BILL NUMBER: S7531

SPONSOR: RYAN C
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the submission of
certain reports by licensed home care services agencies

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To improve the process for filing the Licensed Home Care Services Agency
Statistical Report with the NYS Department of Health.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 3605-b of the public health law to clarify the
timeline for submission of the required LHCSA statistical reports.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:
              

Section 3605-b of the Public Health Law (PHL) requires annual registra-
tion of each Licensed Home Care Services Agency (LHCSA) with the NYS
Department of Health (DOH). The LHCSA Statistical Report is associated
with the set of materials that must be submitted by LHCSAs to DOH in the
annual registration process (see, for example, DOH "Dear Administrator
Letter" DHCBS 24-08 dated November 18, 2024). The Statistical Report
contains various information about the LHCSA including location,
services, aggregate patient data, revenues, costs, etc. The format of
the Statistical Report and the DOH systems/software updates that are
needed to submit it are determined by DOH and shared with the LHCSAs.
The Statistical Report is typically required to be submitted by LHCSAs
at the end of each calendar year.

For other required DOH home care reports, the DOH must provide at least
ninety (90) days' notice before such reports are due (see PHL
3612(8)(a)). However, this 90-day notice requirement does not exist for
the LHCSA Statistical Report (resulting in a much shorter submission
timeframe). Unfortunately, this can cause confusion,
additional/duplicative work, and delays in the submission process - all
at a challenging time of year when many other required reports may be
prepared and filed.

By applying the already established 90-day notice requirement to the
LHCSA Statistical Report, the registration process will be clarified,
streamlined, and consistent with other required DOH home care filings.
Importantly, LHCSAs will receive the necessary information from DOH
earlier in the submission process. Consequently, the process will result
in improved LHCSA filing compliance rates and DOH will receive the
required information in a more regular and reliable fashion.

 
PRIOR HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.