This bill establishes a program offering standardized health insurance contracts to qualifying small dental employers and small employers meeting specific criteria. It defines "qualifying small dental employers" as those with up to 50 employees, including at least one dentist providing 10+ monthly Medicaid-covered visits and two licensed dental hygienists. Employers must certify annually they meet requirements (e.g., ≤50 employees, no prior group coverage, 30% of employees earning ≤$30,000 adjusted annually) and insurers must provide uniform benefit packages without changes. The program aims to make affordable coverage available year-round, with preference for employers serving lower-wage workers or higher Medicaid patient volumes.
Prohibits approved organizations providing coverage under the child health insurance plan from discriminating against health care providers which do not participate in the organization's health care network.
This bill requires all employers in child protective services (CPS) to provide mental health support services to their employees. It specifically mandates access to resources like trauma-focused therapy, EMDR treatment, counseling, and informational support to address workplace stress and secondary trauma. The law directly affects CPS workers - such as caseworkers and supervisors - who face high-stress, emotionally demanding situations daily. The key provision is a legal obligation for employers to cover these services, aiming to improve employee well-being and retention. (4 sentences)
Requires rates paid for rehabilitation and opioid treatment be pursuant to certain fee schedules published by the office of addiction services and supports.
Authorizes increased equity withdrawals by certain non-public residential health care facilities; establishes the nursing home worker recruitment and safety fund.
Authorizes an insurer to pay a claim for reimbursement made by a provider using a credit card, virtual credit card or electronic funds transfer payment method that imposes on the provider a free or similar charge to process the payment; defines "virtual credit card" as a single-use series of numbers linked to a fixed dollar amount and provided by an insurer to a provider for the purpose of paying a claim for health care services performed by the provider; makes related provisions.
Prohibits Medicaid service providers from requiring prior authorization for antiretroviral prescription drugs for the treatment or prevention of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Provides for the protection of health information; establishes requirements for communications to individuals about their health information; requires either written consent or a designated necessary purpose for the processing of an individual's health information.
This bill allows New York's Commissioner of Health to authorize local health officials to request death-related records, including autopsy and toxicology reports, from coroners or medical examiners. It requires these officials to provide copies within three business days of record completion. The change directly affects local health departments and coroners' offices by expanding who can access these death records for public health purposes. The law specifically covers records related to deaths, streamlining access for health investigations without altering existing record-keeping requirements.
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.
