Bill > S08965

This bill aims to increase transparency regarding hospital services by requiring the Commissioner of Health to collect and publish information about "hospital rule-based exclusions," which are any criteria, rules, or policies that restrict a hospital from providing certain types of care it is licensed to offer, or that restrict care based on protected characteristics, excluding reasons like lack of equipment, bed space, or insurance denial. These exclusions will be documented on a new "service availability form" for specific "covered practice areas" such as primary care, family planning, reproductive services, and end-of-life care. Hospitals will be required to provide this information annually, and the Commissioner will publish it on the Department of Health's website within six months of the bill becoming law, with annual updates. Additionally, hospitals will need to include explanations of these exclusions and links to the published information on their own websites and in patient rights statements, and insurers will be required to provide similar explanations and links in certain policy documents. The bill clarifies that it does not permit or authorize denials of care or discrimination and that compliance does not limit a hospital's liability for existing violations.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8965