The director, or a carrier acting under regulations adopted by the director, may require that any individual provider shall receive prior authorization before providing services when the director or carrier determines that the provider has been rendering unnecessary services.

At any time the director determines that it is necessary to postpone elective services pursuant to Section 14120, he or she shall require prior authorization for those services determined to be generally elective under the provisions of Section 14103.4, except a service which costs less than one hundred dollars ($100) or a lower amount determined by the director. This lower amount may be applied generally or for specific services. The director may terminate the requirement for prior authorization when he or she determines that it is no longer necessary to postpone elective services.

Prior authorization for services provided by persons licensed under the provisions of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1600) and Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 3000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code shall be determined by consultants licensed under Chapter 4 or Chapter 7 respectively. Prior authorization for all other elective services shall be determined by consultants licensed under the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, provided, however, that prior authorization for pharmaceutical services may be determined by persons licensed under the provisions of Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 4000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, and prior authorization for services provided in an inpatient setting may be reviewed and approved, but not denied, by a person licensed under the provisions of Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 2700) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, working under the supervision of a consultant licensed under the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

The consultants shall render decisions on prior authorization requests in a timely manner. A timely manner shall be deemed to be an average of five working days after the prior authorization request is received by the department. A decision shall be an approval, denial, modification, or request for additional information. A supplemental authorization request submitted with additional information requested by a consultant shall be processed in a timely manner as if it were an original authorization request. If no decision on a prior authorization request is rendered by the consultant within 30 days of receipt by the department, the request shall be deemed to be approved. Final decisions of the department on all requests for prior authorization shall be reviewable under the department’s provider appeal and fair hearing procedures. If the request is denied, the department shall send notice to the provider and beneficiary of the right to appeal the decision.

In no event shall prior authorization be required when there is a bona fide emergency requiring immediate treatment.

In carrying out this section, notwithstanding Section 19130 of the Government Code, the department may contract, either directly or through the fiscal intermediary, for staff to accomplish the treatment authorization request reviews and medical case management, including appeals. The fiscal intermediary contract, including any contract amendment, system change pursuant to a change order, and project or systems development notice shall be exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 11700) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and any policies, procedures, or regulations authorized by those laws.

(Amended (as amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 682) by Stats. 2002, Ch. 1161, Sec. 52. Effective September 30, 2002. Pursuant to Stats. 1985, Ch. 682, Sec. 2, this version (including the Ch. 682 amendment) is operative upon a determination by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services that the changes will not result in denial of federal funding.)