Section 7276.

(a) The charge for the care and treatment of all mentally disordered persons at state hospitals for the mentally disordered for whom there is liability to pay therefor shall be determined pursuant to Section 4025. The Director of State Hospitals may reduce, cancel or remit the amount to be paid by the estate or the relatives, as the case may be, liable for the care and treatment of any mentally disordered person or alcoholic who is a patient at a state hospital for the mentally disordered, on satisfactory proof that the estate or relatives, as the case may be, are unable to pay the cost of that care and treatment or that the amount is uncollectible. In any case where there has been a payment under this section, and the payment or any part thereof is refunded because of the death, leave of absence, or discharge of any patient of the hospital, that amount shall be paid by the hospital or the State Department of State Hospitals to the person who made the payment upon demand, and in the statement to the Controller the amounts refunded shall be itemized and the aggregate deducted from the amount to be paid into the State Treasury, as provided by law. If any person dies at any time while his or her estate is liable for his or her care and treatment at a state hospital, the claim for the amount due may be presented to the executor or administrator of his or her estate, and paid as a preferred claim, with the same rank in order of preference, as claims for expenses of last illness.

(b) If the Director of State Hospitals delegates to the county the responsibility for determining the ability of a minor child and his or her parents to pay for state hospital services, the requirements of Sections 5710 and 7275.1 and the policies and procedures established and maintained by the director, including those relating to the collection and accounting of revenue, shall be followed by each county to which that responsibility is delegated.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 24, Sec. 167. Effective June 27, 2012.)