What's happening
This bill allows county boards in New York to contract medical groups or companies to provide health services in jails, rather than appointing a single jail physician.
Why it matters
Expands options for counties. By allowing county boards to contract with medical groups or companies instead of hiring a single physician, counties may be able to address staffing shortages or improve the consistency and quality of inmate health care.
Potential for specialized care. Contracting with an organization rather than an individual may enable access to a broader range of medical expertise and services for inmates, which could lead to better outcomes, especially in cases requiring specialized treatment.
Accountability and oversight. The requirement that one physician from the contracted group must be designated as the chief medical officer for the jail ensures a clear point of responsibility for medical decisions and oversight, which can support both continuity of care and regulatory compliance.
Cost and efficiency implications. This change could impact county budgets—potentially reducing costs through competitive contracting or, conversely, increasing costs if companies charge more than individual practitioners. It also allows counties to tailor health service delivery models to their specific needs and resources.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Update Jail Medical Staffing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 59
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A7985A
- Ordered to third reading cal.2038
- Print number 5409a
- Amend and recommit to rules
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to crime victims, crime and correction
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.
Expand Jail Health Options
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Michael Blake
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5409--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 24, 2017
Introduced by Sen. GALLIVAN -- (at request of the State Commission of Correction) -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction -reported favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on Rules -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to health care services for county jail inmates
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 501 of the correction law is amended to read as follows:
§ 501. Jail physician. 1. The board of supervisors of each county, except New York, must appoint some reputable physician, duly authorized to practice medicine, as the physician to the jail of the county. If there is more than one jail they must appoint a physician to each. The physician to a jail holds his office at the pleasure of the board which appointed him, except in the county of Kings. In that county, the term of his office is three years.
2. Notwithstanding subdivision one of this section, a county board of supervisors may instead procure the services of a professional partnership, a professional service corporation, a professional service limited liability company or a registered limited liability company, duly authorized to practice medicine in the state, for the purpose of providing health services to the inmates of the jail, provided that one physician from any such professional partnership, professional services corporation, professional service limited liability company or registered limited liability company shall be designated by the board to act as the chief medical officer of the jail.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10049-05-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the correction law, in relation to health care services for county jail inmates
Purpose of the bill
This bill would allow for county jails to contract with medical professional corporations for the provision of inmate health care services.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill would amend section 501 of the Correction Law to allow a county Board of Supervisors to procure the services of a professional partnership, a professional service corporation, a professional service limited liability company or a registered limited liability company, duly authorized to practice medicine in the state, for the purpose of providing health services to the inmates of the county jail.
Section 2 would make the bill effective immediately.
Justification
Correction Law § 501, enacted in 1929 and unchanged since, provides that each county "must appoint some reputable physician, duly authorized to practice medicine, as the physician to the jail of the county. If there is more than one jail they must appoint a physician to each. The physician to a jail holds his office at the pleasure of the board which appointed him, except in the county of Kings."
However, county legislatures, particularly upstate, have found it increasingly difficult to identify and recruit a single physician to serve as the physician to a jail, resulting in the need to contract with medical care providers. Although State law prohibits the corporate practice of medicine, individuals licensed by the New York State Education Department to practice medicine may practice as part of a professional partnership, a professional service corporation, a professional service limited liability company or registered limited liability company. Recognizing that systems for health care delivery, particularly in the public sector, have evolved and expanded since the statute's enactment in 1929, this bill would allow for such comprehensive services and to ensure that contracted providers are lawfully authorized to practice in New York.
Prior legislative history
This bill passed the Senate in 2015 (5.4904).
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
The bill would take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.