Bill > S06104

This bill establishes an interagency task force on health literacy within the State University of New York (SUNY) to comprehensively study and address health literacy challenges in the state. The task force will include representatives from various healthcare, educational, and government organizations, such as state hospitals, medical societies, pharmacy schools, and health departments. Chaired by a SUNY public health faculty member, the task force's primary objectives include examining residents' ability to access and understand healthcare services, identifying barriers to health literacy, and studying how low health literacy impacts healthcare access and costs. The task force will specifically investigate how factors like rising healthcare costs, complex medical treatments, age, cultural diversity, and language barriers affect health literacy. By December 15, 2026, the task force is required to submit a detailed report to the legislature, including findings, proposed regulations, and recommendations for improving health literacy. These recommendations will cover strategies such as promoting plain language in healthcare, simplifying insurance forms, developing educational resources, creating easy-to-understand health information, and developing educational curricula to enhance health literacy among New York residents. The bill recognizes that health literacy challenges disproportionately affect older adults, minority populations, immigrants, and low-income communities, and aims to mitigate these disparities through comprehensive study and targeted interventions.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S6104