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Who cares
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Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A10518A
- Amended on third reading (t) 7031a
- Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
- Returned to senate
- Recalled from assembly
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 59–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.819
- Referred to health
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.
Regulates the provision of observation services by general hospitals
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Richard Gottfried
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S7031A
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to hospital observation services
Purpose
To ensure that hospitals have necessary flexibility to implement observational levels of care in while abiding by federal requirements.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 adds a new section 2805-u to the Public Health Law establishing standards for the provision of general hospital observation services.
Section 2 provides an immediate effective date.
Justification
The federal government requires hospitals make a distinction between admitting a patient and observing a patient to further evaluate the patient's condition and need for an admission. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are auditing hospitals to enforce these provisions, and the New York State Department of Health has established regulations on Observation Unit Operating Standards effective January 11, 2012. There has been concern expressed that the State Regulations may impose restrictions on hospitals that go beyond those of the federal government and could result in unnecessary costs and disruption of care and treatment patterns of some hospitals. For example, the regulations require that observations beds be under the Emergency Department and a discrete unit. Depending on a hospital's physical plan, this could require capital construction and many hospitals prefer to scatter observation beds among clinical specialties to better monitor patients - rather than have them remain under the jurisdiction of the Emergency Department. Additionally, the maximum stay in an observation unit should be extended from 24 to 48 hours as provided for in the federal regulations.
This bill will provide hospitals with the flexibility they need to abide by the federal requirements when establishing and operating "observation units" by clarifying how these regulations should be implemented.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.