Relates to the distribution of lymphedema information to patients at high risk of developing lymphedema and lists which patients are considered high risk.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8819B
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the distribution
of information to patients at high risk of developing lymphedema
PURPOSE:
This bill relates to the distribution of lymphedema information packets.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one the public health law is amended by adding a new section
2803-v.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Lymphedema and lymphatic diseases affect nearly 10 million people in the
United States, more than the combined number of individuals affected
nationwide by multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, ALS, Parkinson's
disease, and AIDS. Lymphatic disease, however, is relatively unknown
even among the medical community, and has thus far failed to command the
attention that it warrants. This legislation will require every hospital
or general hospital to distribute information packets to individuals at
high risk of developing lymphedema. These packets will have information
critical to understanding and identifying the signs and symptoms of
lymphedema, and will provide instruction on how to seek appropriate
medical attention.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect on the one hundred and twentieth day after
it shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8819--B
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 6, 2017
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Health -- recommitted to the Committee on Health in
accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee -- again reported from said committee with amendments, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the distribution
of information to patients at high risk of developing lymphedema
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 2803-v to read as follows:
3 § 2803-v. Lymphedema information distribution. 1. For the purposes of
4 this section, the term "lymphedema" shall mean an accumulation of fluid
5 in the interstitial tissue that causes swelling, most often in the arms
6 and/or legs, and occasionally in other parts of the body, from any
7 cause.
8 2. The commissioner shall design an informational packet about lymp-
9 hedema and shall require that every general hospital distribute such
10 packet to all patients at high risk of developing lymphedema. Patients
11 deemed high risk shall include:
12 (a) patients who experience any significant injury to soft tissue that
13 could reasonably be expected, using sound medical judgment, as a result
14 of severity and nature thereof, to compromise or cause to be ineffective
15 the drainage of the lymphatic system;
16 (b) patients who experience recurrent or persistent bacterial
17 infections that could reasonably be expected, using sound medical judg-
18 ment, as a result of severity and nature thereof, to compromise or cause
19 to be ineffective the drainage of the lymphatic system; or
20 (c) patients who have had corrective surgical procedures performed
21 that may have interfered with the lymph drainage by severing local lymp-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13592-07-8
A. 8819--B 2
1 hatics in a manner that may jeopardize reconstitution and recovery of
2 lymph drainage.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
4 it shall have become a law.
