NY State Senate Bill S8219

Archive: Last Bill Status Via A9730 - Signed by Governor

Introduced
In Committee
On Floor Calendar
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
Delivered to Governor
Signed by Governor

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Actions

view actions (12)

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Aug 17, 2022	signed chap.522
Aug 05, 2022	delivered to governor
May 24, 2022	returned to assembly passed senate 3rd reading cal.551 substituted for s8219a
May 24, 2022	substituted by a9730
Mar 07, 2022	amended on third reading 8219a
Mar 02, 2022	advanced to third reading
Mar 01, 2022	2nd report cal.
Feb 28, 2022	1st report cal.551
Feb 02, 2022	referred to alcoholism and substance abuse

Votes

view votes

May 24, 2022 - floor Vote

A9730

floor

Aye

Nay

Absent

Excused

Abstained

Feb 28, 2022 - Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders committee Vote

S8219

committee

Aye

Nay

Aye with Reservations

Absent

Excused

Abstained

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

Original

A (Active)

S8219 - Details

Law Section:: Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §33.27, Ment Hyg L

S8219 - Summary

Requires an annual report for the independent substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman program by October 31st each year.

S8219 - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S8219

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring an
annual report for the independent substance use disorder and mental
health ombudsman program

 
PURPOSE:

Requires an annual report for the independent substance use disorder and
mental health and ombudsman program.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 33.27 of the executive law of independent
substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman to require the
ombudsman to submit a yearly report by December 31st to the governor,
temporary senate president, speaker of the assembly, and necessary
legislative committee chairs providing recommendations for changes on
systemic issues that are discovered during the year.

Section 2 establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 2018 the Community Health Access to Addiction and Mental Health
Project (CHAMP) created an ombudsman program helping individuals access
treatment and insurance coverage for the services they require. This
program has been incredibly successful in helping individuals navigate
this complicated system. The CHAMP program can help investigate and
resolve complaints and violations of rights. It represents individuals
and helps advocate for access to treatment, denial of services, access
to medication, parity/coverage, discrimination issues, system naviga-
tion, medical benefits, enrollment referral, legal assistance for insur-
ance appeals.

This bill will ensure more transparency on how well OASAS is able to
identify and resolve issues that consumers have with their coverage
access to continued substance use disorder care by requiring them to
submit a yearly report- with the deadline being December 31st for each
year- that summarizes the work done by the program, and providing
systemic issues that had been discovered during the year.  This will
help ensure that the program is properly supporting these individuals,
and would help reflect if there would be need for program change in the
future.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Fiscal note not attached.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

S8219 - Bill Text download pdf

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8219
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 2, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism  and  Substance
   Abuse
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring an
   annual report for the independent substance use  disorder  and  mental
   health ombudsman program

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 33.27 of  the  mental  hygiene  law,  as  added  by
 section  1  of  part FF of chapter 57 of the laws of 2018, is amended to
 read as follows:
 § 33.27 Independent substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman.
   (a)  There  is  hereby  established  the  office  of  the  independent
 substance  use disorder and mental health ombudsman program that will be
 operated or selected by the office of [alcoholism and  substance  abuse]
 ADDICTION  services  AND  SUPPORTS,  in  consultation with the office of
 mental health for the purpose of assisting individuals with a  substance
 use disorder and/or mental illness to ensure that they receive appropri-
 ate health insurance coverage.
   (b)  Such  ombudsman  will  identify,  investigate,  refer and resolve
 complaints that are made by, or on  behalf  of,  consumers  relative  to
 health insurance coverage and access to initial and continuing substance
 use disorder care and mental health care; accept, investigate, refer and
 help to resolve complaints that are made by treatment providers relative
 to health insurance coverage of and reimbursement for initial or contin-
 uing substance use disorder and mental health care; accept, investigate,
 refer  and  help  to resolve complaints that are made by or on behalf of
 consumers or by providers relative to network adequacy for access to and
 continuing substance use disorder and mental health care.   BY  DECEMBER
 THIRTY-FIRST ANNUALLY, THE OMBUDSMAN MUST SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT SUMMA-
 RIZING  THE  WORK  OF  THE  PROGRAM  AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS
 SYSTEMIC ISSUES IDENTIFIED DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR. SUCH ANNUAL  REPORT
 SHALL  BE  SUBMITTED  TO  THE  GOVERNOR,  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13377-01-1

 S. 8219                             2
 
 SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE RELEVANT LEGISLATIVE COMMIT-
 TEE CHAIRS.
   (c)  Notwithstanding  sections  one  hundred  twelve  and  one hundred
 sixty-three of the state finance law and section one  hundred  forty-two
 of  the economic development law, or any other inconsistent provision of
 law, funds available for expenditure pursuant to this  section  for  the
 establishment  of  an  ombudsman  for  substance use disorder and mental
 health insurance coverage, may  be  allocated  and  distributed  by  the
 commissioner of the office of [alcoholism and substance abuse] ADDICTION
 services  AND  SUPPORTS,  subject to the approval of the director of the
 budget, without a competitive bid or request for  proposal  process  for
 the  establishment of an ombudsman for substance use disorder and mental
 health insurance coverage. Provided, however, that  such  allocation  or
 distribution must be based on objective criteria and an allocation meth-
 odology that is approved by the director of the budget.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Details

Law Section:: Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §33.27, Ment Hyg L

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires an annual report for the independent substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman program by October 31st each year.

