Section 37615.1.

Each local municipal hospital shall have and may exercise the following powers:

(a) To purchase, receive, have, take, hold, lease, use, and enjoy property of every kind and description within and without the limits of the municipality, and to control, dispose of, convey, and encumber the same and create a leasehold interest in the same for the benefit of the hospital.

(b) To establish one or more trusts for the benefit of the municipal hospital, to administer any trusts declared or created for the benefit of the municipal hospital, to designate one or more trustees for trusts created by the municipality, to receive by gift, devise, or bequest, and hold in trust or otherwise, property, including corporate securities of all kinds, situated in this state or elsewhere, and where not otherwise provided, dispose of the same for the benefit of the municipal hospital.

(c) To employ any officers and employees, including architects and consultants, the board of trustees deems necessary to carry on properly the business of the municipal hospital.

(d) To do any and all things which an individual might do which are necessary for, and to the advantage of, a hospital and a nurses' training school, or a child-care facility for the benefit of employees of the hospital or residents of the municipality.

(e) To establish, maintain and operate, or provide assistance in the operation of, one or more health facilities or health services, including, but not limited to, outpatient programs, services and facilities, retirement programs, services and facilities, chemical dependency programs, services and facilities, or other health care programs, services and facilities and activities at any location within or without the municipality for the benefit of the hospital and the people served by the municipal hospital.

"Health facilities," as used in this subdivision, means those facilities defined in either Section 15432 of this code or Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code and specifically includes freestanding chemical dependency recovery units.

(f) To do any and all other acts and things necessary to carry out this division.

(g) To acquire, maintain, and operate ambulances or ambulance services within and without the municipality.

(h) To establish, maintain, and operate, or provide assistance in the operation of, free clinics, diagnostic and testing centers, health education programs, wellness and prevention programs, rehabilitation, aftercare, and any other health care services provider, groups, and organizations which are necessary for the maintenance of good physical and mental health in the communities served by the municipal hospital.

(i) To establish and operate in cooperation with its medical staff a coinsurance plan between the municipal hospital and the members of its attending medical staff.

(j) With the approval of the city council, to establish, maintain, and carry on its activities through one or more corporations, joint ventures, or partnerships for the benefit of the municipal hospital.

(k) With the consent of the city council, to contract for bond insurance, letters of credit, remarketing services, and other forms of credit enhancement and liquidity support for its bonds, notes, and other indebtedness and to enter into reimbursement agreements, monitoring agreements, remarketing agreements, and similar ancillary contracts in connection therewith.

(l) To establish, maintain, operate, participate in, or manage capitated health care plans, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, and other managed health care systems and programs properly licensed by the Department of Insurance or the Department of Managed Health Care, at any location within or without the municipality for the benefit of residents of communities served by the hospital. However, no such activity shall be deemed to result in or constitute the giving or lending of the municipality's credit, assets, surpluses, cash, or tangible goods to, or in aid of, any person, association, or corporation in violation of Section 6 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.

Nothing in this section shall authorize activities which corporations and other artificial legal entities are prohibited from conducting by Section 2400 of the Business and Professions Code.

Any agreement to provide health care coverage which is a health care service plan, as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 1345 of the Health and Safety Code, shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, unless exempted pursuant to Section 1343 or 1349.2 of the Health and Safety Code.

A municipal hospital shall not provide health care coverage for any employee of an employer operating within the service area of the municipal hospital, unless the Legislature specifically authorizes, or has authorized the coverage.

This section shall not authorize any municipal hospital to contribute its facilities to any joint venture that could result in transfer of the facilities from city ownership.

(m) To provide health care coverage to members of the hospital's medical staff, employees of the medical staff members, and the dependents of both groups, on a self-pay basis.

(n) With the consent of the city council, to establish, maintain, and carry on its activities through one or more corporations, joint ventures, or partnerships for the benefit of the municipal hospital.

(o) With the consent of the city council, to transfer, with or without consideration, any part of its assets to one or more nonprofit corporations to operate and maintain the assets for the benefits of the area served by the hospital. The initial members of the board of directors of the nonprofit corporation or corporations shall be approved by the city council and shall be residents of the city.

(p) Nothing in this section, including, but not limited to, subdivision (e), shall be construed to permit a municipal hospital to operate or be issued a single consolidated license to operate a separate physical plant as a skilled nursing facility or an intermediate care facility which is not located within the boundaries of the municipality.

(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 857, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2001.)