(a) Pursuant to Sections 14005.26 and 14005.27 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, subscribers enrolled in the Healthy Families Program pursuant to this part shall, no sooner than January 1, 2013, transition to the Medi-Cal program pursuant to Sections 14005.26 and 14005.27 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to the extent they are otherwise eligible. AIM-linked infants, as defined in Section 12695.03, with incomes above 250 percent of the federal poverty level are exempt from this transition.

(b) The board shall coordinate with the State Department of Health Care Services to implement Sections 14005.26 and 14005.27 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(c) The board’s actions to coordinate with the State Department of Health Care Services to implement Sections 14005.26 and 14005.27 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, as specified in subdivision (b), shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) Notwithstanding Section 12693.74, disenrollment of subscribers in the manner, and at the times, specified in Section 14005.27 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The board may retain a subscriber in the program for longer than 12 months if needed to ensure a smooth transition to the Medi-Cal program.

(2) In coordination with the State Department of Health Care Services, provision of reasonable notice to applicants concerning disenrollment of subscribers consistent with Section 14005.27 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(3) Notwithstanding Section 12693.51, transfers of subscribers from one participating plan to another at the times and under the conditions prescribed by the board, without the obligation that the board provide an annual opportunity for subscribers to transfer from one participating plan to another.

(d) Nothing in subdivision (e) of Section 12693.43 shall be construed to require any refund or adjustment of family contributions if an applicant has paid for three months of required family contributions in advance and the subscriber for whom the applicant has paid these family contributions is disenrolled pursuant to this section, or for any other reason, without receiving a fourth consecutive month of coverage.

(e) (1) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the board shall, without taking any further regulatory action, implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of business rules, program bulletins, program correspondence to subscribers and contractors, letters, or similar instructions.

(2) The board may adopt and readopt emergency regulations implementing this section. The adoption and readoption, by the board, of regulations implementing this section shall be deemed an emergency and necessary to avoid serious harm to the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the board is hereby exempted from the requirement that it describe facts showing the need for immediate action and from review by the Office of Administrative Law.

(f) The Healthy Families Program, pursuant to this part, shall cease to enroll new subscribers no sooner than the date transition begins pursuant to subdivision (a), and any transition of children shall be in compliance with the implementation plan or plans as contained in Section 14005.27 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 76, Sec. 141. (AB 383) Effective January 1, 2014.)