NY State Senate Bill 2021-S5956

Senate Bill S5956

Vetoed By Governor

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to allowing physician assistants to serve as primary care practitioners for purposes of Medicaid managed care plans

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Archive: Last Bill Status - Vetoed by Governor

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Vetoed By Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Dec 09, 2022	vetoed memo.97
Dec 02, 2022	delivered to governor
May 25, 2022	returned to senate passed assembly
May 03, 2022	ordered to third reading cal.536 substituted for a6056
Feb 15, 2022	referred to ways and means delivered to assembly passed senate
Feb 03, 2022	advanced to third reading
Feb 02, 2022	2nd report cal.
Feb 01, 2022	1st report cal.407
Jan 05, 2022	referred to health
Apr 23, 2021	print number 5956a
Apr 23, 2021	amend and recommit to health
Mar 24, 2021	referred to health

Votes

- Feb 15, 2022 - Floor Vote
  S5956
  
  63
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Floor Vote: Feb 15, 2022
      
      aye (63)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Akshar
      
      Bailey
      
      Biaggi
      
      Borrello
      
      Boyle
      
      Breslin
      
      Brisport
      
      Brooks
      
      Brouk
      
      Cleare
      
      Comrie
      
      Cooney
      
      Felder
      
      Gallivan
      
      Gaughran
      
      Gianaris
      
      Gounardes
      
      Griffo
      
      Harckham
      
      Helming
      
      Hinchey
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Jackson
      
      Jordan
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Kaplan
      
      Kavanagh
      
      Kennedy
      
      Krueger
      
      Lanza
      
      Liu
      
      Mannion
      
      Martucci
      
      Mattera
      
      May
      
      Mayer
      
      Myrie
      
      O'Mara
      
      Oberacker
      
      Ortt
      
      Palumbo
      
      Parker
      
      Persaud
      
      Ramos
      
      Rath III
      
      Reichlin-Melnick
      
      Ritchie
      
      Rivera
      
      Ryan
      
      Salazar
      
      Sanders Jr.
      
      Savino
      
      Sepúlveda
      
      Serino
      
      Serrano
      
      Skoufis
      
      Stavisky
      
      Stec
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Tedisco
      
      Thomas
      
      Weik
  Feb 1, 2022 - Health Committee Vote
  S5956
  
  15
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Health Committee Vote: Feb 1, 2022
      
      aye (15)
      
      Biaggi
      
      Boyle
      
      Brouk
      
      Cleare
      
      Gallivan
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Kaminsky
      
      May
      
      Oberacker
      
      Rath III
      
      Rivera
      
      Ryan
      
      Salazar
      
      Stec
      
      Thomas

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2021-S5956 - Details

Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §364-j, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S2124

2021-S5956 - Summary

Allows physician assistants to serve as primary care practitioners for purposes of Medicaid managed care plans.

2021-S5956 - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S5956

SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to allowing physi-
cian assistants to serve as primary care practitioners for purposes of
Medicaid managed care plans

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation amends the provisions of the social services law to
allow physician assistants to be recognized as primary care providers
for the purpose of providing access to care for Medicaid managed care
beneficiaries.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one of the legislation would amend subpart (f) of subsection one
of section 364-J of the social services law to include physician assist-
ants in the definition of "primary care practitioner."

Section two of the legislation would amend subsection four of section
364J of the social services law to include physician assistants as
primary care practitioners.

Section three of the legislation sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Physician assistants must undergo a rigorous course of medical education
and training, and are authorized to practice in virtually any medical
field doctors are trained in, including but not limited to, primary
care. Physician assistants develop these competencies working with
physicians and in a team-based care environment.  Unfortunately, the
current statutory language defining primary care practitioners in the
New York state Medicaid program excludes physician assistants from serv-
ing in as primary care practitioners.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic there was a deficit of primary care
practitioners across the state; and that shortfall has been exacerbated
by the pandemic. Expanding the definition of primary care practitioners
to include physician assistants would be a meaningful way to expand
access to primary care by qualified providers.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New legislation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

No negative fiscal implications. Cost savings to be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S5956 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5956
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 24, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to allowing  physi-
   cian assistants to serve as primary care practitioners for purposes of
   Medicaid managed care plans

