(a) Except as otherwise prohibited by law, a contractor that has entered into a contract with the department pursuant to this chapter may make the benefits known to potential enrollees by methods approved by the department. (b) No prepaid health plan, marketing representative, or marketing organization shall engage in marketing activities prior to written submittal to and approval by the department. All marketing activities, procedures, methods, and places in which any activities will be conducted shall be explicitly described in a marketing plan and approved by the department prior to being used by a prepaid health plan, marketing representative, or marketing organization. The marketing plan shall be updated and submitted for renewed approval on an annual basis. The department may approve, disapprove, or withdraw approval of any marketing activity or procedure. The department shall require the discontinuance of any marketing activity or procedure for which the department withdraws approval. The conduct of activities or procedures not included in an approved marketing plan shall constitute a violation of this article and be subject to sanctions in accordance with Section 14409. The prepaid health plan shall be responsible for all presentations by its marketing representatives and for their ethical and professional conduct. The department may withdraw certification for participation in the program from, and impose marketing sanctions specified in Section 14409, as applicable, on marketing representatives. (c) The marketing plan shall meet the standards established by the department. The marketing plan shall include, but not be limited to, an explicit description of the specific marketing activities, the method of identifying individual enrollments by marketing representative, and formal measures to monitor performance of marketing representatives and verify both of the following: (1) The prepaid health planâs marketing activities and practices do not violate subdivision (a) of Section 14409. (2) Beneficiaries receive complete and accurate information about the benefits and limitations of receiving health care services through the prepaid plan in a manner that considers the beneficiaryâs level of comprehension. (d) Each time a marketing representative presents information about the benefits of prepaid health plan enrollment to a beneficiary in order to encourage the beneficiary to enroll, the marketing representative shall leave with the beneficiary printed information identifying the marketing representative by name and prepaid health plan represented. (e) All printed or illustrated material prepared by the prepaid health plan for dissemination to enrollees or to prospective enrollees shall be submitted to the department prior to dissemination. The department shall acknowledge receipt of the printed or illustrated material within five days, and shall approve or disapprove the material for dissemination within 60 days after the date of notification that the material has been received. The department may withdraw approval of the material previously approved and order its dissemination discontinued. If the department notifies the prepaid health plan of its disapproval or withdrawal of approval, the prepaid health plan shall have the right to meet and confer with the director or his or her designee and demonstrate the purpose and reasonable basis for the distribution of the material to enrollees and potential enrollees. (f) (1) Any form of door-to-door or in-person marketing that coerces or misleads beneficiaries or selectively enrolls beneficiaries on the basis of their health status is unlawful. In addition, on or after July 1, 1996, door-to-door solicitation of Medi-Cal enrollees shall not be permitted. (2) On or after July 1, 1996, the health care options presentation required by Sections 14016.5 and 14016.6 or the health care options information required by Sections 14087.305 and 14089 shall be fully operational in countie
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