S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7374

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               May 6, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. PICHARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
  tee on Health

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  public  health law, in relation to referrals of
  patients for health or health related items or services

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Paragraph  (g)  of  subdivision 2 of section 238-a of the
public health law, as added by chapter 803  of  the  laws  of  1992,  is
amended to read as follows:
  (g)  [in the case of any other financial relationship which the public
health council determines  and  specifies  in  regulations,  subject  to
approval  by the commissioner, does not pose a substantial risk of payor
or patient abuse in relation to  patient  benefits  consistent,  to  the
extent  practicable,  with  financial  relationships  specified in regu-
lations adopted pursuant to  federal  law  applicable  to  reimbursement
pursuant  to  title  XVIII of the federal social security act (medicare)
for clinical laboratory services  provided  to  beneficiaries  of  title
XVIII  of  the  federal  social security act (medicare)] ANY ARRANGEMENT
THAT, UNDER THE FEDERAL STATUTORY PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REFERRALS CODI-
FIED AT 42 U.S.C. 1395NN AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED  THEREUNDER,  WOULD
BE  AN  ARRANGEMENT  BETWEEN A PRACTITIONER (OR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER)
AND A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER THAT:
  (I) WOULD NOT BE A FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP IF EXISTING BETWEEN A PHYSI-
CIAN AND AN ENTITY, AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED UNDER SUCH FEDERAL LAW  OR
REGULATIONS; OR
  (II) WOULD SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN EXCEPTION RELATING TO FINAN-
CIAL  RELATIONSHIPS  PROVIDED  UNDER  SUCH FEDERAL LAW OR REGULATIONS IF
EXISTING BETWEEN A PHYSICIAN AND AN ENTITY, AS SUCH  TERMS  ARE  DEFINED
UNDER SUCH FEDERAL LAW OR REGULATIONS.
  AN  ARRANGEMENT  SHALL NOT BE EXCEPTED UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH IF IT IS A
PARTICULAR TYPE OF FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP THAT WOULD POSE A  SUBSTANTIAL

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02698-01-5
              

A. 7374                             2

RISK  OF  PAYOR  OR  PATIENT  ABUSE,  AS DETERMINED AND SPECIFIED BY THE
PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PLANNING COUNCIL  IN  REGULATIONS,  SUBJECT  TO
APPROVAL BY THE COMMISSIONER.
  S  2.  Paragraph  (c)  of subdivision 6 of section 238-a of the public
health law, as added by chapter 803 of the laws of 1992, is  amended  to
read as follows:
  (c) provided further, however, that the following shall not constitute
a referral by a referring practitioner:
  (i) a request by a practitioner for practitioners' services consisting
solely of professional services to be furnished personally by that prac-
titioner, or under that practitioner's supervision;
  (ii)  a  request  by  a pathologist for clinical diagnostic laboratory
tests and  pathological  examination  services,  if  such  services  are
furnished  by or under the supervision of such pathologist pursuant to a
consultation requested by another practitioner; [and]
  (iii) a request by a  radiologist  for  diagnostic  x-ray  or  imaging
services,  if such services are furnished by or under the supervision of
such radiologist pursuant to a consultation requested by another practi-
tioner[.]; AND
  (IV) A REFERRAL FOR ANY SERVICES EXCEPTED UNDER 42 U.S.C. S 1395NN AND
REGULATIONS PROMULGATED THEREUNDER, UNLESS THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND  HEALTH
PLANNING  COUNCIL  DETERMINES  AND  SPECIFIES IN REGULATIONS, SUBJECT TO
APPROVAL BY THE COMMISSIONER, THAT A PARTICULAR TYPE OF  REFERRAL  WOULD
POSE A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF PAYOR OR PATIENT ABUSE IN RELATION TO PATIENT
BENEFITS.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.