The provisions of this article shall not, however, be construed to preclude an otherwise qualified hospital from obtaining reimbursement as determined by the department based on the state plan adopted by the department under Section 14105.1, for any of the following:

(a) Providing stabilizing services as required to program beneficiaries located in a closed health facility planning area who are in a life threatening or emergency situation before the beneficiary may be transported to a contracting hospital.

(b) If a beneficiary is located in a closed health facility planning area and experiencing a life threatening or emergency situation but cannot be stabilized sufficiently to facilitate a transfer to a contracting facility, those health services medically necessary for alleviation of severe pain or immediate diagnosis and treatment of unforeseen medical conditions which, if not immediately diagnosed and treated, could lead to significant disability or death.

(c) Providing services to beneficiaries who are also eligible for benefits under the federal program of hospital insurance for the aged and disabled.

(d) Providing services to beneficiaries who live or reside farther than the community travel time standard from a contract hospital, as defined by the department, if the hospital providing services is closer than a contract hospital.

(e) Managed care plans making payments to a contract hospital shall not release any information regarding the reimbursement paid to the hospital when the rate is a Medi-Cal contract rate negotiated pursuant to article 2.6 (commencing with Section 14081), except to the department.

(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting reimbursement for medically necessary care following stabilization, in the event that a contract hospital does not accept transfer of the patient or pending the transfer to a contract hospital.

(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 722, Sec. 72. Effective September 15, 1992.)