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

                                  10696

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              June 13, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Gottfried)
  -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health

AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to quality innovation
  and improvement through home care

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

  Section  1.  The  public health law is amended by adding a new section
3623 to read as follows:
  S 3623. PROGRAM FOR QUALITY INNOVATION AND  IMPROVEMENT  THROUGH  HOME
CARE. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, AND
SUBJECT  TO APPROPRIATED AMOUNTS, THE COMMISSIONER, UPON THE APPROVAL OF
THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET, SHALL PROVIDE GRANTS  DIRECTLY,  OR  IN  THE
FORM  OF  SUPPLEMENTAL  RATE  PAYMENTS,  FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING A
PROGRAM OF HEALTH CARE QUALITY INNOVATION AND IMPROVEMENT  THROUGH  HOME
CARE.
  ELIGIBLE  ENTITIES  FOR  SUCH  PAYMENTS  SHALL INCLUDE: CERTIFIED HOME
HEALTH AGENCIES; LONG TERM HOME HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS; LICENSED HOME CARE
SERVICES AGENCIES; MANAGED LONG TERM CARE PLANS UNDER SECTION FORTY-FOUR
HUNDRED THREE-F OF THIS CHAPTER FOR  INITIATIVES  WITH  CONTRACTED  HOME
CARE  AGENCIES;  AND  MANAGED  CARE  PLANS  UNDER  SECTION THREE HUNDRED
SIXTY-FOUR-J OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW FOR INITIATIVES WITH  CONTRACTED
HOME CARE AGENCIES.
  2. SUCH PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
  (A)  ADDRESSING  SIGNIFICANT  PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEMS AND GOALS THROUGH
HOME CARE, INCLUDING FALLS PREVENTION, HEALTH CARE DISPARITIES, SEPTICE-
MIA EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND INTERVENTION, CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH,  PRES-
SURE ULCER PREVENTION, AND OTHER;
  (B) ADVANCES IN CARE MANAGEMENT AND CARE TRANSITIONS THROUGH HOME CARE
PARTNERSHIP  WITH HOSPITALS, PHYSICIANS, HEALTH PLANS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
PROVIDERS, NURSING HOMES AND/OR OTHER SECTORS, AS WELL  AS  FOR  COORDI-
NATION  OF PRIMARY, CHRONIC AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICE PLANNING,
DELIVERY AND CARE MANAGEMENT;
  (C) IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPREHENSIVE QUALITY MEASUREMENT  AND  IMPROVE-
MENT  TOOLS  IN HOME CARE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE INTEGRATION

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

                                                           LBD15466-01-6

A. 10696                            2

OF THESE TOOLS INTO HOME CARE ELECTRONIC RECORDS AND REPORTING  SYSTEMS,
AND  ASSOCIATED  ADAPTATION  OF  SOFTWARE AND CONNECTIVITY TO ANALYTICAL
SYSTEMS; SUCH TOOLS SHALL PROMOTE AND FACILITATE  COMPREHENSIVE  QUALITY
MONITORING,  IMPROVEMENT  AND  INNOVATION,  CONTINUOUS  SELF-AUDIT,  AND
PRIORITY BENCHMARKING AND ALIGNMENT AND OF HOME CARE WITH MANAGED  CARE,
HOSPITALS, PRIMARY CARE AND INTEGRATED CARE MODELS;
  (D)  HOME  CARE  AGENCY  STAFF  TRAINING IN QUALITY AND SPECIALTY CARE
PRACTICE AND/OR CARE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES;
  (E) TECHNOLOGY-BASED APPROACHES TO ENHANCE PATIENT CARE;
  (F) POPULATION HEALTH IMPROVEMENT THROUGH POPULATION  STUDIES,  AGENCY
SERVICE  ANALYTICS,  STAFF TRAINING IN POPULATION CARE COORDINATION, AND
OTHER, CONDUCTED BY HOME CARE AGENCIES;
  (G) INCREASED INCORPORATION OF EVIDENCED BASED CARE PRACTICES  THROUGH
ADOPTION AND USE OF CLINICAL GUIDELINES, CLINICAL PATHWAYS, AND/OR OTHER
BEST PRACTICE, BY HOME CARE AGENCIES; AND/OR
  (H)  OTHER  INITIATIVES  TO PROMOTE IMPROVED PATIENT OUTCOMES, PATIENT
SATISFACTION, SERVICE COORDINATION OR ACCESS THROUGH HOME CARE,  AS  THE
COMMISSIONER MAY APPROVE.
  3. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF HOME CARE
PROVIDERS,  MANAGED CARE PLANS AND STATEWIDE ASSOCIATIONS REPRESENTATIVE
OF SUCH PROVIDERS AND PLANS, SHALL ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR PROVIDER  AND
MANAGED  CARE  PLAN  APPLICATION  PROJECT  SCORING,  AND FOR APPROVAL OF
PAYMENTS UNDER THIS  SECTION.  IF  FEDERAL  FINANCIAL  PARTICIPATION  IS
UNAVAILABLE,  THEN THE NON-FEDERAL SHARE OF AWARDS MADE PURSUANT TO THIS
SUBDIVISION MAY BE MADE AS STATE GRANTS.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.