To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Contract #77-286-2 with North Star Emergency Services, Inc. (dba Norcal Ambulance)
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Service Director, or designee, to execute on behalf of the County Contract #77-286-2 with North Star Emergency Services, Inc. (dba Norcal Ambulance), a corporation, in an amount not to exceed $525,000, to provide non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services for Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP) Medi-Cal members and County recipients, for the period April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this contract will result in contractual service expenditures of up to $525,000 over a three-year period and will be funded 100% by CCHP Enterprise Fund II. (No rate increase)
BACKGROUND:
CCHP has an obligation to provide certain non-emergency medical transportation services for its members under the terms of their Individual and Group Health Plan membership contracts with the County. NEMT services provide transportation to and from covered Medi-Cal services for eligible members. This contractor has been part of the CCHP Provider Network providing NEMT services and fostering a deep understanding of the CCHP organizations mission, values, and long-term objectives since April 1, 2020.
This contract is entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000; Health and Safety Code § 1451. Health Services Personnel approved this contract to ensure no conflicts with labor relations. This contractor currently cooperates with and participates in CCHP’s Quality Management Program which consists of quality improvement activities to improve the quality of care and services and member experience. Cooperation includes collection and evaluation of performance measurement data and participation in the organization’s clinical and service measure Quality Improvement Programs.
The nature of the NEMT services needed is complex and requires seamless coordination, integration and collaboration with existing programs and systems. There are a total of 17 NEMT providers in CCHP’s service area. CCHP is currently contracted with 14. This Contract renewal will maintain comprehensive area coverage for the entire CCHP membership and meet the Knox-Keene Act, time and distance mandate required by the State of California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) services. These contracted services were determined to be exempt from Administrative Bulletin 600.3 solicitation requirements by the Public Works Department’s Purchasing Division.
On April 20, 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #77-286-1 with North Star Emergency Services, Inc. (dba Norcal Ambulance), in an amount not to exceed $525,000, for the provision of NEMT services for CCHP Medi-Cal members and county recipients for the period April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2024.
Approval of Contract #77-286-2 will allow the Contractor to continue to provide NEMT services for CCHP Medi-Cal members and County recipients through March 31, 2027.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this contract is not approved, the contractor will not provide NEMT services needed for CCHP members and County recipients, which would be out of compliance with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).