What's happening
This bill requires clinicians prescribing narcotic drugs to conduct baseline and periodic drug testing of patients, with specific testing protocols and reimbursement provisions.
Why it matters
Mandates comprehensive drug testing for patients prescribed narcotics. , requiring both an initial (baseline) test and ongoing (periodic or targeted) tests, which aims to catch unreported drug use and monitor adherence to treatment plans—potentially reducing misuse and diversion.
Limits initial prescriptions to a four-day supply until confirmatory test results are received. , creating a stricter check before patients can access larger quantities of narcotic medications, which may help prevent inappropriate prescribing or early abuse.
Specifies advanced testing methods (e.g., liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) and ensures reimbursement for providers. , which could improve test accuracy and encourage consistent implementation by clinicians and labs.
Requires at least twice-yearly testing for all patients on prescription narcotics, with more frequent testing for those being treated for addiction. , positioning regular monitoring as a central tool in both pain management and addiction treatment, but potentially increasing administrative and cost burdens for healthcare providers and patients.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Drug Tests for Narcotics
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History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2823
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 25, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring baseline and periodic and/or targeting drug testing to be utilized by clinicians prescribing prescription narcotic drugs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3331 of the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
9. (a) Baseline and periodic and/or targeting drug testing shall be utilized by clinicians prescribing prescription narcotic drugs, as defined by subdivisions (b) and (c) of schedule II of section thirtythree hundred six of this article, to establish a general assessment for new patients and in monitoring adherence to existing patient treatment plans, as well as detecting the use of non-prescribed drugs.
(b) (i) Testing shall be required prior to the issuance of the initial prescription and shall include confirmatory or quantitative methods, such as but not limited to liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry technology.
(ii) A clinician shall not issue in excess of a four-day supply of a prescription narcotic drug without first obtaining confirmatory or quantitative testing results prior to an initial prescription being issued.
(c) Such testing, at a minimum, shall occur twice annually. Patients being treated for addiction shall be tested as frequently as necessary to ensure therapeutic adherence.
(d) The department is directed to ensure that confirmatory and quantitative chromatographic drug testing methodologies are subject to reimbursement for clinical health care providers, including clinical laboratories.
(e) For the purposes of this subdivision, the following definitions shall apply:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07229-01-9
A. 2823 2
(i) "Baseline testing" means the initial patient assessment through urine drug testing to (1) identify the presence of illicit substances prior to prescribing the controlled medications, or (2) confirm the presence or absence of a prescribed drug or drug class.
(ii) "Periodic testing" means random urine drug testing, at random visits with a random selection of drugs to be tested. The frequency of periodic testing shall be based on medical necessity and a complete clinical assessment of the individual patient's risk potential for abuse and diversion.
(iii) "Targeted testing" means a test ordered at the discretion of a clinician, based on observation of the patient and related circumstances, that enhance clinical decision making.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.