Assembly Health Committee End-of-Session Update

Fifty-three bills approved by the Assembly Health Committee passed the Assembly and Senate this year. Eight of them have already been signed into law, one has been vetoed, and the other 44 will be acted on by the Governor over the summer and fall. The Committee reported a total of 179 bills, and 87 of them passed the Assembly.

Bills passed by both Houses include:

  • Adding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of eligible conditions under the medical marijuana law.
  • Making permanent the provisions of "Lauren's Law," requiring driver's license applicants to register as an organ donor or explicitly decline.
  • Establishing a public-private partnership to provide "baby boxes" - safe sleep boxes for newborn infants - including newborn care essentials and information on safe sleeping practices.
  • Adding electronic cigarettes to the Clean Indoor Air Act.

Bills that were reported from the Health Committee but did not pass the Assembly remained in the Codes, Ways & Means, or Rules Committees, or reached the Assembly floor but did not come up for a vote. Bills that passed the Assembly but not the Senate will be on the Assembly floor at the start of the 2018 session. Bills that did not pass the Assembly will start the session at whatever stage in the process they reached in 2017.

For more information on a particular bill, please contact the sponsor listed after the description. For the text of a bill, supporting memorandum, and information on its status, go to: http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menuf.cgi

BILLS PASSED BOTH HOUSES; SIGNED OR VETOED

Newborn Medical Indemnity Fund Reform - Amends a 2016 law relating to the "medical indemnity fund" for neurologically impaired newborns. Clarifies that home modifications may be paid for even if other members of the household may benefit, provided that the primary benefit is for the injured child. Repeals amendments concerning appeals of denials of coverage and eligibility to participate in the program. The Governor insisted on these changes when he signed the 2016 bill. (A378, Abinanti, signed, chapter 4)

Criteria for WIC Vendors Selling Specialty Formula - Directs the Department of Health to establish criteria for which vendors are eligible to sell specialty formula under the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. (A379, Crespo, signed, chapter 12)

E-Cigarettes on School Grounds - Prohibits the use of e-cigarettes on school grounds.

(A611, Rosenthal, signed, chapter 102)

Transplant Council Powers - The Transplant Council makes recommendations to the Department on matters relating to organ procurement organizations, banks, and storage facilities. This bill authorizes the Council to make recommendations on organ donation issues as well. (A5132, Gottfried, signed, chapter 26)

Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner Automated External Defibrilator Operation - Current law allows individuals or entities to purchase and operate automated external defibrillators (AEDs) if the individual or entity has a collaborative agreement with a physician or a hospital. This bill would authorize collaborative agreements with physician assistants or nurse practitioners with knowledge and experience in the delivery of emergency cardiac care as well. (A7532, Gottfried, signed, chapter 119)

Clotting Product Managed Care Carve-Out - Blood clotting factor products and services in Medicaid are currently paid for through a fee-for-service system. The Department plans to "carve-in" these services to Medicaid Managed Care effective July 1, 2017. The Department has considered this several times before and not gone through with it. This bill maintains the carve-out in order to ensure continued access to these products. (A7581, Gottfried, vetoed, veto memo 156.)

Medicare Maximization Extender - There are several State laws to maximize Federal Medicare reimbursement for home care and nursing home care, thereby reducing the need to spend State Medicaid dollars. This bill extends their sunset dates. (A7746, Gottfried, signed, chapter 49)

Reporting Requirements - The Public Health Law, Social Services Law, and Unconsolidated Law impose dozens of outdated reporting requirements on the Department - including reports on programs that no longer exist, mandated reports that were completed but the law never repealed, and reports whose information is currently available elsewhere. This bill deletes many of these reporting requirements. (A7747A, Gottfried, signed, chapter 121)

Certificate of Public Advantage Extender - Certificate of Public Advantage (CoPA) is a State regulatory structure to facilitate mergers when needed to maintain healthcare provider access. This bill extends its sunset date. (A7748, Gottfried, signed, chapter 80)

Consumer Protection Extender - Provisions adopted in 2007 require that if a health plan or a hospital terminates or fails to renew a contract, the parties shall abide by the terms of the contract for 60 days from termination and provide notice to affected enrollees. This bill extends this important patient protection. (A8061, Gottfried, signed, chapter 82)

