Healthcare

passed · New York · Assembly Mar 25, 2026

A 8518: Requires insurance coverage of outpatient problem gambling services

Bill A 8518 requires insurance companies to provide outpatient coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of problem gambling services. This directly affects individuals with medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive insurance coverage, as well as their insurance providers. The bill amends existing insurance law to explicitly include problem gambling services within covered substance use disorder treatments. It also mandates that financial requirements and treatment limitations for problem gambling services cannot be more restrictive than those applied to substantially all other medical and surgical benefits covered by the policy.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates insurance coverage for outpatient problem gambling services, expanding health coverage for a mental health treatment under substance use disorder provisions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · New York · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

A 10514: Relates to screening for placenta accreta spectrum screenings as part of routine prenatal care

This bill directs the state health commissioner to create guidelines for including placenta accreta spectrum screenings in routine prenatal care. Placenta accreta spectrum is a pregnancy complication where the placenta attaches too deeply into the uterine wall, which can cause serious health risks during delivery. The new guidance will outline when screenings should begin, how often they should be repeated, what risk factors to check for, and how to refer patients for follow-up care. The bill affects healthcare providers who deliver prenatal care and pregnant individuals who may be at risk for this condition. It does not mandate specific screening practices but establishes a framework for the health department to develop standardized recommendations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates routine prenatal screening for placenta accreta spectrum, improving patient safety and access to critical healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed both · New York · Senate Mar 11, 2026

S 8869: Requires certain health insurance policies include coverage for services provided by pharmacists related to contraceptives

This bill requires most health insurance plans sold in the state to cover pharmacist-provided contraceptive services, such as counseling, prescribing, or dispensing. It directly affects health insurers and patients seeking contraceptive care through pharmacies. The key provision mandates that insurance policies include these specific services without extra costs to the patient. The bill passed the Senate in January 2026 and is now under review by the Assembly's Insurance committee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for pharmacist-conducted contraceptive services, expanding patient access without cost, directly advancing healthcare coverage under topic description.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed both · New York · Senate Mar 10, 2026

S 1287: Establishes the rare disease advisory council

Establishes the rare disease advisory council to identify best practices, raise awareness regarding rare diseases, evaluate barriers to access to care, and to make recommendations to the legislature and the governor.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes council to evaluate rare disease care barriers and recommend improvements, directly addressing patient access to healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · New York · Assembly Mar 5, 2026

A 6824: Provides for eye and tissue donation

Provides for eye and tissue donation; requires coroners to develop a protocol for making referrals of deaths that fall under their jurisdiction and occur outside of a hospital including calling the federally designated organ procurement organization for donor registry verification and a donor suitability determination.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes protocols for organ/tissue donation referrals, enhancing access to transplant services and supporting healthcare infrastructure for patient care.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed both · New York · Assembly Mar 5, 2026

A 4591: Relates to hospital care for mastectomy, lumpectomy, and lymph node dissection patients

Requires that general hospitals that provide mastectomy surgery, lymph node dissection or lumpectomy provide information to such patients concerning options for breast reconstruction.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to provide breast reconstruction options information to patients, improving patient access and rights in surgical care.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · New York · Assembly Feb 24, 2026

A 5546: Provides for the release of patient records by the office of mental health

This bill requires New York's Office of Mental Health to create rules for releasing patient records after a person's death. It allows family members, legal representatives, or healthcare providers involved in the person's care to access these records upon written request, while respecting any prior expressed wishes of the deceased. The rules must follow federal privacy laws (HIPAA) and define "family member" for treatment-related requests. It applies directly to families of deceased residents in mental health facilities and the Office of Mental Health, overriding some existing privacy restrictions. The bill does not change current rules for living patients' records.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables family/healthcare access to mental health records post-death while respecting privacy, aligning with patient rights protection in healthcare access.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill requires HIPAA-compliant release of patient records, reinforcing data privacy protections for health information.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · New York · Assembly Feb 24, 2026

A 1039: Establishes a duty to inform certain patients about the risks associated with cesarean section for patients undergoing planned and unplanned primary cesarean sections

Establishes a duty to inform certain patients about the risks associated with cesarean section for patients undergoing a planned or unplanned primary cesarean section.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates informed consent for cesarean sections, protecting patient rights and safety in medical procedures.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · New York · Assembly Feb 13, 2026

A 9510: Relates to the use of virtual credit cards by insurers and certain health care plans and the effectiveness of provisions of law relating thereto

This bill requires insurers and health care plans to follow specific rules when using virtual credit cards or fee-based digital payment methods to reimburse healthcare providers. Insurers must first notify providers of any potential fees, offer a fee-free payment alternative, and get the provider's written consent within 30 days to use the fee-based method. If a provider doesn't respond in time, insurers must default to the fee-free option. The law applies directly to insurers and healthcare providers who contract with them, ensuring transparency and preventing unexpected charges for providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents insurers from imposing fees on providers without consent, ensuring fee-free payment options and protecting provider financial stability within healthcare reimbursement.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New York · Senate Feb 13, 2026

S 8758: Replaces the term addict with the term person with substance use disorder

This bill changes the language in New York's Public Health Law by replacing the term "addict" with "person with substance use disorder" in sections governing medical treatment. It specifically affects healthcare practitioners who prescribe controlled substances for maintenance or detoxification treatment, ensuring they reference patients as "person with substance use disorder" instead of "addict" in legal documents. The key mechanism is a simple terminology update within existing prescribing provisions, aiming to use more clinical and less stigmatizing language. This change aligns with broader efforts to reduce stigma in healthcare communication.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareUpdates terminology to reduce stigma, aligning with patient rights and mental health best practices in healthcare documentation.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare