This bill requires health care plans (like insurers) to provide health care professionals with a written explanation and a 30-day review period before terminating or not renewing their contracts. It mandates a hearing panel composed of three licensed professionals - appointed jointly by the plan and the professional - to review termination decisions, ensuring impartiality and requiring decisions to be made within 30 days of a request. The bill explicitly prohibits termination for protected activities, such as advocating for patients, filing complaints, or requesting a hearing. It directly affects health care professionals and health care plans operating under New York’s public health and insurance laws.
Relates to establishing the "340B prescription drug anti-discrimination act"; prohibits pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers from discriminating against covered entities and New York state pharmacies based on participation in the drug discount program authorized by section 340B of the federal public health service act.
This bill increases payments to rural critical access hospitals (CAHs) by setting their reimbursement rates at 101% of reasonable costs for covered services like emergency care, inpatient care, and outpatient treatments. Starting April 1, 2027, these hospitals will receive payments calculated using the same method as Medicare uses for outpatient CAH services under federal law. The rate applies to services provided to patients eligible for state-funded payments under the public health law. Implementation depends on annual state funding appropriations.
This bill (S 6662) expands legal protections by making assaults against specific healthcare personnel a more serious offense under New York's penal law. It directly affects medical providers (like doctors and nurses), hospital employees, and volunteers - such as registered nurses, nurse practitioners, certified nursing assistants, ambulance personnel, and hospital volunteers - as defined in public health law. The key change adds these individuals to the list of protected persons, making it a crime to assault them with intent to prevent them from performing their duties. The law also specifies that causing physical injury to these protected individuals during their work constitutes a punishable offense.
This bill increases payments to rural hospitals designated as critical access hospitals (CAHs) under New York's public health law. It sets payment rates for services like emergency care, inpatient stays, and outpatient treatments at 101% of the hospitals' reasonable costs, aligning with federal payment standards for similar facilities. The change applies to CAHs providing services to patients covered by the federal health program referenced in Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. Implementation depends on state budget appropriations, with the policy taking effect on April 1, 2027.
Requires the commissioner of education, in conjunction with the commissioner of health and the commissioner of mental health, to develop model mental health screenings for students and associated guidelines to assist school mental health screeners to perform mental health screening services to identify concerns in students' mental health.
S 2655 requires health insurance plans to cover rehabilitation treatment for children diagnosed with pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS). Insurance companies must provide this coverage when a child's doctor certifies in writing that the treatment is medically necessary. The bill applies to all health insurance policies, including group plans, directly affecting families with children who have PANS and the insurance providers. It references an existing definition of PANS from New York's public health law to ensure consistent application.
S 8334 requires health insurance plans to cover all recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (SARS-CoV-2), adding it to a list of mandatory immunizations already covered by New York insurance law. This affects insurance companies, healthcare providers, and patients by mandating reimbursement for the vaccine without cost-sharing. The bill amends multiple sections of New York’s insurance and social services laws to include "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2" in required coverage, aligning with federal standards for biological products. It applies to all insurance contracts effective January 1 after the law takes effect.
This bill allows preschools to keep epinephrine auto-injector devices (for severe allergic reactions) on-site. It directly affects preschool facilities and their staff by expanding existing public health law to explicitly include preschools in the list of authorized locations for these devices. The key change adds "pre-school facilities" to the current list of places permitted to have such emergency allergy equipment, alongside schools, camps, and other childcare settings. This makes it easier for preschools to quickly access life-saving treatment during allergic emergencies.
This bill prohibits pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) - companies that manage prescription drug coverage for insurers - from owning, operating, or controlling pharmacies directly or indirectly. It applies to all entities (including corporations and associations) currently violating this rule, requiring them to sell their pharmacy holdings within three years. The law defines "pharmacy benefit manager" using an existing public health law definition. This creates a clear separation between PBMs and pharmacies, aiming to prevent conflicts of interest in drug pricing and patient care.
