Directs the commissioner of health to collect and report data on the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities for the purposes of improving the efficiency, cost, effectiveness and quality of such program.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7554
SPONSOR: Jaffee (MS) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
directing the commissioner of health to collect data on the early inter-
vention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities
PURPOSE:
To ensure that information is publically available for the purposes of
improving the efficiency, cost effectiveness, and quality and access to
services under the Early Intervention (EI) program.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill adds a new subdivision 4 to Section 2557 of the
Public Health Law to require the New York State Department of Health
(NYS DOH) to collect and analyze data by municipality on the EI program
including but not limited to:
*The total number of children, within a municipality, receiving services
by service type per week and the total number of services by service
type per week authorized by early intervention providers by provider
type including approved agencies, institutions, organizations and inde-
pendent providers;
*The number of services, by service type and provider type, that were
identified on the IFSP that were not delivered to a child;
*The number of medical assistance claims submitted. The percentage of
medical assistance claims denied and the percentage of medical assist-
ance claims paid. The reasons for the denials.
*The number of claims submitted for other than medical assistance. The
percentage of claims denied for other than medical assistance and the
percentage of claims paid for other than medical assistance. The reasons
for the denials.
*By municipality, the lapse in time between the completion of a final
IFSP and the initiation of services for all children; and
*The number and dollar amounts of claims submitted, by payor, that not
were paid within 90 days and the reasons for non-payment_ The NYS DOH
would be required to provide a report to the State Legislature for the
period September first two thousand fifteen to January first thirty two
thousand sixteen on or before January thirtieth two thousand sixteen and
for each calendar year thereafter on or before January first for the
preceding calendar year.
JUSTIFICATION:
The 2012-13 State Budget (Section 11 of Part A of Chapter 56 of the Laws
of 2012) eliminated the "New York State Early Intervention Report to the
Legislature" that had been required since 1993
Under the previous law, NYS DOH was required to annually report data by
municipality to the Legislature on the Early Intervention program. Much
of this information is available from an annual report from NYS DOH to
the US Department of Education. However, specific information relating
to provider capacity, timeliness of services to infants and children,
and timeliness of payment is not available. While NYS DOH reports on the
latter information at various public meetings, only their final analysis
is available, not the raw data.
Providers, families, and the State Legislature have not been able to
access timely, comprehensive, and easily available data on the implemen-
tation of the Early Intervention program. This has been particularly
frustrating during the implementation of the new payment system that was
implemented on April 1, 2013.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None. Currently access to EI services by some infants and toddlers is
being delayed or eliminated. Continued delays and lack of access to
preventative services will actually increase long term costs for special
education services for school age children. The reinstatement of this
report will allow a full analysis of the reasons for the delay and the
development of solutions.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately
