S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4846
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 5, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BARRETT -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the  social  services  law,  in  relation  to  providing
   extended speech, physical or occupational therapy under Medicaid
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subdivision 2  of  section  365-a  of  the
 social  services law, as amended by section 5 of part A of chapter 57 of
 the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   (h) speech therapy, and when provided at the direction of a  physician
 or nurse practitioner, physical therapy including related rehabilitative
 services and occupational therapy; provided, however, that speech thera-
 py  and occupational therapy each shall be limited to coverage of twenty
 visits per year UNLESS THE PROFESSIONAL AT WHOSE DIRECTION  THE  THERAPY
 OR  SERVICES  ARE  PROVIDED  OR  THE PROVIDER OF THE THERAPY OR SERVICES
 ATTESTS TO THE MEDICAL NECESSITY OF ADDITIONAL VISITS; physical  therapy
 shall be limited to coverage of forty visits per year UNLESS THE PROFES-
 SIONAL  AT  WHOSE  DIRECTION THE THERAPY OR SERVICES ARE PROVIDED OR THE
 PROVIDER OF THE THERAPY OR SERVICES ATTESTS TO THE MEDICAL NECESSITY  OF
 ADDITIONAL  VISITS;  such  limitation  shall  not  apply to persons with
 developmental disabilities or, notwithstanding any  other  provision  of
 law to the contrary, to persons with traumatic brain injury;
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall  have  become a law; provided that, effective immediately, the
 addition, amendment, and/or repeal of any rules and  regulations  neces-
 sary  to  implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are
 authorized and directed to be completed  on  or  before  such  effective
 date.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00472-01-9