What's happening
This bill allows for the creation of collaborative programs to address healthcare disparities and improve access and outcomes for underserved populations.
Why it matters
Promotes targeted, community-driven solutions. By allowing collaborative programs between hospitals, physicians, home care agencies, and other partners, the bill encourages locally tailored approaches to address specific health issues and gaps seen in particular populations, such as chronic diseases and areas with provider shortages.
Broadens scope beyond traditional care. The bill covers a wide variety of conditions and disparities—including not just diseases (like diabetes, sickle cell, PTSD in veterans) but also issues like attracting minority providers and culturally/linguistically compatible care—addressing social determinants of health.
Enables innovation and flexibility. By permitting regulatory waivers, integrated payment models, and support for uncovered services, the legislation gives healthcare organizations tools to try new, potentially more effective and efficient ways to close health gaps, which could lead to better use of resources and improved patient experiences.
Involves stakeholders and accountability. The requirement for the health commissioner to consult with a diverse set of stakeholders—including providers, consumers, and experts—in designing grant and waiver processes aims to build buy-in, ensure solutions are practical, and encourage ongoing evaluation and improvement of disparity-reduction efforts.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Tackle Health Care Gaps
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.838
- 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.
Collaborate to Reduce Health Disparities
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4942
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 2, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to collaborative models for addressing health care disparities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 2805-x of the public health law is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
(d) Collaborative programs to address disparities in health care access or treatment, and/or conditions of higher prevalence, in certain populations, where such collaborative programs could provide and manage services in a more effective, person-centered and cost-efficient manner for reduction or elimination of such disparities.
(i) Such programs may target one or more disparate conditions, or areas of under-service, evidenced in defined populations, including but not be limited to:
(A) cardiovascular disease;
(B) hypertension;
(C) diabetes;
(D) obesity;
(E) asthma;
(F) sickle cell disease;
(G) sepsis;
(H) lupus;
(I) breast, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers;
(J) geographic shortage of primary care, prenatal/obstetric care, specialty medical care, home health care, or culturally and linguistically compatible care;
(K) alcohol, tobacco, or substance abuse;
(L) post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions more prevalent among veterans of the United States military services;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04741-02-9
S. 4942 2
(M) attracting members of minority populations to the field and practice of medicine; and
(N) such other areas approved by the commissioner.
(ii) Collaborative hospital-home care-physician, and as applicable additional partner, models may include under such disparities programs:
(A) service planning and design;
(B) recruitment of specialty personnel and/or specialty training of professionals or other direct care personnel (including physicians, home care and hospital staffs), patients and informal caregivers;
(C) continuing medical education and clinical training for physicians, follow-up evaluations, and supporting educational materials;
(D) use of evidenced-based approaches and/or best practices to treatment;
(E) reimbursement of uncovered services;
(F) bundled or other integrated payment methods to support the necessary, coordinated and cost-effective services;
(G) regulatory waivers to facilitate flexibility in provider collaboration and person-centered care;
(H) patient/family peer support and education;
(I) data collection, research and evaluation of efficacy; and/or
(J) other components or innovations satisfactory to the commissioner.
(iii) Nothing contained in this paragraph shall prevent a physician, physicians group, home care agency, or hospital from individually applying for said grant.
(iv) The commissioner shall consult with physicians, home care agencies, hospitals, consumers, statewide associations representative of such participants, and other experts in health care disparities, in developing an application process for grant funding or rate adjustment, and for request of state regulatory waivers, to facilitate implementation of disparities programs under this paragraph.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to collaborative models for addressing health care disparities
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to include among the initiatives authorized in the public health law under the Hospital-Home Care-Physician Collabo- rative Program, programs to address disparities in health care access or treatment and/or conditions of higher prevalence in certain populations such as: racial and ethnic minority groups; persons with disabilities; women; the poor; and persons living in rural and other medically unserved and underserved geographic areas.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill would amend subdivision 4 of section 2805-x of the public health law, Hospital-Home Care-Physician Collaborative Program, by adding a new paragraph (d), to authorize programs which address issues of health care access and/or treatment which contribute to health disparities among certain populations within the State.
Justification
There are many definitions of health disparities. Healthy People 2020, a federal health promotion and disease prevention initiative, defines a health disparity as: "a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systemat- ically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion." By authorizing programs of collaboration between hospitals, home care agencies and physicians targeted at health disparities, this bill would encourage health care innovations designed to improve health outcomes for under- served persons and, reduce health care costs within the State.
Prior legislative history
A.2925 of 2017/2018 A.10693 of 2015/2016
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
There are no fiscal impacts resulting from this bill. The bill would provide additional direction for an existing program to include health care disparities within its focus. Funding for the collaboration models comes from a combination of State appropriation, Federal waivers and the tobacco control and insurance initiative Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) pool, and would not be affected.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.