BILLS PASSED BOTH HOUSES; AWAITING ACTION BY GOVERNOR

Expanding Unused Controlled Substance Collection - A 2015 law allows pharmacies and other authorized providers to accept unused controlled substances for proper disposal. This bill would require chain pharmacies with four or more locations to do so. (A387B, Gunther)

E-Cigarette Regulation - Adds "electronic" cigarettes to Clean Indoor Air Act provisions regulating smoking in certain public areas; prohibits using e-cigarettes in any place where smoking tobacco is banned by law. (A516A, Rosenthal)

Bronx Asthma Study - Directs the Department of Health to conduct a study on the high asthma rates in the borough of The Bronx. (A703, Sepulveda)

Medicaid Blood Allergy Testing - Historically, allergies were diagnosed using a "skin prick" test that had to be done by an allergist. Medical advances now allow blood testing for allergies that does not require a referral to a specialist. This bill adds Medicaid coverage for such blood tests. (A807, Perry)

Brooklyn Asthma Study - Directs the Department of Health to conduct a study on the high incidence of asthma in the borough of Brooklyn. (A947, Simon)

Telemedicine Site Expansion - Authorizes the delivery of Medicaid telehealth services at adult homes. Other health coverage does not have telemedicine site restrictions. (A1464B, Jenne)

Lead Hazard Clean-up - Requires the New York State Commissioner of Health to take action when an area of lead poisoning has been designated. Current law allows action but does not require it. (A1809, Dinowitz)

Restroom Access - Gives patients with Crohn's disease and other eligible medical conditions the right to use employee restrooms in businesses open to the public that do not have a public restroom. (A1982, Paulin)

Establishing Pediatric Day Respite Centers - Establishes the category of Pediatric Day Respite Centers (PDRCs) in social services law. PDRCs provide coordinated case management, patient education, and pediatric skilled nursing for children under six years old. (A2187A, Morelle)

Sudden, Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) Reporting - Requires that autopsies of individuals with epilepsy or a history of seizures include a determination of whether the deceased suffered a sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy, and, if so, reporting to the North American SUDEP registry. (A2380, Brindisi)

Adult Home Death and Felony Reporting - Improves reporting by adult care facilities of resident deaths and attempted suicides and any felony in the facility. (A2702, Gottfried)

Medical Marijuana Practitioner List - Difficulty finding practitioners (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants) who have registered for the medical marijuana program has been a major obstacle for patients. Without easy access to the list, patients have had to cold-call health care providers, rely on social media, etc. This impeded access to medical marijuana for seriously ill patients who could benefit from it. This bill was first introduced and passed the Assembly in 2016, when the Health Department had not yet made the list public. In May 2017, the Department announced that it would be making the names of consenting, currently-registered practitioners public and that information about future registered practitioners would be public unless they opt out. Given this change, the bill would now simply codify the Department's practice in statute, providing clarity for providers and patients. (A2882, Peoples-Stokes)

Medicaid Topical Oxygen Therapy - The Department of Health has proposed eliminating topical oxygen therapy when administered at home as a Medicaid benefit. This bill requires it to be covered, subject to coverage criteria set by the Health Commissioner. (A2906, Ortiz)

Electronic Cigarette Vendor Registration - Requires vendors of electronic cigarettes to register with the Health Department (to facilitate enforcement of electronic cigarette laws) unless they are already registered as tobacco vendors with the Department of Tax and Finance. (A4377A, Rosenthal)

Telemedicine Site Expansion - Authorizes the delivery of Medicaid telehealth services at any elementary or secondary school, or child care program or center. Other health coverage does not have telemedicine site restrictions. (A4703, Jenne)

Adoptee Right to Know - Allows adoptees who are at least 18 years old to obtain from the Department of Health a non-certified copy of their original birth certificates and medical history forms if available. (A5036A, Weprin)

Medicaid Trust Information - Individuals with disabilities whose incomes would be too high to qualify for Medicaid can currently qualify through three excess income programs: by returning money to the Local Social Service Department; by incurring enough medical expenses to lower their income sufficiently ("spend-down"); or by putting money into a trust. This bill requires DOH to notify individuals eligible for the excess income program of the trust option, including information on how to participate. (A5175A, Gottfried)

Encouraging Organ Donation - "Lauren's Law" requires an applicant to fill out the organ donation section on a driver's license or non-driver identification card application. The law is scheduled to expire in 2019. This bill makes it permanent. (A5179, Ortiz)

