May 24, 2021
As I mentioned last week during our Thursday morning call, there are a number of bills that we view as high priority as we approach the final weeks of the legislative session. Note: The session is scheduled to end on June 10 but there are many who doubt lawmakers will be done by then although the Governor has publicly stated that any of the policy initiatives he wanted to see happen this year were achieved via the budget making process. We feel this is largely just positioning by the Executive for the negotiations to come on critical legislation.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of bills and bill numbers we are working on and/or following closely, fyi:
- Telehealth Rate Parity: A6256 (Woerner) / S5505 (Rivera) NOTE: Assembly bill appears to be dead; On Senate floor awaiting calendar placement for full house vote.
- Clinical Practice Workforce Exemption Extension: S6431 (Brouk) / A7405 A (Bronson) NOTE: On Higher Ed Cmte Agenda in both houses tomorrow (5/25). Would extend workforce exemption for one year.
- Clinical Practice Art 163 Diagnosis Bill S5301A (Brouk) / A 6008A (Bronson) NOTE: As indicated directly above, the bill that seems to be moving is a straight extender bill for our workforce.
- OMIG Reform Bill (Gottfried) – NOTE: Awaits bill #
- Prohibits insurers from requiring Fail First/Step Therapy for access to medications: A3276 (Gunther) /S5909 (Kaminsky)
- MAT in Corrections Settings: A533 (L. Rosenthal) /S1795 (Bailey) NOTE: Both bills appear ready to get on a calendar for full house votes
- Ban Prior Authorization for MAT in Medicaid Program: A02030 (L. Rosenthal) /S00649A (Harckham) NOTE: Bill is further along in Assembly than in Senate
- Protect Opioid Settlement Funds: S6683 (Rivera) / A2466 (Reyes) Note: In Senate, bill set up for a full house vote; in Assembly appears to be w/ Alcoholism/SA Committee
- Stop Re-incarcerating NYers on Parole who have SUDs: A5576 (Forest) / S1114 (Benjamin)
- Repeals requirement that nonprofits must file certain financial information with Department of State – A1141A (Paulin) / S4817 (Krueger) NOTE: SENATE bill is on Senate Floor awaiting a calendar date for a vote
- Requires CFTSS services to be covered in Child Health Plus Program (thereby instituting APG government rates) – A303A (Gottfried) /S2539 (Rivera) NOTE: Has not moved in either house since week of 5/3/21
- Establishing 9-8-8 suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline S6194 (Brouk) /A7177A (Gunther) NOTE: Senate bill in MH Cmte; Assembly bill on agenda for MH Cmte mtg. on 5/25