The following definitions shall apply for purposes of this article:

under the local initiative, including parents, legal guardians, or conservators of Medi-Cal beneficiaries and people who will receive health care services under the local initiative.

services in all or part of the geographic area of the county, in a manner that is consistent with managed care principles, techniques, and practices directed at ensuring cost-effective and adequate access to quality care, without discrimination on the basis of medical condition, diagnosis, or illness, in an amount, duration, and scope that is sufficient to reasonably achieve its purpose for enrollees in the local initiative. If the board of supervisors establishes a commission, all rights, powers, duties, privileges, and immunities vested in the county pursuant to the contract with the department under this article shall be vested in the commission.

(commencing with Section 810) of Title 1 of the Government Code. The commission, members of the commission, and employees of the commission shall be protected by the immunities applicable to public entities and public employees governed by Part 2 (commencing with Section 814) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code, except as provided by other statutes or regulations that apply expressly to the commission.

care program other than the local initiative described in the strategic plan as it currently exists or as it may be amended by the department.

Governance of the commission shall be vested in a governing body consisting of 13 members, each of whom shall have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the commission and the local initiative, nominated by the following entities, and appointed by the board of supervisors:

each remaining member nominated by the board of supervisors shall possess experience as a health care administrator or as a health care provider.

nominee, and thereafter, by a process determined by the community advisory committee under which only health care consumers may nominate and vote for appointees.

advocates.

Members of the governing body shall either reside, be employed, or provide services in the geographic area served by the local initiative. Nominees shall be appointed to the governing body by the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors shall not deny appointment to a nominee described in subdivisions (b) to (j), inclusive, of Section 14087.961 without specific cause as set forth in Section 14087.964.

for all meetings shall not exceed the sum of four hundred dollars ($400) per month, plus actual expenses incurred in attending these meetings at rates payable to county officers and employees.

vote.

A member of the governing body shall be removed from office if a majority of the members present and voting find that one or more of the following causes for removal exists:

member has failed to attend three consecutive governing body meetings or a majority of the meetings in the most recent calendar year.

A member of the governing body may be removed at the request of the entity that nominated the member. The entity that nominated a member may request removal of that member for any of the following reasons:

persons with health care expertise.

health care expertise.

community advisory committees shall comprise an executive community advisory committee.

subdivision (p) of Section 14163, and the local initiative shall be considered for all purposes to satisfy the requirements of subdivision (p) of Section 14163.

To the full extent permitted by federal law, the department and the commission may enter into contracts to provide or arrange for health care services for any or all persons who are eligible to receive benefits under the Medi-Cal program. The contracts may be on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis, and shall include payment provisions on any basis negotiated between the department and the commission. In addition, health plans or programs operated by the commission as part of the local initiative may also include, but are not limited to, individuals covered

under Title 18 of the Social Security Act (Subchapter 18 (commencing with Section 1395) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code), individuals employed by public agencies and private businesses, and uninsured or indigent patients.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the county shall not be liable for any damages or losses, whether financial or in any other form, that may result from the reliance of any person, entity, or agency on the actions or omissions of, or the findings made by, the auditor-controller under this section.

shall become an obligation of the county upon either termination of the commission and its local initiative or the liquidation or disposition of the commission’s remaining assets.

governing body appointed the member to represent the interests of the county, physicians, health care practitioners, hospitals, pharmacies, other health care organizations, consumers, or consumer advocates. For purposes of this section, each group whose interests are described in this paragraph shall be referred to as a stakeholder.

not specifically authorize the member or the member’s organization, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), to provide services under the local initiative.

panel to enter into the particular contract or the contract as amended, and the governing body or advisory panel authorizes the contract or amendment to the contract in good faith only by a vote of its membership sufficient for the purpose without counting the vote of the member.

conditions as contracts entered into with other contractors in the same stakeholder group that is the source of the unrelated income.

advisory panel authorizes the contract or amendment to the contract in good faith only by a vote of its membership sufficient for that purpose without counting the vote of the member.