(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the director or his or her designee may apply prior authorization by designing a sampling methodology that will result in a generally acceptable audit standard for approval of a treatment authorization request (TAR), or a class of TARs. The director or his or her designee shall determine the applicable sampling methodology based upon health care industry standards and discussions with applicable Medi-Cal providers or their representatives. This sampling methodology shall be implemented by no later than July 1, 2005, and an outline of the methodology shall be provided to the fiscal and policy committees of both houses of the Legislature. It is the intent of the Legislature for the department to review the sampling methodology on an ongoing basis and update the methodology as applicable on a periodic basis in order to keep abreast of health care industry trends and the need to manage an efficient and effective Medi-Cal program.

(b) The department shall pursue additional means to improve and streamline the treatment authorization request process including, where applicable, those identified by independent analyses such as the July 2003 report by the California HealthCare Foundation entitled Medi-Cal Treatment Authorizations and Claims Processing: Improving Efficiency and Access to Care, and those identified by Medi-Cal providers. It is the Legislature’s intent that any identified improvements be cost beneficial to the state and to the Medi-Cal program as a whole.

(c) (1) By July 1, 2016, or a subsequent date determined by the department, treatment authorization requests, excluding treatment authorization requests submitted by dental providers enrolled in the Medi-Cal Dental program, shall be submitted in an electronic format determined by the department and shall be submitted via the department’s Internet Web site or other electronic means designated by the department. The department may implement this requirement in phases.

(2) The department shall consider the capacity of independent sole practitioners, small independent provider-owned clinics, and rural providers to comply with the requirements of this section, and shall implement the electronic submission process in a manner that offers these providers both of the following:

(A) Reasonable time to establish the infrastructure necessary for the generation of electronic treatment authorization requests.

(B) An opportunity to participate in education and training regarding the generation and submission of electronic treatment authorization requests provided by the department or its agents.

(3) The department shall designate an alternate format for submitting requests for authorization of services when the department’s Internet Web site or other electronic means designated in paragraph (1) are unavailable due to a system disruption.

(d) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may, without taking regulatory action, implement, interpret, or make specific, this section and any applicable waivers and state plan amendments by means of all-county letters, plan letters, plan or provider bulletins, or similar instructions. Thereafter, the department shall adopt regulations by July 1, 2017, in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The department shall consult with interested parties and appropriate stakeholders in implementing this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 849, Sec. 3. (SB 1457) Effective January 1, 2015.)