S 3110: Directs the commissioner of health to make recommendations relating to increasing certain ambulatory patient group reimbursement rates and certain reimbursement rates for patient health care services provided by physicians in rural and underserved areas.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3110 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 23, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. HELMING -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to directing the commissioner of health to make recommendations relating to increasing certain ambulatory patient group reimbursement rates and certain reimbursement rates for patient health care services provided by physicians in rural and underserved areas The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 2-a of section 2807 of the public health law is 2 amended by adding a new paragraph (j) to read as follows: 3 (j) 1. The commissioner shall, in conjunction with hospital industry 4 representatives, provide written recommendations to the governor and the 5 legislature on or before October first, two thousand twenty-five, on 6 increasing ambulatory patient groups reimbursement rates established 7 pursuant to this subdivision for general hospital outpatient services, 8 general hospital emergency services, diagnostic and treatment center 9 services and ambulatory surgical services, provided by rural hospitals 10 designated as critical access hospitals in accordance with title XVIII 11 of the federal social security act. Such recommendations shall take into 12 consideration the increased costs of providing such services in rural 13 areas as well as the need to maintain access to such services in rural 14 areas. In addition, the recommendations shall contain proposed legis- 15 lation, for incorporation into the state budget for the two thousand 16 twenty-six--two thousand twenty-seven fiscal year, to effectuate rate 17 increases effective April first, two thousand twenty-six. 18 2. The commissioner shall, in conjunction with representatives of 19 physician advocacy organizations including the medical society of the 20 state of New York, provide written recommendations to the governor and 21 legislature on or before October first, two thousand twenty-five, on 22 increasing reimbursement rates for patient health care services provided EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07183-01-5 
 S. 3110 2 1 by physicians in rural and underserved areas in accordance with title 2 XVIII of the federal social security act. Such recommendations shall 3 take into consideration the increased costs of providing such services 4 in rural areas as well as the need to maintain access to such services 5 in rural areas. In addition, the recommendations shall contain proposed 6 legislation, for incorporation into the state budget for the two thou- 7 sand twenty-six--two thousand twenty-seven fiscal year, to effectuate 8 rate increases effective April first, two thousand twenty-six. 9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.