Healthcare

in committee · New York · Senate May 5, 2026

S 5071: Increases the maximum amount of individual awards for the physician loan repayment program and physician practice support program

Increases the maximum amount of individual awards for the physician loan repayment program and physician practice support program to encourage physicians to practice in underserved areas.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases funding for physician loan repayment to attract doctors to underserved areas, improving healthcare access and provider availability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 719: Requires all medical facilities to have immediate access to every single-occupancy bathroom where a patient could be in an emergency

S 719 requires all medical facilities - including hospitals, clinics, and urgent care centers - to ensure immediate access to every single-occupancy bathroom where a patient might be during an emergency. This applies directly to medical facilities with such bathrooms, mandating they remove barriers (like locked doors or restricted access) to allow staff to reach patients quickly. The key provision is that facilities must guarantee unobstructed entry to these bathrooms without delay during emergencies. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires unobstructed bathroom access in emergencies to improve patient safety and care delivery in medical facilities, directly enhancing healthcare access and safety protocols.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3510: Requires hospitals and healthcare facilities providing emergency services to develop plans to provide reasonable accommodations for service animals

Requires hospitals and healthcare facilities which provide emergency services to develop plans to provide reasonable accommodations to house a patient's service animal until such time as they can be picked up.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to accommodate service animals for patients during emergencies, enhancing patient access and rights in healthcare settings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 2449: Requires certain health insurance policies to include coverage for the cost of certain infant and baby formulas

This bill requires health insurance plans that cover prescription drugs to include coverage for specific infant and baby formulas when prescribed by a doctor for certain medical conditions. It applies to insured individuals with conditions like inherited metabolic disorders, severe food allergies, Crohn's disease, or gastrointestinal disorders, as listed in the bill. Insurance must cover at least $3,000 annually for these formulas, with a doctor's written order confirming the formula is medically necessary and proven effective for the condition. The bill distinguishes required medical coverage from routine nutritional supplements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for medically necessary infant formulas, expanding access for patients with specific health conditions like metabolic disorders and allergies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6104: Establishes the interagency task force on health literacy

Establishes the interagency task force on health literacy, to study health literacy and develop recommendations for improving health literacy in this state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes task force to study and improve health literacy, directly advancing patient understanding and healthcare outcomes as a core healthcare topic.85% confidence

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1964: Conforms and improves the process for determining incapacity

S 1964 updates New York's process for determining a patient's incapacity to make healthcare decisions, primarily affecting patients who cannot make their own medical choices and the healthcare providers involved. It requires an initial written determination by a treating doctor, followed by a second independent assessment by a qualified specialist (like a psychiatrist for mental illness cases or a developmental disability specialist) specifically for decisions about life-sustaining treatment. Hospitals must establish written policies outlining the training and credentials needed for staff making these concurring determinations. The bill aims to standardize and strengthen the review process while ensuring determinations are made by appropriately qualified professionals.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires dual medical assessments for incapacity determinations, protecting patient rights in healthcare decisions90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · New York · Assembly May 7, 2026

A 3973: Relates to prescription drug formulary coverage for interchangeable biologics and biosimilars

This bill updates New York insurance law to expand the types of lower-cost alternatives insurers can require patients to try before covering brand-name drugs. Specifically, it adds "interchangeable biologics" and "biosimilars" to the list of alternatives (alongside generic drugs) that insurers may mandate patients attempt first. It also allows insurers to move drugs to higher-cost coverage tiers only when adding these lower-cost alternatives to their formulary. These changes directly affect patients needing prescription drugs and insurers managing drug coverage tiers. The bill focuses on standardizing formulary rules for complex biologic medications without specifying cost outcomes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates insurers to require lower-cost interchangeable biologics/biosimilars before brand-name drugs, reducing patient costs and improving access to affordable medications per insurance coverage policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jun 16, 2025

A 6917: Requires certain health insurance policies include coverage for services provided by pharmacists related to contraceptives

This bill requires most health insurance plans (issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2020) to cover specific contraceptive services provided by pharmacists without cost-sharing. It mandates coverage for all FDA-approved contraceptives (including over-the-counter options), emergency contraception, patient education, follow-up care, and up to a 12-month supply at once. Pharmacists dispensing self-administered hormonal contraceptives must receive reimbursement equivalent to other healthcare providers. The law directly affects insurance companies, pharmacists, and individuals seeking contraceptive care through insurance.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for contraceptive services without cost-sharing, expanding patient access to essential healthcare services and protecting reproductive rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

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passed · New York · Senate Apr 28, 2026

S 3356: Enacts the lab services accessibility act

This bill creates the "Lab Services Accessibility Act," which modifies New York's public health law to expand exemptions for clinical laboratories providing specific public health services. It directly affects clinical laboratories and health service providers operating under public health programs, such as pregnancy testing, sexually transmitted infection screening, pandemic response, and care for underserved populations. Key provisions (Section 3) add new payment exemptions, allowing services for these programs to be covered without triggering certain regulatory requirements - specifically, by entities like hospitals, insurers, or public health initiatives. The law aims to streamline access to essential lab services by clarifying payment pathways for priority health needs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to lab services for public health programs (pregnancy testing, STI screening, pandemic response) via payment exemptions, improving care for underserved populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

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in committee · New York · Senate Mar 27, 2025

S 6923: Provides for absence from school for the mental or behavioral health of the minor

This bill amends New York's education law to explicitly permit students to miss school for mental or behavioral health reasons, directly affecting students, parents, and school districts. It requires the state education commissioner to establish rules governing such absences, similar to existing rules for religious observances. Schools must follow these rules when approving absences related to a minor's mental or behavioral health, rather than relying on general absence policies. The change does not create new mental health services but formalizes a pathway for students to miss school without penalty for these health needs. The bill focuses on attendance policy, not treatment access or school funding.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows mental health absences, reducing barriers to education access by mandating school policies that support student well-being without penalizing attendance.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExplicitly permits school absences for mental health, creating formal rules to support student access to care without penalty, aligning with mental health service support indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Student Health Mental Health

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