Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon the request of a small and rural hospital, as defined in Section 124840, the office shall do all of the following:

(a)  If the hospital did not file financial reports with the office by electronic media as of January 1, 1993, the office shall, on a case-by-case basis, do one of the following:

(1)  Exempt the small and rural hospital from any electronic filing requirements of the office regarding annual or quarterly financial disclosure reports specified in Sections 128735 and 128740.

(2)  Provide a one-time reduction in the fee charged to the small and rural hospital not to exceed the maximum amount assessed pursuant to Section 127280 by an amount equal to the costs incurred by the small and rural hospital to purchase the computer hardware and software necessary to comply with any electronic filing requirements of the office regarding annual or quarterly financial disclosure reports specified in Sections 128735 and 128740.

(b)  The office shall provide a one-time reduction in the fee charged to the small and rural hospital not to exceed the maximum amount assessed pursuant to Section 127280 by an amount equal to the costs incurred by the small and rural hospital to purchase the computer software and hardware necessary to comply with any electronic filing requirements of the office regarding reports specified in Sections 128735, 128736, and 128737.

(c)  The office shall provide the hospital with assistance in meeting the requirements specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 128755 that the reports required by subdivision (g) of Section 128735 be filed by electronic media or by online transmission. The assistance shall include the provision to the hospital by the office of a computer program or computer software to create an electronic file of patient discharge abstract data records. The program or software shall incorporate validity checks and edit standards.

(d)  The office shall provide the hospital with assistance in meeting the requirements specified in subdivision (d) of Section 128755 that the reports required by subdivision (a) of Section 128736 be filed by online transmission. The assistance shall include the provision to the hospital by the office of a computer program or computer software to create an electronic file of emergency care data records. The program or software shall incorporate validity checks and edit standards.

(e)  The office shall provide the hospital with assistance in meeting the requirements specified in subdivision (e) of Section 128755 that the reports required by subdivision (a) of Section 128737 be filed by online transmission. The assistance shall include the provision to the hospital by the office of a computer program or computer software to create an electronic file of ambulatory surgery data records. The program or software shall incorporate validity checks and edit standards.

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 735, Sec. 14. Effective January 1, 1999.)