What's happening
This bill requires the Department of Health to annually inform opiate prescribers of their prescription counts and rankings compared to peers.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and accountability. By informing prescribers of how their opiate prescription rates compare to peers in their county, the bill aims to make doctors more aware of their own prescribing patterns, potentially prompting self-reflection and more responsible practices.
Targets regional prescribing trends. By providing both numerical and percentile rankings at the county level, the bill highlights local variations and can help identify outliers, which may be useful for addressing regional overprescribing or misuse.
Potential to influence behavior without punitive measures. The approach relies on information and peer comparison rather than direct penalties, which may encourage prescribers to voluntarily reduce unnecessary opiate prescriptions while avoiding immediate regulatory backlash.
Supports broader public health goals. By potentially reducing excessive or inappropriate opiate prescriptions, the measure aligns with efforts to combat opioid addiction and overdose, making it relevant for clinicians, patients, and communities affected by the opioid crisis.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Rank Doctors by Opiate Prescriptions
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
713
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, HOOPER, STECK -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GALEF, SEAWRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to physician ranking for opiate prescriptions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3343-a of the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision 2-a to read as follows:
2-a. On an annual basis, the department shall provide to all authorized prescribers of opiates, as defined in subdivision b of schedule I of section three thousand three hundred six of this article, notice stating the number of prescriptions for opiates written by such prescriber during the previous calendar year, and the prescriber's numerical ranking and percentile ranking relative to other prescribers within each county where the prescriber practices based on such number.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03659-01-7
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.