Requires Medicaid to cover gender-affirming care regardless of federal funding; prohibits discriminatory practices by health care entities including hospitals, certain professionals, and insurers; requires insurance coverage for services or treatments for gender dysphoria or gender incongruence.
S 8902 amends New York's social services law to ensure that medical assistance recipients (such as Medicaid beneficiaries) cannot access school-based health center services through managed care programs until at least April 1, 2026. The bill adds a specific provision requiring these services to be provided outside of managed care arrangements during that period. This directly affects medical assistance recipients who use school-based health centers and the managed care organizations that coordinate their care. The law takes effect immediately, but the amendment expires when the underlying section of the law is repealed.
Specifies that professional liability insurance insurers cannot deny coverage or increase rates solely based on legal use or prescription of certain gender-affirming care-related drugs; prescribes procedures for warrants issued in other jurisdictions for electronic data related to legally protected health activities; provides for additional procedural methods for protection of legally protected health activities.
Establishes the category of "qualified group practice" for medical, dental and podiatric practices that comply with certain standards and authorizes such practices to operate a malpractice prevention program.
Requires the department of corrections and community supervision to establish discharge plans and reentry services for wrongfully convicted individuals upon their discharge which includes housing needs, educational needs, employment needs, medical needs, and specific social service needs.
Provides that for a substance use disorder outpatient treatment episode of care by a provider licensed, certified or otherwise authorized by the office of addiction services and supports, an insured shall only be responsible for a cost sharing fee not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars.
Allows a notice of dense breast tissue to be considered a determination of medical necessity for purposes of coverage of breast ultrasounds as recommended by a provider of mammography services.
Prohibits the use of restraints on and the use of force against incarcerated individuals during labor and incarcerated individuals who have experienced different pregnancy outcomes, absent extraordinary circumstances, and on pregnant and post-pregnancy persons during a custodial interrogation; provides for certain exceptions for restraints to be used and in such case limits the use to wrist restraints.
Relates to including rescue inhaler prescriptions for asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases for individuals under age nineteen in the statewide immunization information system.
Authorizes the commissioner of the office of mental health, and the office of addiction services and support to jointly establish a single set of licensing standards and requirements for the construction, operation, reporting and surveillance of integrated behavioral health services.