Newborn "Baby Box" Demonstration Program - Establishes a demonstration program to provide "baby boxes" - safe sleep boxes for newborn infants - including newborn care essentials and information on safe sleeping practices, through public-private partnerships. (A6044A, Simotas)

Protecting Access to Complex Rehabilitation Equipment - Provides for the Department to establish qualifications for equipment suppliers to ensure adequate supply, configuration, delivery, and repair of complex rehabilitation equipment as well as to establish minimum reimbursement rates; and directs Medicaid to apply any new Medicare billing codes for such equipment. (A6120B, McDonald)

Hospice Residence Rates - Updates the hospice residence rate to reflect changes in nursing home reimbursement, such as the pricing methodology and the transition to managed care. (A6408A, Dinowitz)

Special Needs Trust Establishment - A 2016 change to Federal law allows individuals with disabilities to set up Special Needs Trusts for themselves, rather than relying on their parents, guardians, or courts to do so. This bill conforms State law to the new Federal law. (A6743, Barrett)

Medical Marijuana for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - This bill would make PTSD an eligible condition under the medical marijuana law. The only FDA-approved drugs for PTSD currently have serious side effects including suicide risks, weight gain, and diabetes, and other drugs are used "off-label." Studies have shown that cannabinoid treatments may reduce nightmares, flashbacks, and overall levels of post-traumatic stress. (A7006, Gottfried)

Rural Health Council - Establishes an advisory council within the Department's Office of Rural Health, to advise the commissioner on rural health issues including the impact of proposed programs and to report on rural health care workforce issues. (A7203, Jones)

Manhattan Asthma Study - Directs the Department of Health to conduct a study on the high asthma rates in the borough of Manhattan. (A7214, Seawright)

Consumer-Directed Home Care Fiscal Intermediary (FI) Authorization Effective Date - The 2017 State budget created a process for registering FIs in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, but the effective date was inadvertently made immediate, without notice to current FIs or rule-making by DOH. This legislation moves the effective date to January 1, 2018. (A7216, Gottfried)

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and End-of-Life Care - Currently, only attending physicians are authorized to execute do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders and take other actions pertaining to life sustaining treatments. Given the deeply personal nature of the decision to refuse life-sustaining treatment, it is important that patients and their families have the opportunity to make these decisions in consultation with their most trusted primary care provider. In many cases, this is an NP rather than a physician. This bill provides that an NP can be the patient's "attending" health care practitioner for these purposes, when acting within his or her scope of practice. (A7277A, Gottfried)

Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) Awareness - Adds information on PANS, an immune response that causes the sudden onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms in a child, to the Health Department's outreach and education program, and creates an advisory council. (A7614B, Jones)

School Contractor Epi-Pens - A 2015 law authorized schools to stock epi-pens for use by school employees. However, this law only covered direct employees, leaving out contractors, which excluded many school bus drivers among others. This bill allows administration of epi-pens by school contractors while those contractors are performing services for the school. (A7635, Buchwald)

Assisted Living Bed Certificate of Need - The Assisted Living Program (ALP) provides home care services to residents of an adult home. It is a successful, lower-cost alternative to nursing home care. However, the current process for authorizing ALP slots disadvantages rural and upstate providers, resulting in shortages. This bill sets up a new certificate of need process that awards beds based on demonstrated community need. (A7727A, Lupardo)

Supplemental Reimbursement for Safety-Net Hospitals - Current definitions used to target financial resources to safety-net hospitals are overly broad and often exclude the neediest public providers. This bill targets additional aid to hospitals meeting a more focused definition to identify true safety-net hospitals serving at least 50% Medicaid or uninsured patients; at least 3% uninsured; and no greater than 25% commercially insured, as well as public hospitals and certain federally-designated rural hospitals. (A7763, Gottfried)

Hospice Residence "Swing Beds" Dual Certification - "Swing beds" in hospice residences are dual-certified for use for either residential or inpatient levels of care. They must comply with federal regulations from nurse staffing to drug dispensing. Swing beds are currently capped at 25% of all beds, which disrupts patient access to appropriate hospice care. This bill doubles the cap to 50%. (A7775A, Gottfried)

Medical Records for Applying for Government Benefits - Individuals applying for various government programs including Social Security disability and 9/11 survivor health benefits need copies of their medical records to document their claims. They generally cannot afford to pay a health care provider the statutory rate of seventy-five cents per page for what may be hundreds of pages of medical records. This bill eliminates provider charges for copies of patient records necessary to apply for government benefits or programs. (A7842, Gottfried)

