Bill > A01792

This bill, known as the "Ensuring Access to Behavioral Health Act," amends existing public health law to expand the definition of comprehensive health services to explicitly include mental health services, substance use disorder treatment services, and recovery support services. The bill requires health maintenance organizations (HMOs) to maintain provider networks that adequately address these behavioral health needs, with specific attention to ensuring sufficient geographic accessibility, including opioid treatment programs and buprenorphine prescribers across New York state. The legislation mandates that the superintendent of financial services and the commissioner of health separately review and update network adequacy regulations for mental health and substance use disorder services, using national best practices. These updated regulations will include quantitative measures like geographic distance, travel time, appointment wait times, and provider-to-enrollee ratios, and will consider the needs of diverse populations such as low-income individuals, people with limited English proficiency, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and those with complex health conditions. The bill also directs consideration of telephonic and telehealth services to supplement in-person care, with the ultimate goal of improving access to comprehensive behavioral health services across New York.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1792