This bill (A 2177) removes the cost of emergency medical services (EMS) from the property tax levy limit that local governments (like cities and towns) must follow. It directly affects municipalities that fund EMS services, allowing them to cover these costs without triggering the tax cap. The key change adds a specific exemption in law, so EMS expenditures no longer count toward the maximum tax levy allowed under current rules. This provides local governments with more budget flexibility for essential emergency response services.
Requires public notice and public engagement when a general hospital seeks to close entirely or a unit that provides maternity, mental health or substance use care.
Directs counties, in coordination with their regional emergency medical services councils, to develop and maintain comprehensive county emergency medical system plans that provide for coordinated emergency medical systems within such counties.
Relates to including outpatient care provided by creative arts therapists in certain insurance policies covering care for other mental health services.
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.
This bill ensures that cost-sharing requirements (like copays) for specific high-deductible health plans paired with health savings accounts (HSAs) do not make enrollees ineligible for HSAs. It requires that out-of-pocket costs only apply after a person meets the plan's deductible, except for preventive care services (e.g., vaccinations, screenings), which remain fully covered regardless of deductible status. The law directly affects individuals enrolled in HSA-qualified health plans and their insurers, clarifying when cost-sharing rules apply. It amends New York's insurance law to align with federal HSA eligibility rules under Section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Provides for expanded non-medical in-home services, non-institutional respite services, case management services, and ancillary services without a prescription or physician's order; repeals certain cost sharing requirements for such services.
This bill modernizes podiatry practice by expanding podiatrists' scope to include specific ankle surgical procedures. It allows podiatrists with "standard" or "advanced" ankle surgery privileges to perform defined treatments like ankle fracture fixation, fusion, and arthroscopy, while clarifying anatomical boundaries (e.g., procedures limited to the ankle joint and below the tibial tuberosity). The bill creates a new "limited permit" for podiatrists to train under supervision for advanced surgery qualifications. It directly affects licensed podiatrists seeking expanded surgical authority and patients requiring ankle care, without altering broader medical practice rules. The changes require department-issued privileges and specify exact surgical capabilities within defined anatomical limits.
Requires general hospitals to provide language assistance services; requires general hospitals to develop a language assistance program to ensure meaningful access to the general hospital's services and reasonable accommodation for all patients who require language assistance.
This bill amends New York's public health law to explicitly include digital health care platforms (e.g., app-based services connecting workers with facilities) in the legal definition of "temporary health care services agency." It directly affects digital health staffing platforms and health care facilities that use them, requiring these platforms to verify workers' licenses and training before assignments. Key provisions mandate submitting contracts with health facilities to the state within five business days and documenting staff qualifications. The law ensures digital platforms face the same regulatory standards as traditional staffing agencies.