Hospice Employment Registry - Hospice programs are required to perform criminal background checks on employees. However, unlike other home care providers, hospice is not allowed to provisionally employ workers while the background check is pending. This causes delays in delivering this timely end-of-life service. This bill clarifies that hospice programs may provisionally employ staff while awaiting the results, subject to direct observation of the employee, as other home care providers can. (A7846, Gottfried)

School-based Health Services - Ensures access to school-based healthcare services by carving them out of Medicaid managed care requirements permanently. (A7866, Gottfried)

Access to Non-Profit Pharmacies - New York has two non-profit pharmacies operated by colleges, both in the Capital District. These pharmacies provide access to health care services in underserved communities while training pharmacy students. This bill provides that these pharmacies shall be considered "in-network" for Medicaid Managed Care plans. (A7922, Steck)

Eating Disorder Center Certification - New York's Comprehensive Care Centers for Eating Disorders provide care to individuals with eating disorders and conduct public awareness activities. The Centers are required to re-certify with the State every two years, an unnecessary administrative burden on providers who are regularly supervised by the State. This bill changes the certification to once every five years. (A7949, Ortiz)

Foster Family Demonstration Extender - The foster family demonstration program serves individuals who are medically eligible for residential or personal care services but who lack a home or family support. These individuals are placed with families who provide room and board, supervision, and assistance, with funding from Social Security Income and Medicaid or private pay. This bill extends the program. (A8131, Lupardo)

TBI Clinic Rates - Until 2012, certain facilities providing services to individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) received enhanced payments to raise the Medicare rate up to the higher Medicaid rate. A 2012 statutory change ended this for TBI patients only, effectively causing a 20%-30% rate cut. This bill authorizes payment up to the Medicaid rate for both TBI and DD patients, restoring parity as before 2012. (A8241, Morelle)

Maternal Depression Treatment Access - Requires the Department and the Office of Mental Health to maintain a list of providers who treat maternal depression and ensure adequate investment in resources for treatment, including a hotline, referral networks, and telehealth services. (A8308, Richardson)

Restoring Bed Hold - "Reserved bed days" ("bed holds") are payments to nursing homes to hold a resident's bed when the resident is hospitalized or otherwise temporarily out of the facility. This is critically important for continuity of care, particularly for patients with dementia or other emotional or psychological needs. The enacted 2017-2018 State budget cut funding for bed holds under certain circumstances, but a May 2017 "Dear Administrator" letter from the Department advised nursing homes that the Department would continue bed hold payments pending clarification "of the meaning and intent of the statute." This bill restores the bed hold payments as existed before April 1, 2017 in order ensure continuity of care for these vulnerable aged and disabled patients. (A8338, Gottfried)

Protecting Access to Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) - Recent administrative actions incorrectly reclassified NFP as a home care service that requires a medical order from a physician before a woman can receive any of the social and educational services an NFP nurse provides. This bill clarifies that NFP is not home health care under Article 36 of the public health law and therefore does not require such onerous and inappropriate medical orders. (A8388, Gottfried)

Summer Camp Bug Repellent Requirement - Allows children in overnight camps, summer day camps, and traveling summer day camps to carry and use insect repellent with written permission of a parent or guardian. (A8420, Jones)

BILLS PASSED ASSEMBLY

Prohibiting Behavioral Health All-products Clauses - Prohibits health plans from requiring behavioral health providers to participate in all their product lines, including commercial products in which payment rates are significantly lower, as a condition of participation in their Medicaid products. (A23, Cahill)

Generic Drug Information Access - Requires the Commissioner of Health to collect and publish data on the therapeutic effectiveness of generic drug products. (A236, Paulin)

Expedited Partner Therapy for Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Allows for expedited partner therapy for any sexually transmitted diseases for which it is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.) Current law covers expedited partner therapy for chlamydia but no other STDs. (A313, Bichotte)

Protecting Patient Health Information - Prohibits emergency medical service providers from selling patient health information without written consent. (A328A, Braunstein)

School Registration Notification - Requires physicians and hospitals to document the name and address of any school attended by a school-aged patient and include such information in the patient's file. This will help track and prevent exposure to infectious diseases. (A352, Perry)

Leukemia Tax Check-Offs - Provides an income tax check-off for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma education and outreach. (A1354A, Cusick)

