This article does not apply to persons receiving benefits pursuant to the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 22750) of Part 5 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and to the employers on which their benefits are based.

For purposes of this section, “employer” means a county superintendent of schools, a school district, or a community college district irrespective of whether employees may be represented by different bargaining groups. Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, this article does not apply to employers for those groups of employees for whom coverage under the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act (Part 5 (commencing with Section 22750) of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code) is provided by contract.