Rules Committee forwards DPH request to extend managed‑care ordinance to 2025

The San Francisco Rules Committee on Jan. 16 forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors a proposed amendment to the Administrative Code that would extend the termination date for managed‑care contracts under “section 21 a 0.3” from Dec. 31, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2025.

Stella Chow, director of the Managed Care Office in the Department of Public Health, told the committee DPH needs the extension to preserve the Director of Health’s delegated authority to enter into managed‑care contracts and to amend existing agreements for services at DPH facilities that the city expects will generate more than $1,000,000 in reimbursements. “DPH today, we are requesting your approval to extend the administrative ordinance…the termination date to December 2025,” Chow said.

Chow said the ordinance includes an annual reporting requirement to the mayor and the Board and that the Controller’s Office has received and reviewed DPH’s annual reports in prior years. She noted the department has been negotiating with Canopy Health “for the last year and a half roughly for a commercial contract,” and that the extension would allow DPH to complete an initial three‑year period of commercial coverage for privately insured patients using DPH facilities. Deputy Director Dr. Alice Chen joined Chow in answering supervisors’ questions.

Chair Supervisor Asha Safai moved to forward the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation. With no public speakers and no objections from committee members, the item was ordered to the full Board for consideration; items acted upon at the committee were scheduled to appear on the Board agenda on Jan. 29.

The next step for the ordinance is formal consideration by the full Board of Supervisors; the committee record shows DPH and the Controller’s Office as involved in prior reporting and review for the managed‑care ordinance.