NY State Senate Bill 2017-S1465A

Senate Bill S1465A

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Authorizes health insurance reimbursement for certified registered nurse anesthetists providing anesthesia services

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Insurance 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

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 23, 2018	print number 1465a
Feb 23, 2018	amend and recommit to insurance
Jan 03, 2018	referred to insurance
Jan 09, 2017	referred to insurance

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2017-S1465 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Insurance
Law Section:: Insurance Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§3216, 3221 & 4303, Ins L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S6168
2013-2014: S903
2015-2016: S2955

2017-S1465 - Summary

Authorizes health insurance reimbursement for certified registered nurse anesthetists providing anesthesia services.

2017-S1465 - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S1465

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to
authorizing health insurance reimbursement for certified registered
nurse anesthetists providing anesthesia services

 PURPOSE :

Allows for certified registered nurse anesthetists to be eligible for
reimbursement under any policy which provides coverage for anesthesia
services at the discretion of the insurer.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :


Section 1 defines the term certified registered nurse
anesthetist(CRNA) and amends section 3216 of the insurance law to
permit CRNA reimbursement eligibility under any policy which provides
for coverage for anesthesia services, pursuant to the discretion of
the insurer.

Section 2 defines the term CRNA and amends section 3221 of the
insurance law by adding a new paragraph to permit CRNA reimbursement
eligibility under any policy which provides for coverage for
anesthesia services, pursuant to the discretion of the insurer.

Section 3 defines the term CRNA and amends section 4303 of the
insurance law by adding a new subsection to permit CRNA reimbursement
eligibility under any policy which provides for coverage for
anesthesia services, pursuant to the discretion of the insurer.
Section 4 is the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are masters prepared
nurses who undergo rigorous educational programming in order to obtain
certification. Eligibility for certification includes clinical
experience and training, as well as a passing grade on the national
certified registered nurse anesthetists' exam. CRNAs provide safe and
cost effective anesthesia services to patients. In rural and
underserved healthcare areas, CRNAs are often the primary providers of
anesthesia services, rendering this nursing specialty absolutely
critical by ensuring patient access to affordable, quality care.
However, without the ability to apply for health insurance coverage,
CRNAs are not assured reimbursement for their service. Under the
current law, a patient's health insurance is not required to cover
anesthesia services provided by a certified registered nurse
anesthetist, even if those services are otherwise covered if performed
by another healthcare professional. This imposes extreme financial
inequities to CRNAs and significant disincentives on the profession.
The disparity is further exacerbated in rural and poor economic areas
that most benefit from CRNA services.

CRNAs provide the safest level of patient care at the lowest patient
and the health care system costs, yet reimbursement for their services
is often proscribed. This bill seeks to remedy this inequality by
providing insurance companies the opportunity to include coverage for
anesthesia services performed by CRNAs. In 2010, Nursing Economics
reported that patient outcome is the same when care is administered by
CRNAs as compared to anesthesiologists. Furthermore, the publication's
study revealed that CRNA independent delivery of anesthesia services
is the least costly method of providing anesthesia and also generates
the greatest net revenue. The enactment of bill will ensure that these
extremely qualified nurses are able to provide the necessary services
to the populations that need them most.  In order to ensure these

services continue it is imperative that CRNAs have the ability to be
reimbursed, thus is it imperative that this bill pass.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

S.6168A of 2011-2012; S.903A of 2013-2014

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect January 1, 2019 and shall apply to policies
and contracts issues, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or
after such effective date.

2017-S1465 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1465
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 9, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance
 
 AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in  relation  to  authorizing  health
   insurance  reimbursement  for  certified registered nurse anesthetists
   providing anesthesia services

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraphs 27 and 28 of subsection (i) of section 3216 of
 the insurance law, paragraph 27 as added by chapter 536 of the  laws  of
 2010  and  paragraph 28 as added by chapter 589 of the laws of 2011, are
 renumbered paragraphs 34 and 35 respectively and a new paragraph  36  is
 added to read as follows:
   (36) AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSURER, ANESTHESIA SERVICES PROVIDED BY
 A  CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSE-
 MENT UNDER  ANY  POLICY  WHICH  PROVIDES  FOR  COVERAGE  FOR  ANESTHESIA
 SERVICES.    PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE
 CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE AN INSURER TO REIMBURSE  BOTH  A  PHYSICIAN  AND  A
 CERTIFIED  REGISTERED  NURSE ANESTHETIST FOR PROVIDING THE SAME ANESTHE-
 SIOLOGY SERVICES.  THE TERM "CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST"  AS
 USED  IN  THIS  PARAGRAPH  SHALL  MEAN  A  PERSON WHO HAS SATISFACTORILY
 COMPLETED EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION FOR PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES  IN  A
 PROGRAM  REGISTERED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION  OR IN A PROGRAM
 ACCREDITED BY A NATIONAL BODY RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION
 OR  DETERMINED  BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BE THE EQUIVALENT; AND
 SUBMIT  EVIDENCE  OF  CURRENT  CERTIFICATION  OR  RECERTIFICATION  BY  A
 NATIONAL CERTIFYING BODY, RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
   § 2. Subsection (1) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by
 adding a new paragraph 20 to read as follows:
   (20) AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSURER, ANESTHESIA SERVICES PROVIDED BY
 A  CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSE-
 MENT UNDER  ANY  POLICY  WHICH  PROVIDES  FOR  COVERAGE  FOR  ANESTHESIA
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD01665-01-7

