(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a mental health plan may enter into a contract for the provision of specialty mental health services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries with a hospital that provides for a per diem reimbursement rate for services that include room and board, routine hospital services, and all hospital-based ancillary services and that provides separately for the attending mental health professional’s daily visit fee. The payment of these negotiated reimbursement rates to the hospital by the mental health plan shall be considered payment in full for each day of inpatient psychiatric and hospital care rendered to a Medi-Cal beneficiary, subject to third-party liability and patient share of costs, if any.

(b) This section shall not be construed to allow a hospital to interfere with, control, or otherwise direct the professional judgment of a physician and surgeon in a manner prohibited by § 2400 of the Business and Professions Code or any other provision of law.

(c) For purposes of this section, “hospital” means a hospital that submits reimbursement claims for Medi-Cal psychiatric inpatient hospital services through the Medi-Cal fiscal intermediary.

(Added by renumbering Section 5781 by Stats. 2012, Ch. 34, Sec. 183. (SB 1009) Effective June 27, 2012. Operative July 1, 2012, by Sec. 254 of Ch. 34. Conditionally inoperative as provided in Section 14721.)