The New York State Senate

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

                                  2824

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 25, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A. GOTTFRIED, DAVILA, DINOWITZ, D'URSO, EPSTEIN,
  HUNTER, LIFTON, LUPARDO, M. L. MILLER, MOSLEY, PAULIN, PEOPLES-STOKES,
  L. ROSENTHAL, SEAWRIGHT, SIMON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. HEVE-
  SI, LENTOL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health

AN ACT to amend the public health law and the social  services  law,  in
  relation to health coverage for medical marihuana

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 3368 of the public health law, as added by  chapter
90 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
  §  3368. Relation to other laws. 1. (a) The provisions of this article
shall apply to this title, except that where a provision of  this  title
conflicts  with  another  provision  of  this  article, this title shall
apply.
  (b) Medical marihuana shall not be deemed to be a "drug" for  purposes
of  article  one  hundred  thirty-seven of the education law.   HOWEVER,
REGARDLESS OF FEDERAL FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION, MEDICAL  MARIHUANA,  WHEN
DISPENSED  UNDER  THIS  TITLE, SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE (I) A "PRESCRIPTION
DRUG" FOR PURPOSES OF COVERAGE  UNDER  MEDICAL  ASSISTANCE  UNDER  TITLE
ELEVEN  OF  ARTICLE  FIVE  OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW (PROVIDED THAT THE
DISPENSING SITE IS CERTIFIED UNDER  SUBDIVISION  TEN  OF  SECTION  THREE
HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE-A OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW), TITLE ONE-A OF ARTICLE
TWENTY-FIVE OF THIS CHAPTER, THE INSURANCE LAW, AND THE WORKERS' COMPEN-
SATION  LAW;  (II) A "COVERED DRUG" FOR PURPOSES OF COVERAGE UNDER TITLE
THREE OF ARTICLE TWO OF THE ELDER LAW; AND (III) A "HEALTH CARE SERVICE"
UNDER SECTION THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE-GG OF  THE  SOCIAL  SERVICES  LAW
(UNLESS  THE  COMMISSIONER  FINDS  THAT  THIS WILL RESULT IN THE LOSS OF
FEDERAL FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM UNDER THAT SECTION).
  2. Nothing in this title shall be construed to require OR PROHIBIT  an
insurer  or  health  plan  under  this  chapter  or the insurance law to
provide coverage for medical marihuana, EXCEPT THAT IT SHALL BE COVERED,

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

                                                           LBD03876-01-9

A. 2824                             2

AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, BY ANY INSURER OR HEALTH
PLAN UNDER TITLE ELEVEN OF ARTICLE FIVE  OF  THE  SOCIAL  SERVICES  LAW,
TITLE ONE-A OF ARTICLE TWENTY-FIVE OF THIS CHAPTER, THE WORKERS' COMPEN-
SATION  LAW,  TITLE  THREE  OF ARTICLE TWO OF THE ELDER LAW, AND SECTION
THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE-GG OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW. [Nothing in this
title shall be construed to require coverage for medical marihuana under
article twenty-five of this  chapter  or  article  five  of  the  social
services law.]
  §  2.  Section 365-a of the social services law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 10 to read as follows:
  10. THE COMMISSIONER MAY CERTIFY A DISPENSING  SITE  AUTHORIZED  UNDER
TITLE  FIVE-A OF ARTICLE THIRTY-THREE THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW AS A MEDICAL
ASSISTANCE PROVIDER, SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISPENSING MEDICAL  MARI-
HUANA.
  §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law; provided  that,  effective
immediately,  the commissioner of health and superintendent of financial
services shall make regulations and take other actions reasonably neces-
sary to implement this act on that date; and provided further  that  the
amendments  to section 3368 of the public health law made by section one
of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall expire
and be deemed repealed therewith.