Scheduling Cannabimimetic Agents - Cannabimimetic agents, commonly referred to as "synthetic marijuana," are dangerous and addictive drugs often falsely advertised as incense in order to be "legally" sold. This bill effectively bans their sale. (A1384, Zebrowski)

Reproductive Health Act - Eliminates outdated language in New York State law; guarantees a woman's right to choose and ensures access to safe, legal abortion in New York. It also takes New York's abortion law out of the Penal Law and puts it in the Public Health Law where it belongs. (A1748, Glick)

Blood Donation Drive Grant Program - Authorizes grants to assist local community groups for conducting blood drives, within amounts appropriated. (A2381, Gottfried)

Streamlining Health Plan Credentialing - Requires health plans to use standardized forms (developed by the Health Commissioner) for health care providers applying to be included in a plan's network and for referrals. (A2389, Gottfried)

Lawsuits Against Nursing Homes - Nursing home residents may sue if they are abused or injured. This bill clarifies that a resident's legal representative or estate can also sue. (A2478, Gottfried)

Drinking Water Information Program - Directs the Commissioner to develop a drinking water information program to provide the public with information and reports on the state's drinking water systems, including results of various existing tests, violations, and enforcement actions taken by the Department. (A2600, Sepulveda)

Disposition of Human Remains - Simplifies the process for an individual designating responsibility for his or her remains. (A2611, Gottfried)

Due Process for Health Care Practitioners - When a health plan drops a health care professional from its network, the professional can appeal the decision. But the appeal is handled by a board made up of appointees of the plan itself. This bill requires that hearing panels will include one member appointed by the insurer, one member appointed by the subject of the hearing, and a third panelist chosen by the other two. The bill also expands the law to protect a professional whose contract is not renewed by the plan. (A2704, Lavine)

Technical Corrections to Hospice Law - Updates references to palliative care in the hospice law. (A2723, Gottfried)

Patient Access to Medical Records - Expands patient access to their own medical records from all health care providers, and prohibits fees when patients request records necessary to claim government benefits. (A2869, Gottfried)

Window Blind Safety Pamphlets - Requires the Department to produce pamphlets regarding strangulation risks to children posed by window blind cords. The Department will provide these pamphlets to pediatricians for distribution at children's six month appointments. (A2914, McDonald)

HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis - Current law requires hospitals to provide sexual assault victims with a 7-day "starter pack" of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This bill expands it to require provision of a full PEP regiment. The bill also requires that PEP costs be billed directly to the State Office of Victims Services and reimbursed directly to the health care provider, rather than requiring the victim to fill out a formal application. (A2924, Peoples-Stokes)

Provider Participation in Child Health Plus Plans - Prohibits insurance companies that offer Child Health Plus from requiring a participating health care provider in its Child Health Plus plan to also sign up for the insurance company's other health plans. (A3866, Pretlow)

Hospital Identification and Assistance for Domestic Violence Victims - Establishes procedures for hospitals and emergency rooms to properly identify and assist suspected or confirmed cases of domestic violence. (A4014, Lavine)

Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Sharing HIV Data with Health Care Providers - This bill enacts recommendations of the Governor's End the Epidemic Task Force. It allows sharing of HIV data with health care providers and care coordinators in order to improve HIV patient care coordination and care monitoring. (A4053, Gottfried)

Physical Fitness Education Program - Establishes a physical fitness and activity education campaign within the Department. (A4738, Gottfried)

Psychotropic Medications in Nursing Homes -This bill requires that before psychotropic drugs are ordered in a nursing home or adult care facility, the patient or their surrogate must be informed of the anticipated benefits and side effects; dosage and duration of the prescription; reasonable alternatives (such as therapeutic activities); and their right to refuse to consent. The bill also requires written consent by the patient or surrogate. (A5332, Gottfried)

Isolated Hospice Patient Decision-making - Simplifies the process for decisions about routine care for hospice patients who don't have an appointed health care agent or a family "surrogate;" decisions would be governed by the provisions of the Family Health Care Decisions Act for patients who lack a surrogate. (A5705, Gottfried)

Education and Outreach on Sudden Cardiac Arrest - Establishes an education and outreach program in the Department on sudden cardiac arrest among student athletes. (A6538, Cusick)

