Healthcare

passed · New York · Senate Mar 4, 2026

S 5852: Relates to insurance reimbursement for cost of vaccinations

This bill requires health insurance plans to reimburse providers for all costs associated with administering recommended vaccinations, including both vaccine acquisition costs (based on CDC private sector rates plus 21% for shipping/storage) and full administration costs (like counseling, supplies, and nursing time, using current Medicare rates). It directly affects healthcare providers (such as clinics and doctors' offices) who administer vaccines, ensuring they are compensated for the full cost of delivery. The reimbursement applies specifically to vaccines recommended by the CDC's immunization practices committee, covering standard childhood and adult vaccines like measles, polio, and flu shots. This policy change aims to remove financial barriers for providers to offer routine vaccinations under insurance coverage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates full insurance reimbursement for vaccine costs and administration, ensuring providers are compensated and improving access to vaccinations under public health coverage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 4, 2026

S 5706: Authorizes certain nursing students to administer certain vaccines

Authorizes certain nursing students to administer certain vaccines pursuant to patient specific orders or non-patient specific orders; authorizes physicians and certified nurse practitioners to prescribe and order a patient specific order or non-patient specific order to a nursing student to administer certain vaccines.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes nursing students to administer vaccines under physician/nurse practitioner orders, expanding vaccine access and public health service delivery.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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passed · New York · Senate Feb 24, 2026

S 3203: Preserves access to affordable drugs

Relates to preserving access to affordable drugs; provides that an agreement resolving or settling, on a final or interim basis, a patent infringement claim, in connection with the sale of a pharmaceutical product, shall be presumed to have anticompetitive effects if a nonreference drug filer receives anything of value from another company asserting patent infringement and if the nonreference drug filer agrees to limit or forego research, development, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the nonreference drug filer's product for any period of time.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill preserves drug affordability by presuming anticompetitive patent settlements that limit generic drug access, directly advancing patient access to affordable medications per healthcare topic definition.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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signed · New York · Senate Feb 13, 2026

S 8756: Amends the effectiveness of provisions related to permitting a close friend to make an anatomical gift of a decedent's body

This bill (S 8756) modifies the implementation timeline for a law allowing close friends to arrange body donations for medical purposes after a person's death. It changes the effective date so that the health commissioner can immediately begin implementing the law - rather than waiting 180 days - upon the bill's passage. This adjustment primarily affects individuals who wish to donate a deceased person's body for medical education or research, ensuring faster administrative readiness. The bill is procedural in nature, focusing solely on implementation timing, not the eligibility for body donations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves 180-day delay for body donations to medical education/research, supporting medical training infrastructure and research access.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · New York · Senate Feb 13, 2026

S 8758: Replaces the term addict with the term person with substance use disorder

This bill changes the language in New York's Public Health Law by replacing the term "addict" with "person with substance use disorder" in sections governing medical treatment. It specifically affects healthcare practitioners who prescribe controlled substances for maintenance or detoxification treatment, ensuring they reference patients as "person with substance use disorder" instead of "addict" in legal documents. The key mechanism is a simple terminology update within existing prescribing provisions, aiming to use more clinical and less stigmatizing language. This change aligns with broader efforts to reduce stigma in healthcare communication.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareUpdates terminology to reduce stigma, aligning with patient rights and mental health best practices in healthcare documentation.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

passed · New York · Senate Feb 11, 2026

S 317: Requires anti-bias training for every medical student, medical resident and physician assistant student in the state

Requires anti-bias training for every medical student, medical resident and physician assistant student in the state; requires the department of health to make an annual report on the implementation and effectiveness of such training.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates anti-bias training for medical students in higher education, enhancing curriculum standards within educational institutions.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires anti-bias training for medical students/residents to improve equitable care delivery, aligning with patient access and rights protections in healthcare policy.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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signed · New York · Assembly Feb 6, 2026

A 9515: Relates to requirements for the provision of medication for medical aid in dying

Relates to requirements for medical professionals and health care facilities that provide medication to patients for medical aid in dying; extends the initial effectiveness of certain provisions relating thereto.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRegulates medical aid in dying protocols, enabling patient access to end-of-life care within healthcare system per bill's focus on provider requirements.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · New York · Assembly Feb 6, 2026

A 136: Relates to the medical aid in dying act

This bill establishes New York's "Medical Aid in Dying Act," allowing terminally ill adults (18+) with decision-making capacity to request and self-administer medication to end their life. To qualify, a patient must have a terminal illness confirmed by two physicians (the attending physician and a consulting physician) and make an informed decision after being fully informed of alternatives, risks, and outcomes. The process requires an oral request, a written request signed by the patient and witnessed by two non-conflicted adults (not relatives or beneficiaries), and includes the right to rescind the request at any time. The bill also mandates documentation, safe disposal of unused medication, and state reporting.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes patient rights in end-of-life care, allowing terminally ill adults to request medication for a peaceful death under physician supervision, aligning with healthcare patient rights protection.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

passed both · New York · Senate Jan 28, 2026

S 8544: Excludes certain medication abortion drugs from being deemed unlawful to prescribe or dispense and from being deemed misbranded under certain circumstances

Provides that the prescribing, dispensing, or receipt of mifepristone or any drug used for medication abortion shall not be considered a criminal conversion act under certain circumstances; provides that mifepristone or any drug used for medication abortion shall not be deemed to be adulterated or misbranded under certain circumstances.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill removes legal barriers to prescribing medication abortion drugs, enhancing patient access to reproductive healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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passed · New York · Senate Jan 27, 2026

S 8656: Relates to the dispensing of certain prescriptions

Provides that mifepristone or misoprostol may be dispensed without the name and address of the dispenser and patient included on the prescription label.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill removes patient/dispenser info requirement on prescriptions for mifepristone/misoprostol, enhancing privacy and access to reproductive healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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