(a) The department shall establish a two-year pilot program to utilize the federal Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) to identify veterans and their dependents or survivors who are enrolled in the Medi-Cal program and assist them in obtaining federal veteran health care benefits.

(b) The department shall select three consenting counties that have in operation a United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) medical center to participate in the pilot program.

(c) Under the pilot program, the department shall exchange information with PARIS and identify veterans and their dependents or survivors who are receiving Medi-Cal benefits in the pilot program counties.

(d) The department shall refer identified Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are receiving high-cost services, including long-term care, to county veteran service officers (CVSOs) to obtain information regarding, and assistance in obtaining, USDVA benefits.

(e) Prior to commencement of the pilot program, the department shall do all of the following:

(1) Enter into an agreement with the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA) to perform CVSO outreach services in connection with the pilot program. The CDVA agreement shall contain performance standards that would allow the department to measure the effectiveness of the pilot program.

(2) Enter into any agreements that are required by the federal government to utilize the PARIS system.

(3) Perform any information technology activities that are necessary to utilize the PARIS system.

(f) The department shall monitor the two-year pilot program, evaluate the outcomes and savings, and provide the fiscal committees of the Legislature with a report on the findings and recommendations. If the department determines that the pilot program is cost effective, it may implement the program statewide at any time and continue operation of PARIS indefinitely.

(g) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement, interpret, or make specific, this section by means of written directives without taking further regulatory action.

(h) The department shall implement the pilot program by July 1, 2009.

(i) In order to achieve maximum cost savings the Legislature hereby determines that an expedited contract process for contracts under this section is necessary. Therefore, contracts under this section shall be exempt from the Public Contract Code and from Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 11250) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 758, Sec. 48. Effective September 30, 2008.)