Senate Bill S8744

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8744

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing a
center for technical assistance relating to age-friendly health systems;
and in relation to hospital performance data

 
PURPOSE:

To provide incentives for the growth of age friendly health systems.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 shall be known as the "age friendly health system enhancement
act"

Section 2 adds a new section 2831 of the public health to provide grants
to level two geriatric emergency departments.

Section 3 adds a new paragraph (w) of subdivision 1 of section 206 of
              

the public health law to establish a center for technical assistance in
relation age friendly health systems in conjunction with the State
office for aging.

Section 4. changes the title of section 2999-b of the public health law
from hospital "report cards" to "hospital performance data" and adds a
new subdivision on special designations including age friendly status

Section 5 is the immediate effective date

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In the 2018 State of the State address, the Governor set a goal of
making fifty percent of the all health systems age friendly within the
next five years. This goal has not achieved due in large part to the
global pandemic. Progress has been, however, the state needs to provide
incentives and focus to help spread the age friendly health system move-
ment. It provides for grants to hospitals that have geriatric emergency
departments that achieve level two status and are on their way to level
three.

The legislation also establishes a center for technical assistance at
the Department of Health. This center must work together with the State
Office for Aging. The center could be staffed in the Department or
contracted out to qualified partners.

The bill also adds to special designations for hospitals by the Depart-
ment of Health, Hospitals that achieve age friendly status will be
recognized by the Department and noted on the official Department Legis-
lative Information By providing these incentives, the state will hope-
fully meet the goal set out in 2018.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2025-Passed Both Houses & Vetoed.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.