County opens door for Medi-Cal plan to borrow lawyers

Sept. 23--VENTURA, Calif. -- Ventura County supervisors voted Tuesday to temporarily loan their lawyers to the Gold Coast Health Plan at a rate of $191 an hour.

Gold Coast administers Medi-Cal health insurance to more than 160,000 low-income residents. Barry Fisher, a member of the commission that governs Gold Coast, said the move is related to the commission's plans to interview firms that provide general legal services at its meeting Monday.

The plan's general counsel role has been filled by lawyer Nancy Kierstyn Schreiner of Anderson Kill in Ventura.

Schreiner said Monday that she and Anderson Kill can likely no longer serve as Gold Coast's general counsel because of a legal conflict of interest with the plan. Neither Schreiner nor Gold Coast Interim CEO Ruth Watson would provide details about the conflict. Both cited attorney-client privilege.

In the past fiscal year, Gold Coast paid Anderson Kill $615,000 for legal services, according to Watson.

Schreiner said the firm would still represent Gold Coast on special projects.

Gold Coast's governing commission evaluated the performance of Anderson Kill as its legal counsel in a closed-door meeting last month. No announcement was made about the discussion.

"There's been no final decision made at this point," said Schreiner, explaining why no public report was made. She said her firm is still technically the plan's general counsel until a new firm is named but will not present at the commission's meeting on Monday.

Michael Walker, chief assistant county counsel, said the supervisors' vote Tuesday is a step toward the county's legal team representing Gold Coast. He said the Gold Coast commission would also have to approve the move.

Fisher said the plan is for Gold Coast to use the county lawyers for just one meeting.

Staff writer Kathleen Wilson contributed to this story.

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