3) (A) In addition to the amount specified in paragraph (2), all plans, except specialized plans, shall pay 65 percent of the total amount of the department’s costs and expenses for the ensuing fiscal year as estimated by the director. The amount per plan shall be calculated on a per enrollee basis as specified in paragraph (4).

(B) In addition to the amount specified in paragraph (2), all specialized plans shall pay 35 percent of the total amount of the department’s costs and expenses for the ensuing fiscal year as estimated by the director. The amount per plan shall be calculated on a per enrollee basis as specified in paragraph (4).

(4) The amount paid by each plan shall be for each enrollee enrolled in its plan in this state as of the preceding March 31, and shall be fixed by the director by notice to all licensed plans on or before June 15 of each year. A plan that is unable to report the number of enrollees enrolled in the plan because it does not collect that data, shall provide the director with an estimate of the number of enrollees enrolled in the plan and the method used for determining the estimate. The director may, upon giving written notice to the plan, revise the estimate if the director determines that the method used for determining the estimate was not reasonable.

(5) In determining the amount assessed, the director shall consider all appropriations from the Managed Care Fund for the support of this chapter and all reimbursements provided for in this chapter.

(c) Each licensed plan shall also pay two thousand dollars ($2,000), plus an amount up to, but not exceeding, forty-eight hundredths of one cent ($0.0048), for each enrollee for the purpose of reimbursing its share of all costs and expenses, including overhead, reasonably anticipated to be incurred by the department in administering Sections 1394.7 and 1394.8 during the current fiscal year. The amount charged shall be remitted within 30 days of the date of billing.

(d) In no case shall the reimbursement, payment, or other fee authorized by this section exceed the cost, including overhead, reasonably incurred in the administration of this chapter.

(e) For the purpose of calculating the assessment under this section, an enrollee who is enrolled in one plan and who receives health care services under arrangements made by another plan or plans, whether pursuant to a contract, agreement, or otherwise, shall be considered to be enrolled in each of the plans.

(f) On and after January 1, 2009, no refunds or reductions of the amounts assessed shall be allowed if any miscalculated assessment is based on a plan’s overestimate of enrollment.

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 607, Sec. 2. Effective September 30, 2008.)