Healthcare

in committee · New York · Senate Jun 12, 2025

S 7714: Directs the department of health to create an informational pamphlet concerning intrauterine devices

Directs the department of health to create an informational pamphlet concerning intrauterine devices; requires such informational pamphlet to be available on the department of health's website; requires practitioners to distribute such informational pamphlet to patients seeking contraceptives.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires distribution of IUD information to contraceptive patients, improving access to reproductive healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · New York · Senate Jun 10, 2025

S 6244: Enacts the "Lieutenant Joseph Banish mental health act"

Enacts the "Lieutenant Joseph Banish mental health act" which establishes a law enforcement peer support program to provide confidentiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support counseling; defines terms; provides exceptions for when a peer support communication may be disclosed.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes confidential peer support for law enforcement officers, enhancing mental health resources and accountability - aligns with criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates law enforcement peer support program with confidentiality for mental health counseling, directly advancing mental health services as a healthcare component.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · New York · Senate Jun 9, 2025

S 7451: Prevents a judge from prohibiting a parent from undergoing a gender reassignment when making a determination in a child custody case

This bill (S 7451) prohibits judges from banning parents from undergoing gender-affirming care during child custody decisions. It directly affects parents involved in custody cases by requiring courts to disregard a parent's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression when determining a child's best interests. The law adds a specific provision to domestic relations law stating courts "shall not prohibit a party from undergoing gender reassignment" and must not consider gender identity factors. If passed, it would prevent courts from restricting a parent's access to medical care related to their gender identity as part of custody rulings. The bill is currently in the Assembly Judiciary committee after passing the Senate.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents courts from restricting gender-affirming healthcare access in custody cases, protecting patient rights for gender-affirming care as a healthcare service.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 29, 2025

S 2000: Relates to mandatory health insurance coverage for follow-up screening or diagnostic services for lung cancer

Requires that health insurance policies shall provide coverage for follow-up screening or diagnostic services for lung cancer; provides that no patient cost sharing shall be imposed for follow-up screening or diagnostic services for lung cancer.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for lung cancer follow-up screening without cost sharing, expanding access and removing financial barriers for patients.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · New York · Assembly May 23, 2025

A 5572: Relates to organ donation registration through a patient-facing portal

Provides that organ donation registrations through an electronic health record product do not retain or store patients' donor status information and meet standards established by the commissioner; amends the effective date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects patient privacy by preventing storage of organ donation status in EHR portals, aligning with patient rights in healthcare access and data security.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New York · Assembly Apr 10, 2025

A 7765: Provides for emergency appropriation for the period April 1, 2025 through April 15, 2025

This bill provides emergency funding to keep state government operations running during a budget gap from April 1 to April 15, 2025. It directly affects all state employees (including executive branch staff, legislators, and judiciary personnel) by covering their payroll payments and related liabilities incurred during that period. Key provisions allocate $668 million for salaries, $32 million for non-personal service debts, and $516 million for employee benefits like health insurance and retirement contributions. The funding is temporary, designed to bridge the gap until the regular 2025-2026 budget is enacted under state law. As a procedural emergency appropriation, it focuses on maintaining essential services without altering long-term policy.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides emergency funding to cover payroll, benefits, and debts during budget gap, ensuring continued government operations without tax changes or service cuts.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $516M for employee health insurance benefits, directly funding healthcare coverage for state workers during budget gap period.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New York · Assembly Apr 3, 2025

A 7635: Provides for emergency appropriation for the period April 1, 2025 through April 7, 2025

This bill provides emergency funding for New York State government operations from April 1 to April 7, 2025, to cover essential payroll and expenses during a budget gap. It directly affects state employees, departments, and programs by authorizing payments for personal services (up to $324.9 million), non-personal operational costs ($10 million), and specific programs like Medicaid ($1.36 billion), elderly pharmaceutical coverage ($1.52 million), and healthcare services ($3.21 million). The funds are temporary, intended to bridge the period until regular fiscal year appropriations are enacted under state constitution requirements. This procedural bill does not create new policies but ensures continuity of critical state services during the budget transition.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes emergency appropriations for essential state operations including payroll and Medicaid during budget gap, directly supporting fiscal management and program funding.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds Medicaid ($1.36B), elderly pharmaceuticals ($1.52M), and healthcare services ($3.21M) to maintain coverage during budget gap, directly advancing healthcare access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New York · Senate Apr 1, 2025

S 7070: Provides for emergency appropriation for the period April 1, 2025 through April 3, 2025

This bill provides emergency funding to keep New York state government operating during a critical budget gap from April 1-3, 2025. It allocates $279.9 million for state employee payrolls (including March 2025 back pay), $10 million for essential operational costs, and $1.1 billion for Medicaid programs. The funding ensures continuity for state services, payroll, and Medicaid payments while awaiting the regular 2025-2026 budget. It was enacted rapidly and signed into law on April 1, 2025, to prevent a government shutdown.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $279.9M for payroll/Medicaid and $10M for operations to maintain essential services during budget gap, directly funding critical state functions per emergency appropriation.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $1.1B specifically for Medicaid programs, directly increasing healthcare funding for public health coverage.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllocates $279.9M for state employee payrolls including March 2025 back pay, directly supporting workers' wages and employment continuity during a budget gap.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New York · Assembly Mar 7, 2025

A 3224: Relates to the ability to issue certain bonds and notes

This bill increases the total bond and note issuance limit for New York's Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency from $18.2 billion to $20.2 billion, allowing an additional $1.8 billion in financing. It directly affects hospitals and nursing homes seeking capital projects by expanding the agency's ability to fund new construction, renovations, or equipment through bond sales. Key provisions include maintaining debt service limits during bond refunding and requiring sufficient capital reserves before issuing new bonds secured by those reserves. The change is a straightforward financial adjustment to support healthcare facility development without altering program eligibility or new service requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases bond capacity ($1.8B) for hospital/nursing home capital projects, directly expanding funding for healthcare infrastructure development.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New York · Assembly Feb 14, 2025

A 443: Relates to step therapy protocol

This bill modifies New York's insurance law to regulate "step therapy" protocols used by health insurers. It directly affects patients and insurers by limiting how insurers can require patients to try lower-cost drugs before covering a prescribed medication. Key provisions include capping required drug trials at two per condition, banning protocols for unapproved or unsupported drugs, requiring insurer acceptance of doctors' written proof of drug failure as valid evidence, and preventing redundant step therapy for patients who recently completed it under another plan. The changes take effect January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareLimits insurer barriers to medication access, requiring acceptance of physician proof of prior failure, protecting patient rights in coverage decisions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare