Senate Bill S4077

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Prohibits missed appointment charges where physician's office receives notice of cancellation of appointment at least one hour before time; requires disclosure

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

Do you support this bill?

Please enter your contact information

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.
Actions

2015-S4077 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Health
Law Section:
Public Health Law
Laws Affected:
Add §19-a, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2009-2010: S92
2011-2012: S1626
2013-2014: S4265

2015-S4077 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits the charging of a patient fee for a missed appointment where the physician's office receives notice of cancellation of the appointment at least one hour before the time of the appointment; requires advance disclosure of physician office policy respecting any charges for missed appointments.

2015-S4077 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S4077 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  4077

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 26, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. SAMPSON -- 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 physician  charges
  for missed appointments by patients

  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
19-a to read as follows:
  S 19-A. PHYSICIAN CHARGES FOR MISSED APPOINTMENTS OF PATIENTS; LIMITA-
TION AND DISCLOSURE. 1.  NO PHYSICIAN LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED
THIRTY-ONE  OF THE EDUCATION LAW SHALL CHARGE ANY PATIENT A FEE OR OTHER
CHARGE FOR FAILING TO APPEAR  AT  THE  APPOINTED  TIME  OF  A  SCHEDULED
APPOINTMENT  WHERE  THE  PHYSICIAN'S  OFFICE  HAS  RECEIVED  NOTICE OF A
CANCELLATION OR A CHANGE OF THE APPOINTMENT AT LEAST ONE HOUR IN ADVANCE
OF THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT.
  2. IN ANY CASE WHERE A PHYSICIAN'S POLICY  IS  TO  CHARGE  A  FEE  FOR
MISSED PATIENT APPOINTMENTS, ADVANCE WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE TERMS OF SUCH
POLICY  SHALL  BE  PROMINENTLY POSTED IN THE PATIENT WAITING ROOM OF THE
PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE  AND  PERIODICALLY  INCLUDED  WITH  BILLS  MAILED  TO
PATIENTS.  NO  FEE FOR MISSED PATIENT APPOINTMENTS MAY BE CHARGED IN THE
ABSENCE OF SUCH ADVANCE WRITTEN NOTICE BEING GIVEN TO THE PATIENT.
  3. NO PROVISION OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO AUTHORIZE A  PHYSI-
CIAN  TO  CHARGE A FEE FOR MISSED PATIENT APPOINTMENTS IF SUCH CHARGE IS
OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW, REGULATION, RULE OR PRACTICE OR  DEEMED  TO
BE UNETHICAL.
  4.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  INCONSISTENT  PROVISION  OF  THIS CHAPTER, A
PHYSICIAN WHO IS DETERMINED, AFTER OPPORTUNITY FOR A  HEARING,  TO  HAVE
VIOLATED  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT FOR THE FIRST
VIOLATION TO A FINE OF NOT MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS NOR LESS  THAN
THE  GREATER  OF THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT COLLECTED, OR, IF NOT COLLECTED,
THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT CHARGED, IN CONTRAVENTION TO ANY PROHIBITION  SET

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD09153-01-5
              

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.