What's happening
This bill requires the development of a new, annually updated plan for reimbursing transportation costs for day habilitation services for people with developmental disabilities, using more current and accurate financial data.
Why it matters
Addresses chronic underfunding and outdated reimbursements. by requiring transportation payments to reflect actual, independently certified costs from the prior fiscal year, helping providers keep up with real expenses and avoid unreimbursed costs.
Mandates annual updates to reimbursement plans. , ensuring funding mechanisms keep pace with changing costs and service needs, rather than relying on static or outdated data.
Acknowledges the specialized needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. , including requirements for on-vehicle supervision, shorter travel times (less than 60 minutes), and training in public transportation where suitable—aiming to improve both safety and quality of life for participants.
Seeks to resolve mismatches in payment methods. (such as per-person vs. per-vehicle charges), which can create financial strain or inefficiencies for organizations arranging transportation, promoting a fairer and more sustainable funding structure.
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Who cares
Day habilitation providers
The bill would require a reimbursement plan using provider-specific, independently certified financial data from the preceding fiscal year, with monthly payments and applicable trend increases.
People with developmental disabilities attending day habilitation programs
The plan would include proposals addressing on-vehicle supervision, travel times of less than sixty minutes, and training in and use of public transportation where appropriate.
Office for People With Developmental Disabilities and Department of Health
Their commissioners would have to collaborate on the reimbursement plan, put it into effect on April 1, 2017, and update it annually.
Headline styles
Fund Transport for Disabled
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to mental health
- Referred to mental health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1082
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the reimbursement of transportation services to and from day habilitation programs for people with developmental disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The legislature finds that reimbursement for day habilitation to and from transportation services is implemented and controlled through a process knows as "rate rationalization." Through the rate rationalization process these funds are provided to licensed day habilitation providers to assure that individuals with developmental disabilities are safely transported within a reasonable amount of time from their homes to licensed day habilitation sites. The implementation of rate rationalization has lead to widespread complaints that since funding for transportation to and from day habilitation program sites is based on financial data that is not contemporaneous with current costs, providers are unable to reduce the length of time traveling to and from day habilitation sites. In those situations where providers have reduced travel time, for their day habilitation participants, their costs have increased, resulting in unreimbursed costs for these services. Compounding this problem, rate rationalization reimbursement is based on a per day per person methodology, which is inconsistent with the many situations where providers must contract for transportation services paid for based on a per vehicle per day charge.
§ 2. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section 13.18 to read as follows: § 13.18 Transportation reimbursement.
The commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities, in collaboration with the commissioner of health, shall develop a plan to assure that transportation reimbursement to providers of day
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02615-01-7
A. 1082 2
habilitation services for to and from transportation is based on provider specific independently certified financial data that is from the immediately preceding fiscal year, is reimbursed to the provider monthly based on one-twelfth of the amount expended during the immediately preceding fiscal year, and is increased based on applicable trend factors. Such plan shall be put into effect on April first, two thousand seventeen, and shall be updated annually. The plan shall also include, but not be limited to, proposals to address the following:
(1) Recognize the complexity of transporting individuals with developmental disabilities, including the need for on-vehicle supervision;
(2) Recognize the need to reduce travel time to less than sixty minutes for day habilitation participants; and
(3) Recognize the need for the training in and use of public transportation, as appropriate.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.