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraph (f) of subdivision 1  of  section  364-j  of  the
 social  services  law, as amended by chapter 649 of the laws of 1996, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (f) "Primary care practitioner". A physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT,  or
 nurse  practitioner  providing  primary  care  to  and management of the
 medical and health care services of a participant served  by  a  managed
 care provider.
   §  2.  Subparagraph  (i)  of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section
 364-j of the social services law, as amended by section 14 of part C  of
 chapter 58 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
   (i) a managed care provider shall arrange for access to and enrollment
 of primary care practitioners and other medical services providers. Each
 managed  care  provider  shall  possess  the  expertise  and  sufficient
 resources to assure the delivery of quality medical care to participants
 in an appropriate and timely manner and may include  physicians,  PHYSI-
 CIAN ASSISTANTS, nurse practitioners, county health departments, provid-
 ers  of  comprehensive health service plans licensed pursuant to article
 forty-four of the public health law, and hospitals  and  diagnostic  and
 treatment  centers  licensed  pursuant  to  article  twenty-eight of the
 public health law or otherwise authorized by law to offer  comprehensive
 health  services  or  facilities  licensed pursuant to articles sixteen,
 thirty-one and thirty-two of the mental hygiene law.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately, provided,  however,  that
 the  amendments  to  section  364-j  of  the social services law made by
 sections one and two of this act shall not affect  the  repeal  of  such
 section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10609-01-1

co-Sponsors

2021-S5956A (ACTIVE) - Details

Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §364-j, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S2124

2021-S5956A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Allows physician assistants to serve as primary care practitioners for purposes of Medicaid managed care plans.

2021-S5956A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5956a

SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to allowing physi-
cian assistants to serve as primary care practitioners for purposes of
Medicaid managed care plans

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation amends the provisions of the social services law to
allow physician assistants to be recognized as primary care providers
for the purpose of providing access to care for Medicaid managed care
beneficiaries.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one of the legislation would amend subpart (f) of subsection one
of section 364-J of the social services law to include physician assist-
ants in the definition of "primary care practitioner."

Section two of the legislation would amend subsection four of section
364J of the social services law to include physician assistants as
primary care practitioners.

Section three of the legislation sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Physician assistants must undergo a rigorous course of medical education
and training, and are authorized to practice in virtually any medical
field doctors are trained in, including but not limited to, primary
care. Physician assistants develop these competencies working with
physicians and in a team-based care environment.  Unfortunately, the
current statutory language defining primary care practitioners in the
New York state Medicaid program excludes physician assistants from serv-
ing in as primary care practitioners.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic there was a deficit of primary care
practitioners across the state; and that shortfall has been exacerbated
by the pandemic. Expanding the definition of primary care practitioners
to include physician assistants would be a meaningful way to expand
access to primary care by qualified providers.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New legislation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

No negative fiscal implications. Cost savings to be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S5956A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5956--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 24, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed  to  the  Committee  on  Health  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to allowing physi-
   cian assistants to serve as primary care practitioners for purposes of
   Medicaid managed care plans
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.    Paragraph  (f) of subdivision 1 of section 364-j of the
 social services law, as amended by chapter 649 of the laws of  1996,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   (f) "Primary care practitioner".  A physician, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, or
 nurse  practitioner  providing  primary  care  to  and management of the
 medical and health care services of a participant served  by  a  managed
 care provider.
   §  2.    Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section
 364-j of the social services law, as amended by section 14 of part C  of
 chapter 58 of the laws of 2004,  is amended to read as follows:
   (i) a managed care provider shall arrange for access to and enrollment
 of primary care practitioners and other medical services providers. Each
 managed  care  provider  shall  possess  the  expertise  and  sufficient
 resources to assure the delivery of quality medical care to participants
 in an appropriate and timely manner and may include  physicians,  PHYSI-
 CIAN ASSISTANTS, nurse practitioners, county health departments, provid-
 ers  of  comprehensive health service plans licensed pursuant to article
 forty-four of the public health law, and hospitals  and  diagnostic  and
 treatment  centers  licensed  pursuant  to  article  twenty-eight of the
 public health law or otherwise authorized by law to offer  comprehensive
 health  services  or  facilities  licensed pursuant to articles sixteen,
 thirty-one and thirty-two of the mental hygiene law.

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

                                                            LBD10609-02-1

 S. 5956--A                          2
 
   § 3.  This act shall become effective immediately;  provided  however,
 that  the amendments to section 364-j of the social services law made by
 sections one and two of this act shall not affect  the  repeal  of  such
 section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

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Senate Bill S5956

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Sponsored By

Gustavo Rivera