The State Department of Health Care Services shall develop a program to implement subdivision (p) of Section 14016.5 and to provide information and assistance to enable Medi-Cal beneficiaries to understand and successfully use the services of the Medi-Cal managed care plans in which they enroll. The program shall include, but not be limited to, the following components:

(a) (1) Development of a method to inform beneficiaries and applicants of all of the following:

(A) Their choices for receiving Medi-Cal benefits including the use of fee-for-service sector managed health care plans, or pilot programs.

(B) The availability of staff and information resources to Medi-Cal managed health care plan enrollees described in subdivision (f).

(2) (A) Marketing and informational materials, including printed materials, films, and exhibits, to be provided to Medi-Cal beneficiaries and applicants when choosing methods of receiving health care benefits.

(B) The department shall not be responsible for the costs of developing material required by subparagraph (A).

(C) (i) The department may prescribe the format and edit the informational materials for factual accuracy, objectivity, and comprehensibility.

(ii) The department, the California Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange), the California Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention System (CalHEERS), and entities or persons designated pursuant to subdivision (g) shall use the edited materials in informing beneficiaries and applicants of their choices for receiving Medi-Cal benefits.

(b) Provision of information that is necessary to implement this program in a manner that fairly and objectively explains to beneficiaries and applicants their choices for methods of receiving Medi-Cal benefits, including information prepared by the department.

(c) Provision of information about providers who will provide services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. This may be information about provider referral services of a local provider professional organization. The information shall be made available to Medi-Cal beneficiaries and applicants at the same time the beneficiary or applicant is being informed of the options available for receiving care.

(d) Training of individuals, including county human services staff, to carry out the program.

(e) Monitoring the implementation of the program at any location, including online at the Exchange or at counties, where choices are made available in order to assure that beneficiaries and applicants may make a well-informed choice, without duress.

(f) Staff and information resources dedicated to directly assist Medi-Cal managed health care plan enrollees to understand how to effectively use the services of, and resolve problems or complaints involving, their managed health care plans.

(g) Notwithstanding any other law, the department, in consultation with the Exchange, may authorize specific persons or entities, including counties, to provide information to beneficiaries concerning their health care options for receiving Medi-Cal benefits and assistance with enrollment. This subdivision shall apply in all geographic areas designated by the director. This subdivision shall be implemented in a manner consistent with federal law.

(h) To the extent otherwise required by Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department shall adopt emergency regulations implementing this section no later than July 1, 2015. The department may thereafter readopt the emergency regulations pursuant to that chapter. The adoption and readoption, by the department, of regulations implementing this section shall be deemed to be 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 department 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.

(i) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2014.

(Amended (as added by Stats. 2013, 1st Ex. Sess., Ch. 3, Sec. 22) by Stats. 2013, Ch. 442, Sec. 11. (SB 28) Effective January 1, 2014.)