In this article the following words have the meanings indicated;
Area median income means the median household income for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area as estimated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, adjusted by household size, or its successor.
Board means the Advisory Board for the Montgomery Cares Program.
Department means the Department of Health and Human Services.
Low-income means 80% or less of area median income.
Program means the Department’s health care delivery system that provides primary medical care and other essential health care and related services, through public/private partnerships, to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured residents of the County.
There is an Advisory Board for the Montgomery Cares Program.
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The Board’s mission is to advise and recommend policies that ensure access to high quality, efficient health care and related services for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured County residents.
(a) Total members. The Board has 19 members.
(b) Ex officio members. Subject to confirmation by the County Council, the County Executive should appoint the following individuals to serve as ex officio members of the Board:
(1) The County Health Officer or Officer’s designee; and
(2) The Chief of the Department’s Behavioral Health and Crisis Service or the Chief’s designee.
(c) Other members. Subject to confirmation by the County Council, the County Executive should appoint the following individuals to serve on the Board:
(1) 2 representatives of community health care providers that participate in the Program;
(2) 1 representative of hospitals that participate in the Program;
(3) The chair of the Board of Directors of the entity that contracts with the Department to administer the distribution of funds for the delivery of Program services or the chair’s designee;
(4) 5 members of the public;
(5) 4 individuals who have knowledge of and experience with issues relating to health care for uninsured individuals such as primary care, specialty care, dental care, behavioral health care, or fiscal matters relating to any of these types of care;
(6) 1 representative of the Commission on Health;
(7) 1 representative of the County Medical Society; and
(8) 2 current or former recipients of services under the Program.
(d) Terms. A member appointed under subsection (c) serves a 3-year term.
(e) Appointments; removal. Section 2-148 does not apply to members appointed under subsection (b).
(f) Conflicts of Interest.
(1) Section 19A-11(a) does not apply to a member appointed under subsection (c).
(2) A member appointed under subsection (c) must publicly disclose to the Board the nature and circumstances of any conflict before voting on any Board recommendation.
(a) Voting. All members of the Board are voting members.
(b) Chair and vice chair. The members of the Board must elect a chair and vice chair by majority vote to serve a 1-year term.
(c) Meetings. The Board must meet at least 10 times each year.
(d) Compensation. Except as provided in subsection (e), a member must serve without compensation.
(e) Expenses. A member may request reimbursement for mileage and dependent care costs at rates established by the County.
(a) Duties. The Board may advise the County Executive, County Council, and Department on any matter relating to the goal of ensuring a steady and measurable improvement in accessibility of low-income, uninsured, and underinsured County residents accessing high quality health care services, including:
(1) Eligibility criteria for participating health care providers;
(2) Eligibility criteria for individuals served by the Program;
(3) The method for allocating Program funds;
(4) The method of distributing funds to participating health care providers;
(5) The Program budget;
(6) Growth targets and resources needed to meet those targets;
(7) Assistance to eligible individuals to obtain State and federal health care coverage;
(8) Policies and practices to maximize the use of County funds for direct services to clients;
(9) Evaluation of policies and programs to improve access to health care and related services for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured County residents;
(10) Strategic planning in support of the Health Care for the Uninsured programs administered by the Department, including:
(A) Montgomery Cares;
(B) Care for Kids;
(C) Maternity Partnership;
(D) the Department’s Dental Services; and
(E) Health Care for the Homeless; and
(11) Health care services provided to low income, uninsured, and underinsured County residents, including primary care, specialty care, dental care, behavioral health, and ancillary services.
(b) Report. The Board must submit an annual report to the County Executive, County Council, and Department on its activities, findings, and recommendations.
(c) Consideration of findings and recommendations. The County Executive, County Council, and Department must give serious consideration to the findings and recommendations of the Board.
(d) Staff. The Department must provide appropriate staff for the Board.