 S. 1465                             2
 
 SERVICES.    PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE
 CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE AN INSURER TO REIMBURSE  BOTH  A  PHYSICIAN  AND  A
 CERTIFIED  REGISTERED  NURSE ANESTHETIST FOR PROVIDING THE SAME ANESTHE-
 SIOLOGY  SERVICES.  THE TERM "CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST" AS
 USED IN THIS PARAGRAPH  SHALL  MEAN  A  PERSON  WHO  HAS  SATISFACTORILY
 COMPLETED  EDUCATIONAL  PREPARATION FOR PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES IN A
 PROGRAM REGISTERED BY THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION  OR  IN  A  PROGRAM
 ACCREDITED  BY A NATIONAL BODY RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 OR DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BE THE  EQUIVALENT;  AND
 SUBMIT  EVIDENCE  OF  CURRENT  CERTIFICATION  OR  RECERTIFICATION  BY  A
 NATIONAL CERTIFYING BODY, RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
   § 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subsection (oo) to read as follows:
   (OO) AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSURER, ANESTHESIA SERVICES PROVIDED BY
 A  CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSE-
 MENT UNDER  ANY  POLICY  WHICH  PROVIDES  FOR  COVERAGE  FOR  ANESTHESIA
 SERVICES.    PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE
 CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE AN INSURER TO REIMBURSE  BOTH  A  PHYSICIAN  AND  A
 CERTIFIED  REGISTERED  NURSE ANESTHETIST FOR PROVIDING THE SAME ANESTHE-
 SIOLOGY SERVICES.  THE TERM "CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST"  AS
 USED  IN  THIS  SUBSECTION  SHALL  MEAN  A PERSON WHO HAS SATISFACTORILY
 COMPLETED EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION FOR PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES  IN  A
 PROGRAM  REGISTERED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION  OR IN A PROGRAM
 ACCREDITED BY A NATIONAL BODY RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION
 OR  DETERMINED  BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BE THE EQUIVALENT; AND
 SUBMIT  EVIDENCE  OF  CURRENT  CERTIFICATION  OR  RECERTIFICATION  BY  A
 NATIONAL CERTIFYING BODY, RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
   §  4.  This  act  shall take effect January 1, 2019 and shall apply to
 policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended  on
 or after such effective date.

2017-S1465A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Insurance
Law Section:: Insurance Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§3216, 3221 & 4303, Ins L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S6168
2013-2014: S903
2015-2016: S2955

2017-S1465A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Authorizes health insurance reimbursement for certified registered nurse anesthetists providing anesthesia services.

2017-S1465A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S1465A

SPONSOR: RITCHIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to
authorizing health insurance reimbursement for certified registered
nurse anesthetists providing anesthesia services

 
PURPOSE:

Allows for certified registered nurse anesthetists to be eligible for
reimbursement under any policy which provides coverage for anesthesia
services at the discretion of the insurer.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 defines the term certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA)
and amends section 3216 of the insurance law to permit CRNA reimburse-
ment eligibility under any policy which provides for coverage for anes-
thesia services, pursuant to the discretion of the insurer. Section 2
defines the term CRNA and amends section 3221 of the insurance law by
adding a new paragraph to permit CRNA reimbursement eligibility under

any policy which provides for coverage for anesthesia services, pursuant
to the discretion of the insurer. Section 3 defines the term CRNA and
amends section 4303 of the insurance law by adding a new subsection to
permit CRNA reimbursement eligibility under any policy which provides
for coverage for anesthesia services, pursuant to the discretion of the
insurer. Section 4 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are masters prepared
nurses who undergo rigorous educational programming in order to obtain
certification. Eligibility for certification includes clinical experi-
ence and training, as well as a passing grade on the national certified
registered nurse anesthetists' exam. CRNAs provide safe and cost effec-
tive anesthesia services to patients. In rural and underserved health-
care areas, CRNAs are often the primary providers of anesthesia
services, rendering this nursing specialty absolutely critical by ensur-
ing patient access to affordable, quality care.  However, without the
ability to apply for health insurance coverage, CRNAs are not assured
reimbursement for their service. Under the current law, a patient's
health insurance is not required to cover anesthesia services provided
by a certified registered nurse anesthetist, even if those services are
otherwise covered if performed by another healthcare professional. This
imposes extreme financial inequities to CRNAs and significant disincen-
tives on the profession. The disparity is further exacerbated in rural
and poor economic areas that most benefit from CRNA services.

