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Who cares
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Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Print number 6168a
- Amend (t) and recommit to insurance
- Referred to insurance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Authorizes health insurance reimbursement for certified registered nurse anesthetists providing anesthesia services
In Assembly Committee · Insurance · Sponsor George Latimer
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S6168A
Title of bill
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to authorizing health insurance reimbursement for certified registered nurse anesthetists providing anesthesia services
Purpose
Allows for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAS) to be eligible for reimbursement under any policy which provides coverage for anesthesia services at the discretion of the insurer.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 amends the insurance law allows that at the discretion of the insurance company anesthesia services provided b a CRNAS may be eligible for reimbursement under any policy which provides for coverage for anesthesia services. Section also defines CRNAS.
Section 2 amends the insurance law allows that at the discretion of the insurance company anesthesia services provided b a CRNAS may be eligible for reimbursement under any policy which provides for coverage for anesthesia services. Section also defines CRNAS.
Section 3 amends the insurance law allows that at the discretion of the insurance company anesthesia services provided by CRNAS may be eligible for reimbursement under any policy which provides for coverage for anesthesia services. Section also defines CRNAS.
Section 4 is the effective date.
Justification
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAS) are masters prepared nurses who are required to undergo a rigorous educational program, including clinical experience and training and pass a national exam in order to obtain certification. CRNAs provide safe and cost effective anesthesia services to patients. However, without the ability to apply for health insurance coverage, CRNAs are not assured reimbursement for these services. In rural and underserved healthcare areas, CRNAs are often the main providers of anesthesia services, rendering this nursing specialty absolutely critical to ensuring patient access to affordable, quality care. Under the current law, a patient's health insurance is not required to cover anesthesia services provided by a certified registered nurse anesthetist, even if the service would otherwise be covered. This imposes an extreme financial inequity and disincentive on the profession. It is only exacerbated in rural and poor economic areas. This bill seeks to address that by giving insurance companies the opportunity include coverage for anesthesia services provided by certified registered nurse anesthetists. CRNAs provide the safest level of patient care at the lowest cost to the patient and the system. A 2010 study published in Nursing Economics found that there is no difference in patient outcome when care is provided by CRNAs as compared with anesthesiologists, and revealed that CRNA independent delivery is not only the least costly method of providing anesthesia, but that it also generates the greatest net revenue.
Prior legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect January 1, 2013 and shall apply to policies and contracts issues, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.