S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  3676--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 29, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted
   as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to  establishing  the
   "Syd O. Sotillo Sickle Cell Treatment Act"

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "Syd O. Sotillo Sickle Cell Treatment Act".
   §  2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2807-bb
 to read as follows:
   § 2807-BB. SICKLE CELL CENTERS FOR EXCELLENCE AND OUTPATIENT TREATMENT
 CENTERS. 1. CENTERS FOR SICKLE CELL CARE  EXCELLENCE.  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL DESIGNATE FIVE GENERAL HOSPITALS OR HOSPICES WITH A MINIMUM OF TWO
 CENTERS  NORTH OF PUTNAM AND ORANGE COUNTIES UNDER ARTICLE FORTY OF THIS
 CHAPTER, UPON SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION, AS CENTERS FOR  SICKLE  CELL  CARE
 EXCELLENCE.  THE  DESIGNATIONS  SHALL  BE  MADE  THROUGH  AN APPLICATION
 DESIGNED BY THE DEPARTMENT, AND BASED ON  SERVICE,  STAFFING  AND  OTHER
 CRITERIA  AS  DEVELOPED  BY  THE COMMISSIONER. THE CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
 SHALL PROVIDE SPECIALIZED SICKLE CELL DISEASE CARE,  TREATMENT,  PALLIA-
 TIVE  CARE, EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES AND SHALL CONDUCT SPECIALIZED
 RESEARCH INTO THE CARE, TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE.
 DESIGNATION AS A CENTER FOR SICKLE CELL CARE EXCELLENCE SHALL NOT  ENTI-
 TLE  A CENTER TO ENHANCED REIMBURSEMENT, BUT MAY BE UTILIZED IN OUTREACH
 AND OTHER PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES.  EACH  CENTER  FOR  SICKLE  CELL  CARE
 EXCELLENCE  SHALL  AFFILIATE  AND COOPERATE WITH MAJOR CENTERS OF HIGHER
 LEARNING, INCLUDING MEDICAL COLLEGES, AND LIFE SCIENCE  RESEARCH  INSTI-
 TUTES  IN  THE STATE.  THE STATE UNIVERSITY SHALL ENTER INTO APPROPRIATE
 LEGAL AGREEMENTS TO ENABLE THIS COOPERATION. EACH CENTER FOR SICKLE CELL
 CARE EXCELLENCE SHALL RECEIVE FIVE HUNDRED  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  PER  YEAR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01146-04-5
 A. 3676--A                          2
              

 
 FROM  THE  DEPARTMENT, FROM AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR THAT PURPOSE, TO BE
 USED ON SICKLE CELL DISEASE RESEARCH.
   2.  OUTPATIENT TREATMENT CENTERS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DESIGNATE TEN
 HOSPITALS, DISTRIBUTED BASED ON SICKLE CELL PATIENT  POPULATION  CONCEN-
 TRATIONS,  AS  SICKLE  CELL  OUTPATIENT  TREATMENT  CENTERS  WHICH SHALL
 PROVIDE PATIENTS TREATMENT FOR SICKLE CELL  DISEASE  AS  AN  OUTPATIENT.
 EACH  SICKLE  CELL OUTPATIENT TREATMENT CENTER SHALL RECEIVE TWO HUNDRED
 FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENT, FROM AMOUNTS APPRO-
 PRIATED FOR THAT PURPOSE, TO BE USED TO ENSURE THE PROPER MANAGEMENT AND
 EQUIPPING OF THE CENTERS TO CARE FOR SICKLE CELL PATIENTS.
   § 3. Subdivision 8 of section 3331 of the public health law, as  added
 by  section  7-a of part D of chapter 57 of the laws of 2018, is amended
 to read as follows:
   8. No opioids shall be prescribed to a  patient  initiating  or  being
 maintained on opioid treatment for pain which has lasted more than three
 months  or  past  the  time of normal tissue healing, unless the medical
 record contains a written treatment plan that follows generally accepted
 national professional or governmental guidelines.  The  requirements  of
 this [paragraph] SUBDIVISION shall not apply in the case of patients who
 are  being  treated  for  SICKLE  CELL  DISEASE OR cancer that is not in
 remission, who are in hospice or other end-of-life care, or  whose  pain
 is being treated as part of palliative care practices.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.