S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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6815--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
June 20, 2017
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Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -- recommitted to
the Committee on Health 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 public health law, in relation to directing the
commissioner of the department of health to promulgate rules and regu-
lations promoting recovery from opioid abuse and reducing diversion of
addiction medicines
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
3309-b to read as follows:
§ 3309-B. PROMOTING RECOVERY FROM OPIOID ABUSE AND REDUCING DIVERSION
OF ADDICTION MEDICINES. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL, IN CONSULTATION WITH
THE OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES, PROMULGATE RULES
AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO INDIVIDUAL PHYSICIANS AND GROUP PRACTICES
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE-BASED OPIOID TREAT-
MENT, OPIOID TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND ANY OTHER TREATMENT PRACTICES SERV-
ING MORE THAN FIFTY PATIENTS AT A TIME WHO HAVE A PRIMARY OR SECONDARY
DIAGNOSIS OF OPIATE MISUSE OR ADDICTION. SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS
SHALL AT A MINIMUM INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS:
(A) ALL PATIENTS SEEKING TREATMENT FOR OPIATE USE DISORDER SHALL BE
GIVEN AN ORIENTATION INCLUDING FACTUAL INFORMATION AND AN EASILY UNDER-
STOOD EXPLANATION OF EACH ADDICTION MEDICATION OPTION APPROVED BY THE
UNITED STATES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. SUCH EDUCATION MUST BE DOCU-
MENTED IN THE PATIENT RECORD ALONG WITH DOCUMENTATION REGARDING THE
PATIENT'S CHOICE OF ONE OF THE MEDICATION OPTIONS OR NONE OF THEM. SUCH
DOCUMENTATION SHALL BE SIGNED BY THE PATIENT, OR THE COMMISSIONER MAY
SPECIFY SOME OTHER FORM OF DOCUMENTATION SHOWING THAT THE MEDICAL
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13158-02-8
S. 6815--A 2
PROVIDER MADE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO OBTAIN SUCH INFORMED CONSENT FROM
THE PATIENT;
(B) IF A PATIENT CHOOSES AN ADDICTION MEDICATION NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH
THE MEDICAL PRACTITIONER, SUCH PRACTITIONER MUST MAKE A REFERRAL TO A
TREATMENT SETTING WHERE THE PATIENT CAN ACCESS HIS OR HER PREFERRED
MEDICATION OPTION;
(C) THE MEDICAL PROVIDER SHALL UTILIZE THE LEVEL OF CARE FOR ALCOHOL
AND DRUG TREATMENT REFERRAL WEB APPLICATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE OF
ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES OR ANOTHER PATIENT ASSESSMENT
INSTRUMENT APPROVED BY THE OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
SERVICES TO HELP DETERMINE AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF PATIENT CARE;
(D) IN THE EVENT THAT THE PATIENT USING OPIATES DECLINES TO ENGAGE IN
TREATMENT THE MEDICAL PROVIDER SHALL PROVIDE SUCH PATIENT WITH INFORMA-
TION ABOUT ACCESSIBLE HARM REDUCTION SERVICES;
(E) TREATMENT COUNSELING SHALL BE PROVIDED TO ALL INDIVIDUALS FOR WHOM
AN ADDICTION MEDICATION IS PRESCRIBED OR DISPENSED. SUCH TREATMENT COUN-
SELING MAY BE PROVIDED BY A QUALIFIED ADDICTION PROFESSIONAL, AS DETER-
MINED BY THE OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES, EMPLOYED
BY THE MEDICAL PRACTICE OR THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH AN OFFICE OF ALCOHOL-
ISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES CERTIFIED TREATMENT PROGRAM;
(F) THE MEDICAL PROVIDER SHALL DEVELOP A TREATMENT PLAN FOR EACH
PATIENT AND SUCH PLAN SHALL BE REVIEWED, AT A MINIMUM, EVERY SIX MONTHS.
THE STANDARDS FOR DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT PLANS SHALL BE DETER-
MINED BY THE OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES AND SHALL
BE CONSISTENT WITH THE STANDARDS USED IN OTHER OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND
SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES LICENSED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAMS;
(G) THE MEDICAL PROVIDER SHALL INFORM PATIENTS ABOUT AVAILABLE PEER
RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES; AND
(H) WHEN AN ADDICTION MEDICATION IS NOT TAKEN UNDER DIRECT CLINICAL
SUPERVISION, THE MEDICAL PROVIDER SHALL UTILIZE DIVERSION CONTROL PRAC-
TICES TO ENSURE SUCH MEDICATION IS TAKEN AS PRESCRIBED AND NOT DIVERTED.
SUCH PRACTICES SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SHALL
INCLUDE:
(I) LIMITS ON THE AMOUNT OF MEDICATION PRESCRIBED AND THE NUMBER OF
REFILLS GIVEN TO A PATIENT UNTIL SUCH PATIENT HAS ESTABLISHED A PATTERN
OF RELIABILITY; AND
(II) MINIMUM TOXICOLOGY SCREENING STANDARDS.
2. FOR ALL MEDICAL PROVIDERS SUBJECT TO THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS,
THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ENSURE THAT PROVIDERS ARE MONITORED FOR COMPLI-
ANCE. SUCH MONITORING SHALL BE DONE DIRECTLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OR BY AN
INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION SPECIFIED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE PENALTIES FOR MEDICAL
PRACTITIONERS WHO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMUL-
GATED UNDER SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2019; provided, however,
that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
effective date.