Definition of Elevated Blood Lead Levels - Lowers the State's definition of "elevated lead level" from ten micrograms of lead per deciliter of whole blood to five micrograms, to match new Centers for Disease Control guidelines. (A6906, Ryan)

Providing Nursing Spaces in Airports - Requires airports that serve greater than 1,000,000 passengers a year to provide nursing spaces for breastfeeding mothers behind security screening areas. (A7032, Solages)

Nassau EMS Restrictions - There has been a law since 1994 allowing municipalities in Suffolk County to designate emergency medical response providers and prohibiting EMS response by any provider not so designated, with certain exceptions. This bill expands it to Nassau County. (A7094, Hooper)

Teen Tanning Ban - Current law prohibits use of tanning facilities by children under 16, but allows 17 and 18 year olds to use them with parental consent. This bill prohibits use by anyone under 18. (A7218A, Jaffee)

Ensuring Accurate Managed Care Encounter Data - Currently, the State is prohibited from assessing penalties on managed care organizations for late, incomplete, or inaccurate encounter data. This bill authorizes the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) to impose such penalties if the encounter data is fraudulent or abusive in a way that causes harm to the integrity of the Medicaid program. (A7862A, Gottfried)

Behavioral Health Prompt Pay - Medicaid managed care plans pay behavioral health providers using ambulatory patient group rates, which are occasionally adjusted by the State. When rates go up, the State increases payments to the plans and the plans are supposed to pass the payment increase through to providers. Under current law, however, plans are allowed to delay paying these increases while making administrative changes but are not required to then adjust the payments retroactively to the effective date. This bill requires plans to make retroactive payments as necessary to implement such pay increases on their effective date. (A8011A, Gottfried)

Adult Home Temporary Operator Notification - Requires adult homes, enriched housing programs, and assisted living residences to provide written notice to residents in the event that a temporary operato&term=2017" target="blank">A4426, Cusick)

Pharmacy Benefit Manager Contract Enforcement - Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) manage pharmacy benefits for health plans, employers, and other payers. While PBMs are required to offer pharmacies the right to appeal reimbursement rate decisions, there is no enforcement mechanism for this rule. This bill authorizes the Attorney General to enforce the contract appeals process and provides a civil penalty for violations. (A4717A, Rosenthal)

New York Health Act - Single-Payer Plan - Establishes "New York Health," a universal, single-payer health care program that would cover all New Yorkers without consideration of income. New York Health would replace insurance company premiums, deductibles, and co-pays with a publicly-funded benefit package more comprehensive than commercial health plans. (A4738, Gottfried)

Psychotropic Medications in Nursing Homes -This bill requires that before psychotropic drugs are ordered in a nursing home or adult care facility, the patient or their surrogate must be informed of the anticipated benefits and side effects; dosage and duration of the prescription; reasonable alternatives (such as therapeutic activities); and their right to refuse to consent. The bill also requires written consent by the patient or surrogate. (A5332, Gottfried)

Isolated Hospice Patient Decision-making - Simplifies the process for decisions about routine care for hospice patients who don't have an appointed health care agent or a family "surrogate;" decisions would be governed by the provisions of the Family Health Care Decisions Act for patients who lack a surrogate. (A5705, Gottfried)

Education and Outreach on Sudden Cardiac Arrest - Establishes an education and outreach program in the Department on sudden cardiac arrest among student athletes. (A6538, Cusick)

Definition of Elevated Blood Lead Levels - Lowers the State's definition of "elevated lead level" from ten micrograms of lead per deciliter of whole blood to five micrograms, to match new Centers for Disease Control guidelines. (A6906, Ryan)

Providing Nursing Spaces in Airports - Requires airports that serve greater than 1,000,000 passengers a year to provide nursing spaces for breastfeeding mothers behind security screening areas. (A7032, Solages)

Nassau EMS Restrictions - There has been a law since 1994 allowing municipalities in Suffolk County to designate emergency medical response providers and prohibiting EMS response by any provider not so designated, with certain exceptions. This bill expands it to Nassau County. (A7094, Hooper)

Teen Tanning Ban - Current law prohibits use of tanning facilities by children under 16, but allows 17 and 18 year olds to use them with parental consent. This bill prohibits use by anyone under 18. (A7218A, Jaffee)

Ensuring Accurate Managed Care Encounter Data - Currently, the State is prohibited from assessing penalties on managed care organizations for late, incomplete, or inaccurate encounter data. This bill authorizes the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) to impose such penalties if the encounter data is fraudulent or abusive in a way that causes harm to the integrity of the Medicaid program. (A7862A, Gottfried)

