NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A782
SPONSOR: Peoples-Stokes TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to collaborative
models for addressing health care disparities
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to include among the initiatives authorized
in the public health law under the Hospital-Home Care-Physician Collabo-
rative Program, programs to address disparities in health care access or
treatment and/or conditions of higher prevalence in certain populations
such as: racial and ethnic minority groups; persons with disabilities;
women; the poor; and persons living in rural and other medically
unserved and underserved geographic areas.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill would amend subdivision 4 of section 2805-x of
the public health law by adding a new paragraph (d), to authorize colla-
borative programs to address disparities in health care access or treat-
ment, and/or conditions of higher prevalence, in certain populations,
where such collaborative programs could provide and manage services in a
more effective, person-centered and cost-efficient manner for reduction
or elimination of such disparities. Such programs may target one or more
disparate conditions, or areas of under-service, evidenced in defined
populations, which contribute to health disparities among certain popu-
lations within the State.
JUSTIFICATION:
There are many definitions of health disparities. Healthy People 2020, a
federal health promotion and disease prevention initiative, defines a
health disparity as: "a particular type of health difference that is
closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage.
Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systemat-
ically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or
ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental
health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation
or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics
historically linked to discrimination or exclusion." By authorizing
programs of collaboration between hospitals, home care agencies and
physicians targeted at health disparities, this bill would encourage
health care innovations designed to improve health outcomes for under-
served persons and, reduce health care costs within the State.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A1155A of 2021/2022; A6772 of 2019/2020; A.2925 of 2017/2018 A.10693 of
2015/2016
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
There are no fiscal impacts resulting from this bill. The bill would
provide additional direction for an existing program to include health
care disparities within its focus. Funding for the collaboration models
comes from a combination of State appropriation, Federal waivers and the
tobacco control and insurance initiative Health Care Reform Act (HCRA)
pool, and would not be affected.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
782
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PEOPLES-STOKES -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to collaborative
models for addressing health care disparities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 2805-x of the public health law is
2 amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
3 (d) Collaborative programs to address disparities in health care
4 access or treatment, and/or conditions of higher prevalence, in certain
5 populations, where such collaborative programs could provide and manage
6 services in a more effective, person-centered and cost-efficient manner
7 for reduction or elimination of such disparities.
8 (i) Such programs may target one or more disparate conditions, or
9 areas of under-service, evidenced in defined populations, including but
10 not be limited to:
11 (A) cardiovascular disease;
12 (B) hypertension;
13 (C) diabetes;
14 (D) chronic kidney disease;
15 (E) obesity;
16 (F) asthma;
17 (G) sickle cell disease;
18 (H) sepsis;
19 (I) lupus;
20 (J) breast, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers;
21 (K) geographic shortage of primary care, prenatal/obstetric care,
22 specialty medical care, home health care, or culturally and linguis-
23 tically compatible care;
24 (L) alcohol, tobacco, or substance abuse;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00055-01-3
A. 782 2
1 (M) post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions more prevalent
2 among veterans of the United States military services;
3 (N) attracting members of minority populations to the field and prac-
4 tice of medicine; and
5 (O) such other areas approved by the commissioner.
6 (ii) Collaborative hospital-home care-physician, and as applicable
7 additional partner, models may include under such disparities programs:
8 (A) service planning and design;
9 (B) recruitment of specialty personnel and/or specialty training of
10 professionals or other direct care personnel (including physicians, home
11 care and hospital staffs), patients and informal caregivers;
12 (C) continuing medical education and clinical training for physicians,
13 follow-up evaluations, and supporting educational materials;
14 (D) use of evidenced-based approaches and/or best practices to treat-
15 ment;
16 (E) reimbursement of uncovered services;
17 (F) bundled or other integrated payment methods to support the neces-
18 sary, coordinated and cost-effective services;
19 (G) regulatory waivers to facilitate flexibility in provider collab-
20 oration and person-centered care;
21 (H) patient/family peer support and education;
22 (I) data collection, research and evaluation of efficacy; and/or
23 (J) other components or innovations satisfactory to the commissioner.
24 (iii) Nothing contained in this paragraph shall prevent a physician,
25 physicians group, home care agency, or hospital from individually apply-
26 ing for said grant.
27 (iv) The commissioner shall consult with physicians, home care agen-
28 cies, hospitals, consumers, statewide associations representative of
29 such participants, and other experts in health care disparities, in
30 developing an application process for grant funding or rate adjustment,
31 and for request of state regulatory waivers, to facilitate implementa-
32 tion of disparities programs under this paragraph.
33 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
