(

a) In order to implement changes in the level of funding for health care services, the director shall reduce safety net care pool payments as specified in this section. (

b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this article, safety net care pool payments made to the designated public hospitals and the South Los Angeles Medical Services Preservation Fund, for services rendered on or after July 1, 2009, through and including June 30, 2010, shall be reduced by percent, but in no event shall the total amount of the reduction exceed fifty-four million two-hundred thousand dollars ($54,200,000). (c)

(1) Notwithstanding

Section 14166.22 and any other provision of this article, the department shall increase federal claiming from the safety net care pool for the state-funded programs listed in subdivision (

a) of

Section 14166.22 above the amount necessary to maintain stabilization funding to private hospitals, nondesignated public hospitals, and distressed hospitals pursuant to

Section 14166.20, by an amount equivalent to the reduction made pursuant to subdivision (b), but only to the extent that the state-only funded programs have sufficient costs available for the claiming of federal funds from the safety net care pool.

(2) If necessary to reach the full amount of the reduction set forth in subdivision (b), the department may increase federal claiming from the safety net care pool for the state-funded programs listed in subdivision (

a) of

Section 14166.22 for fiscal years prior to the 2009–10 fiscal year, but only to the extent that the state-only funded programs have sufficient costs available in fiscal years prior to the 2009–10 fiscal year that were not previously the basis for claiming federal funds. (

d) The General Fund savings generated pursuant to subdivision (

c) shall be made available to the General Fund and shall not be subject to the provisions of subdivisions (

b) and (

d) of

Section 14166.22. (

e) Notwithstanding

Chapter 3.5 (commencing with

Section 11340) of Part of Division of Title of the Government Code, the department may implement this

section by means of a provider bulletin, or other similar instruction, without taking regulatory action.