Section 1255.1.

(a)  Any hospital that provides emergency medical services under Section 1255 shall, as soon as possible, but not later than 90 days prior to a planned reduction or elimination of the level of emergency medical services, provide notice of the intended change to the state department, the local government entity in charge of the provision of health services, and all health care service plans or other entities under contract with the hospital to provide services to enrollees of the plan or other entity.

(b)  In addition to the notice required by subdivision (a), the hospital shall, within the time limits specified in subdivision (a), provide public notice of the intended change in a manner that is likely to reach a significant number of residents of the community serviced by that facility.

(c)  A hospital shall not be subject to this section or Section 1255.2 if the state department does either of the following:

(1)  Determines that the use of resources to keep the emergency center open substantially threatens the stability of the hospital as a whole.

(2)  Cites the emergency center for unsafe staffing practices.

(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 995, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1999.)