Section 1457.

(a)  The State Department of Health Services, with the advice of the State Department of Social Services, shall prescribe the records to be kept by county hospitals of persons received into or discharged from these institutions, including, but not limited to, records for the admission and processing of county hospital patients.

(b)  The records shall be preserved and maintained pursuant to regulations adopted by the department, or at the request of the county physician or other person in charge of the county hospital, the board of supervisors of the county may authorize the destruction of any record, paper or document prescribed by the department following compliance with the conditions prescribed in Section 26205 of the Government Code.

(c)  (1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, those records of a hospital, or any other county medical facility, subject to this chapter that reveal the rates of payment for health care services rendered by or purchased by the hospital or other medical facility, or the deliberative processes, discussions, communications, or any other portion or aspect of the negotiations leading to those payment rates, shall not be considered public records subject to disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, nor shall they be subject to public disclosure pursuant to any other law requiring the disclosure of records, for a period of three years following execution of a related contract establishing rates of payment.

(2)  Notwithstanding paragraph (1), public disclosure or nondisclosure of records relating to any matters or activities connected with selective provider contracts entered into pursuant to Article 2.6 (commencing with Section 14081) of Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall be determined pursuant to Article 2.6 (commencing with Section 14081) of Chapter 7 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and subdivision (q) of Section 6254 of the Government Code, and other applicable provisions of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 138, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1996.)