CRNAs provide the safest level of patient care at the lowest patient and
the health care system costs, yet reimbursement for their services is
often proscribed. This bill seeks to remedy this inequality by providing
insurance companies the opportunity to include coverage for anesthesia
services performed by CRNAs. In 2010, Nursing Economics reported that
patient outcome is the same when care is administered by CRNAs as
compared to anesthesiologists.  Furthermore, the publication's study
revealed that CRNA independent delivery of anesthesia services is the
least costly method of providing anesthesia and also generates the
greatest net revenue. The enactment of bill will ensure that these
extremely qualified nurses are able provide the necessary services to
the populations that need them most. In order to ensure these services
continue it is imperative that CRNAs have the ability to be reimbursed,
thus is it imperative that this bill pass.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S.6168A of 2011-2012
S.903A of 2013-2014
S.2955 of 2015-2016

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect January 1, 2020 and shall apply to policies
and contracts issues, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after
such effective date.

2017-S1465A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1465--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 9, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance  --  recommitted
   to the Committee on Insurance in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8
   --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
   and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in  relation  to  authorizing  health
   insurance  reimbursement  for  certified registered nurse anesthetists
   providing anesthesia services
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraphs 27 and 28 of subsection (i) of section 3216 of
 the insurance law, paragraph 27 as added by chapter 536 of the  laws  of
 2010  and  paragraph 28 as added by chapter 589 of the laws of 2011, are
 renumbered paragraphs 34 and 35 respectively and a new paragraph  36  is
 added to read as follows:
   (36) AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSURER, ANESTHESIA SERVICES PROVIDED BY
 A  CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSE-
 MENT UNDER  ANY  POLICY  WHICH  PROVIDES  FOR  COVERAGE  FOR  ANESTHESIA
 SERVICES.    PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE
 CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE AN INSURER TO REIMBURSE  BOTH  A  PHYSICIAN  AND  A
 CERTIFIED  REGISTERED  NURSE ANESTHETIST FOR PROVIDING THE SAME ANESTHE-
 SIOLOGY SERVICES.  THE TERM "CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST"  AS
 USED  IN  THIS  PARAGRAPH  SHALL  MEAN  A  PERSON WHO HAS SATISFACTORILY
 COMPLETED EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION FOR PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES  IN  A
 PROGRAM  REGISTERED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION  OR IN A PROGRAM
 ACCREDITED BY A NATIONAL BODY RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION
 OR  DETERMINED  BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BE THE EQUIVALENT; AND
 SUBMIT  EVIDENCE  OF  CURRENT  CERTIFICATION  OR  RECERTIFICATION  BY  A
 NATIONAL CERTIFYING BODY, RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
   § 2. Subsection (1) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by
 adding a new paragraph 20 to read as follows:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD01665-02-8

 S. 1465--A                          2
 
   (20) AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSURER, ANESTHESIA SERVICES PROVIDED BY
 A  CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSE-
 MENT UNDER  ANY  POLICY  WHICH  PROVIDES  FOR  COVERAGE  FOR  ANESTHESIA
 SERVICES.    PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE
 CONSTRUED  TO  REQUIRE  AN  INSURER  TO REIMBURSE BOTH A PHYSICIAN AND A
 CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST FOR PROVIDING THE  SAME  ANESTHE-
 SIOLOGY  SERVICES.  THE TERM "CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST" AS
 USED IN THIS PARAGRAPH  SHALL  MEAN  A  PERSON  WHO  HAS  SATISFACTORILY
 COMPLETED  EDUCATIONAL  PREPARATION FOR PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES IN A
 PROGRAM REGISTERED BY THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION  OR  IN  A  PROGRAM
 ACCREDITED  BY A NATIONAL BODY RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 OR DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BE THE  EQUIVALENT;  AND
 SUBMIT  EVIDENCE  OF  CURRENT  CERTIFICATION  OR  RECERTIFICATION  BY  A
 NATIONAL CERTIFYING BODY, RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
   § 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subsection (oo) to read as follows:
   (OO) AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSURER, ANESTHESIA SERVICES PROVIDED BY
 A  CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSE-
 MENT UNDER  ANY  POLICY  WHICH  PROVIDES  FOR  COVERAGE  FOR  ANESTHESIA
 SERVICES.    PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE
 CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE AN INSURER TO REIMBURSE  BOTH  A  PHYSICIAN  AND  A
 CERTIFIED  REGISTERED  NURSE ANESTHETIST FOR PROVIDING THE SAME ANESTHE-
 SIOLOGY SERVICES.  THE TERM "CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST"  AS
 USED  IN  THIS  SUBSECTION  SHALL  MEAN  A PERSON WHO HAS SATISFACTORILY
 COMPLETED EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION FOR PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES  IN  A
 PROGRAM  REGISTERED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION  OR IN A PROGRAM
 ACCREDITED BY A NATIONAL BODY RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION
 OR  DETERMINED  BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BE THE EQUIVALENT; AND
 SUBMIT  EVIDENCE  OF  CURRENT  CERTIFICATION  OR  RECERTIFICATION  BY  A
 NATIONAL CERTIFYING BODY, RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
   §  4.  This  act  shall take effect January 1, 2020 and shall apply to
 policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended  on
 or after such effective date.

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