Behavioral Health Prompt Pay - Medicaid managed care plans pay behavioral health providers using ambulatory patient group rates, which are occasionally adjusted by the State. When rates go up, the State increases payments to the plans and the plans are supposed to pass the payment increase through to providers. Under current law, however, plans are allowed to delay paying these increases while making administrative changes but are not required to then adjust the payments retroactively to the effective date. This bill requires plans to make retroactive payments as necessary to implement such pay increases on their effective date. (A8011A, Gottfried)

Adult Home Temporary Operator Notification - Requires adult homes, enriched housing programs, and assisted living residences to provide written notice to residents in the event that a temporary operato, Gottfried)

Physical Fitness Education Program - Establishes a physical fitness and activity education campaign within the Department. (A4426, Cusick)

Pharmacy Benefit Manager Contract Enforcement - Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) manage pharmacy benefits for health plans, employers, and other payers. While PBMs are required to offer pharmacies the right to appeal reimbursement rate decisions, there is no enforcement mechanism for this rule. This bill authorizes the Attorney General to enforce the contract appeals process and provides a civil penalty for violations. (A4717A, Rosenthal)

New York Health Act - Single-Payer Plan - Establishes "New York Health," a universal, single-payer health care program that would cover all New Yorkers without consideration of income. New York Health would replace insurance company premiums, deductibles, and co-pays with a publicly-funded benefit package more comprehensive than commercial health plans. (A4738, Gottfried)

Psychotropic Medications in Nursing Homes -This bill requires that before psychotropic drugs are ordered in a nursing home or adult care facility, the patient or their surrogate must be informed of the anticipated benefits and side effects; dosage and duration of the prescription; reasonable alternatives (such as therapeutic activities); and their right to refuse to consent. The bill also requires written consent by the patient or surrogate. (A5332, Gottfried)

Isolated Hospice Patient Decision-making - Simplifies the process for decisions about routine care for hospice patients who don't have an appointed health care agent or a family "surrogate;" decisions would be governed by the provisions of the Family Health Care Decisions Act for patients who lack a surrogate. (A5705, Gottfried)

Education and Outreach on Sudden Cardiac Arrest - Establishes an education and outreach program in the Department on sudden cardiac arrest among student athletes. (A6538, Cusick)

Definition of Elevated Blood Lead Levels - Lowers the State's definition of "elevated lead level" from ten micrograms of lead per deciliter of whole blood to five micrograms, to match new Centers for Disease Control guidelines. (A6906, Ryan)

Providing Nursing Spaces in Airports - Requires airports that serve greater than 1,000,000 passengers a year to provide nursing spaces for breastfeeding mothers behind security screening areas. (A7032, Solages)

Nassau EMS Restrictions - There has been a law since 1994 allowing municipalities in Suffolk County to designate emergency medical response providers and prohibiting EMS response by any provider not so designated, with certain exceptions. This bill expands it to Nassau County. (A7094, Hooper)

Teen Tanning Ban - Current law prohibits use of tanning facilities by children under 16, but allows 17 and 18 year olds to use them with parental consent. This bill prohibits use by anyone under 18. (A7218A, Jaffee)

Ensuring Accurate Managed Care Encounter Data - Currently, the State is prohibited from assessing penalties on managed care organizations for late, incomplete, or inaccurate encounter data. This bill authorizes the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) to impose such penalties if the encounter data is fraudulent or abusive in a way that causes harm to the integrity of the Medicaid program. (A7862A, Gottfried)

Behavioral Health Prompt Pay - Medicaid managed care plans pay behavioral health providers using ambulatory patient group rates, which are occasionally adjusted by the State. When rates go up, the State increases payments to the plans and the plans are supposed to pass the payment increase through to providers. Under current law, however, plans are allowed to delay paying these increases while making administrative changes but are not required to then adjust the payments retroactively to the effective date. This bill requires plans to make retroactive payments as necessary to implement such pay increases on their effective date. (A8011A, Gottfried)

Adult Home Temporary Operator Notification - Requires adult homes, enriched housing programs, and assisted living residences to provide written notice to residents in the event that a temporary operator has been appointed. A temporary operator is appointed when the Health Department finds serious problems in the operation of the facility. (A8159, Wright)