S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1816
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 16, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RIVERA -- 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  integrating  home
   care into the state's public health and prevention efforts
 
   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
 3620-a to read as follows:
   §  3620-A.  PUBLIC  HEALTH  PRIORITY  INITIATIVES. 1. THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL PROMOTE HOME CARE'S INTEGRATION INTO THE STATE'S HEALTH  CONTINUUM
 STRATEGY  TO  ADDRESS  PUBLIC  HEALTH  PRIORITIES IN DISEASE PREVENTION,
 INTERVENTION, POPULATION HEALTH IMPROVEMENT, ASSOCIATED HEALTH CARE COST
 REDUCTION AND RESEARCH. SUCH INTEGRATED ROLES FOR  HOME  CARE  SHALL  BE
 PROMOTED AND INCENTIVIZED ON AN AGENCY VOLUNTARY BASIS.  THE COMMISSION-
 ER SHALL UNDERTAKE THESE PURPOSES THROUGH:
   (A)  INCORPORATION OF HOME CARE AGENCY DIRECT CARE AND CARE MANAGEMENT
 COMPETENCIES IN THE DEPARTMENT'S PREVENTION,  PRIMARY  CARE  AND  PUBLIC
 HEALTH STRATEGIES;
   (B)  PROMULGATION OF DEPARTMENTAL GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS THAT DESCRIBE AND
 ASSIST HOME CARE AGENCIES IN EXERCISING THESE ROLES;
   (C) PROMOTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED, BEST PRACTICES IN PUBLIC  HEALTH  AND
 PREVENTION FOR USE BY HOME CARE AGENCIES;
   (D)  PROVIDING  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  HOME CARE STAFF TRAINING IN PUBLIC
 HEALTH PRIORITY AREAS IN THE DEPARTMENT'S VARIOUS  TRAINING  AND  EDUCA-
 TIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THE HEALTH WORKFORCE AND/OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS;
   (E)  REGULATORY  AND  PROCEDURAL FLEXIBILITY TO OPTIMIZE PUBLIC HEALTH
 TRIAGE AND INTERVENTION BY HOME CARE;
   (F) PROVIDING OR MAKING AVAILABLE PUBLIC  HEALTH  AND  EPIDEMIOLOGICAL
 DATA  FOR  HOME  CARE  AGENCY  USE IN IDENTIFYING, TARGETING AND SHAPING
 INTERVENTION;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00720-01-9
              

 S. 1816                             2
 
   (G) TO THE EXTENT OF AVAILABLE FUNDS, AND UPON APPROVAL OF THE  DIREC-
 TOR  OF  THE  BUDGET, REIMBURSEMENT SUPPLEMENTATION TO RATES OR PREMIUMS
 ISSUED UNDER SECTION THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED  FOURTEEN  OF  THIS  ARTICLE  OR
 SECTION FORTY-FOUR HUNDRED THREE-F OF THIS CHAPTER, RESPECTIVELY;
   (H)  PROMOTION  OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITY COLLABORATIVES UNDER SECTION
 TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED FIVE-X OF THIS CHAPTER; AND
   (I) OTHER MEANS THE COMMISSIONER DETERMINES APPROPRIATE.
   2. PRIORITY PUBLIC HEALTH AREAS UNDER THIS SECTION  MAY  INCLUDE,  BUT
 NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) SEPSIS EDUCATION, PATIENT SCREENING AND EARLY INTERVENTION;
   (B)  ASTHMA AND RESPIRATORY CONDITION MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING HOME ENVI-
 RONMENTAL ASSESSMENT;
   (C) FALLS PREVENTION SCREENING, EDUCATION AND PREVENTION;
   (D) OPIOID MANAGEMENT  AND  OVERUSE  OR  ABUSE  PREVENTION,  INCLUDING
 ALTERNATIVES IN PAIN MANAGEMENT, AND PROGRAMS IN PALLIATIVE CARE;
   (E)  MEDICATION  MANAGEMENT,  INCLUDING  IN CARE TRANSITIONS AND POLY-
 PHARMACY POPULATIONS;
   (F) PRESSURE ULCER PREVENTION AND MITIGATION;
   (G) DIABETES;
   (H) OBESITY;
   (I) CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH;
   (J) HEALTH CARE DISPARITIES;
   (K) HIGH RISK PRENATAL AND POST-PARTUM CARE;
   (L) IMMUNIZATIONS; AND
   (M) OTHER PRIORITY AREAS IN POPULATION  HEALTH,  AND  IN  THE  RELATED
 SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, THAT THE COMMISSIONER MAY DESIGNATE.
   3.  IN  IMPLEMENTING  THIS  SECTION,  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL SEEK THE
 ADVICE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF HOME  CARE  PROVIDERS,  STATE  ASSOCIATIONS
 REPRESENTATIVE OF HOME CARE, STATE ASSOCIATIONS REPRESENTATIVE OF PHYSI-
 CIANS,   STATE  ASSOCIATIONS  REPRESENTATIVE  OF  COUNTY  PUBLIC  HEALTH
 SERVICES AND OTHERS WITH HOME CARE AND/OR PUBLIC HEALTH  EXPERTISE  WHOM
 THE COMMISSIONER MAY DESIGNATE.
   4.  THE  COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO CALCULATE COST SAVINGS ACHIEVED
 FROM PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES THROUGH HOME CARE WHICH THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL DETERMINE APPLICABLE, AND UPON APPROVAL OF THE STATE BUDGET DIREC-
 TOR,  MAY  PROVIDE  A PORTION OF WHICH AS SHARED SAVINGS REINVESTMENT TO
 PARTICIPATING PROVIDERS. SUCH SHARED SAVINGS  MAY  BE  PROVIDED  THROUGH
 SUPPLEMENTATION  OF  THEIR  MEDICAL  ASSISTANCE  REIMBURSEMENT, OR OTHER
 MEANS WHICH THE COMMISSIONER DETERMINES.
   5. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COLLECT AND REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE INFORMA-
 TION ON THE ACTIVITIES AND IMPACT OF HOME CARE PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES
 AS THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINES RELEVANT,  INCLUDING  INFORMATION  ON  COST
 SAVINGS,  AND  SHALL  INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER SUPPORT OF THE
 GOALS OF THIS SECTION. THIS REPORT SHALL  BE  PROVIDED  WITHIN  EIGHTEEN
 MONTHS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately.  Effective immediately
 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation  neces-
 sary  for  the  implementation  of  this  act  on its effective date are
 authorized to be made on or before such date.