What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1412
- 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.
Relates to coverage for maternal depression screenings
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Diana Richardson
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law and the insurance law, in relation to maternal depression screening and referral performed by a provider of pediatric services
Purpose or general idea of bill
To clarify that when maternal depression screening is provided by a pediatric provider, the "patient" is the child and the service is covered if the provider is in the child's health plan network.
Summary of specific provisions
Amends section 4406-f of the Public Health Law to clarify that when a maternal depression screening is provided by a child's pediatric provider (e.g., pediatrician or pediatric nurse practitioner), then the child is the patient/insured; and when provided by the mother's health care professional, then the mother is the patient/insured. The bill makes similar amendments to sections 3217-g and 4306-f of the Insurance law.
Justification
In 2014, New York passed a law to promote maternal depression screening by pediatricians, because they are the health care providers most likely to see the mother in the period after the birth. However, problems have arisen where the maternal depression screening is performed by the pediatric provider, because insurers have not considered the screening to be a service for the insured child. Pediatricians have been required to begin a new medical record as if the mother is the patient. If the pediatrician is not a participating provider in the mother's health plan (as distinct from the child's health plan), the screening might not be covered.
The purpose of this bill is to clarify that in those cases, the "patient" is the child; no new patient record needs to be created for the mother as patient; and the pediatric provider is covered if he or she is in the child's health plan network, regardless of whether he or she is in the mother's health plan network. In the more traditional situation where the mother's health care provider is providing the screening, the mother is the patient.
Fiscal implications
none to the state.
Effective date
January 1 next following the date it shall become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.