(a) If any applicant for or recipient of public social services is dissatisfied with any action of the county department relating to his or her application for or receipt of public social services, if his or her application is not acted upon with reasonable promptness, or if any person who desires to apply for public social services is refused the opportunity to submit a signed application therefor, and is dissatisfied with that refusal, he or she shall, in person or through an authorized representative, without the necessity of filing a claim with the board of supervisors, upon filing a request with the State Department of Social Services or the State Department of Health Care Services, whichever department administers the public social service, be accorded an opportunity for a state hearing. (b) (1) The requirements of Sections 100506.2 and 100506.4 of the Government Code apply to state hearings regarding eligibility for or enrollment in an insurance affordability program administered by the State Department of Health Care Services to the extent that those sections conflict with the state hearing requirements under this chapter. (2) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department, without taking any further regulatory action, shall implement, interpret, or make specific this subdivision by means of all-county letters, plan letters, plan or provider bulletins, or similar instructions until the time regulations are adopted. 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. Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, beginning July 1, 2015, the department shall provide a semiannual status report to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, until regulations have been adopted. (3) This subdivision shall be implemented only to the extent it does not conflict with federal law. (c) Priority in setting and deciding cases shall be given in those cases in which aid is not being provided pending the outcome of the hearing. This priority shall not be construed to permit or excuse the failure to render decisions within the time allowed under federal and state law. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, there is no right to a state hearing when either (1) state or federal law requires automatic grant adjustments for classes of recipients unless the reason for an individual request is incorrect grant computation, or (2) the sole issue is a federal or state law requiring an automatic change in services or medical assistance which adversely affects some or all recipients. (e) For the purposes of administering health care services and medical assistance, the Director of Health Care Services shall have those powers and duties conferred on the Director of Social Services by this chapter to conduct state hearings in order to secure approval of a state plan under applicable federal law. (f) The Director of Health Care Services may contract with the State Department of Social Services for the provisions of state hearings in accordance with this chapter. (g) For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) âAdverse benefit determinationâ means, in the case of a Medi-Cal managed care plan, any of the following: (A) The denial or limited authorization of a requested service, including determinations based on the type or level of service, requirements for medical necessity, appropriateness, setting, or effectiveness of a covered benefit. (B) The reduction, suspension, or termination of a previously authorized service. (C) The denial, in whole or in part, of payment for a service. (D) The failure to provide services in a timely manner, as described in Section 14197. (E) The failure of a Medi-Cal managed care plan to act within t
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