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S8219A

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring an
annual report for the independent substance use disorder and mental
health ombudsman program

 
PURPOSE:

Requires an annual report for the independent substance use disorder and
mental health and ombudsman program.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 33.27 of the executive law of independent
substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman to require the
ombudsman to submit a yearly report by October 31st to the governor,
temporary senate president, speaker of the assembly. and necessary
legislative committee chairs providingò recommendations for changes on
systemic issues that are discovered during the year.

Section 2 establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 2018 the Community Health Access to Addiction and Mental Health
Project (CHAMP) created an ombudsman program helping individuals access
treatment and insurance coverage for the services they require. This
program has been incredibly successful in helping individuals navigate
this complicated system. The CHAMP program can help investigate and
resolve complaints and violations of rights. It represents individuals
and helps advocate for access to treatment. denial of services, access
to medication, parity/coverage, discrimination issues, system naviga-
tion, medical benefits, enrollment referral, legal assistance for insur-
ance appeals.

This bill will ensure more transparency on how well OASAS is able to
identify and resolve issues that consumers have with their coverage
access to continued substance use disorder care by requiring them to
submit a yearly report- with the deadline being December 31st for each
year- that summarizes the work done by the program and providing system-
ic issues that had been discovered during the year. This will help
ensure that the program is properly supporting these individuals, and
would help reflect if there would be a need for program change in the
future.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Fiscal note not attached.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8219--A
     Cal. No. 551
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 2, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism  and  Substance
   Abuse  -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and
   second report,  ordered  to  a  third  reading,  amended  and  ordered
   reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading

 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  mental hygiene law, in relation to requiring an
   annual report for the independent substance use  disorder  and  mental
   health ombudsman program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 33.27 of  the  mental  hygiene  law,  as  added  by
 section  1  of  part FF of chapter 57 of the laws of 2018, is amended to
 read as follows:
 § 33.27 Independent substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman.
   (a)  There  is  hereby  established  the  office  of  the  independent
 substance  use disorder and mental health ombudsman program that will be
 operated or selected by the office of [alcoholism and  substance  abuse]
 ADDICTION  services  AND  SUPPORTS,  in  consultation with the office of
 mental health for the purpose of assisting individuals with a  substance
 use disorder and/or mental illness to ensure that they receive appropri-
 ate health insurance coverage.
   (b)  Such  ombudsman  will  identify,  investigate,  refer and resolve
 complaints that are made by, or on  behalf  of,  consumers  relative  to
 health insurance coverage and access to initial and continuing substance
 use disorder care and mental health care; accept, investigate, refer and
 help to resolve complaints that are made by treatment providers relative
 to health insurance coverage of and reimbursement for initial or contin-
 uing substance use disorder and mental health care; accept, investigate,
 refer  and  help  to resolve complaints that are made by or on behalf of
 consumers or by providers relative to network adequacy for access to and
 continuing substance use disorder and mental  health  care.  BY  OCTOBER
 THIRTY-FIRST ANNUALLY, THE OMBUDSMAN MUST SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT SUMMA-
 RIZING  THE  WORK  OF  THE  PROGRAM  AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS
 SYSTEMIC ISSUES IDENTIFIED DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR. SUCH ANNUAL  REPORT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13377-02-2
 S. 8219--A                          2
 
 SHALL  BE  SUBMITTED  TO  THE  GOVERNOR,  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
 SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE RELEVANT LEGISLATIVE COMMIT-
 TEE CHAIRS.
   (c)  Notwithstanding  sections  one  hundred  twelve  and  one hundred
 sixty-three of the state finance law and section one  hundred  forty-two
 of  the economic development law, or any other inconsistent provision of
 law, funds available for expenditure pursuant to this  section  for  the
 establishment  of  an  ombudsman  for  substance use disorder and mental
 health insurance coverage, may  be  allocated  and  distributed  by  the
 commissioner of the office of [alcoholism and substance abuse] ADDICTION
 services  AND  SUPPORTS,  subject to the approval of the director of the
 budget, without a competitive bid or request for  proposal  process  for
 the  establishment of an ombudsman for substance use disorder and mental
 health insurance coverage. Provided, however, that  such  allocation  or
 distribution must be based on objective criteria and an allocation meth-
 odology that is approved by the director of the budget.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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The New York State Senate

senate Bill S8219

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status Via A9730 - Signed by Governor

Your Voice

Actions

Votes

May 24, 2022 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: May 24, 2022

Feb 28, 2022 - Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders committee Vote

Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders Committee Vote: Feb 28, 2022

Bill Amendments

S8219 - Details

S8219 - Summary

S8219 - Sponsor Memo

S8219 - Bill Text download pdf

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Details

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Summary

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S8219

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Pete Harckham

Archive: Last Bill Status Via A9730 - Signed by Governor

Your Voice

Actions

Votes

May 24, 2022 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: May 24, 2022

Feb 28, 2022 - Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders committee Vote

Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders Committee Vote: Feb 28, 2022

Bill Amendments

S8219 - Details

S8219 - Summary

S8219 - Sponsor Memo

S8219 - Bill Text download pdf

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Details

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Summary

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S8219A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments