NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4465A
SPONSOR: Galef TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
establishing a women's health website
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: The purpose of this legislation is to
direct the Department of Health (DOH) to establish an Internet website
to advance women's health initiatives.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one creates a new title under which the DOH shall establish and
maintain an Internet website for the purpose of advancing women's health
initiatives. Information shall be provided for the purposes of educating
the public and raising awareness of women's health issues. Information
and links to useful resources shall be provided to encourage use of
services now made more widely available to women in the State of New
York. The website shall also include information detailing the 22
preventative services now covered pursuant to Federal Law and Regu-
lations. This section also requires the DOH to consider mating use of
social media networks for the purposes of further advancing women's
health initiatives.
Section two establishes that this legislation shall take effect imme-
diately upon passage.
JUSTIFICATION: The Affordable Care Act makes several changes to
public programs, insurance and other aspects of health policy that
affect women's health. In 2010, provisions took effect on the Federal
level and were implemented into State Law which expands coverage of
certain preventative measures for women's health. The establishment of
an up-to-date website would greatly assist women in understanding these
and other changes as they take effect.
Further, the website should provide timely information on health issues
of importance to women. The availability of such educational materials
and resources will help raise awareness among women. The Federal Govern-
ment provides a website (www.womenshealth.aov) for similar purposes. New
Yorkers should have access to a similar site specific to New York. When
considering the policy options to improve the health of women, one
suggestion presented by the National Conference of State legislatures
was to support policies that effectively use alternative National
Conference of State legislatures was to support policies that effec-
tively use alternative media (i.e. social networking) for the purposes
of promoting and communicating with women.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: Similar to A. 10756 and S. 7330 of
2011/2012
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no fiscal implications connected to the
passage of this legislation.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4465--A
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 5, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GALEF -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing a
women's health website
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Article 2 of the public health law is amended by adding a
2 new title VI to read as follows:
3 TITLE VI
4 WOMEN'S HEALTH
5 Section 266. Department website.
6 § 266. Department website. 1. The department shall establish and main-
7 tain an internet website for the purpose of advancing women's health
8 initiatives. The website shall provide information for the purposes of
9 educating the public and raising awareness of women's health issues,
10 provide links to useful resources and encourage the use of services now
11 made more widely available to the women of New York state. The website
12 shall also promote the following preventative services now covered
13 pursuant to federal law and regulation, and explain that such services
14 must be covered with no cost sharing:
15 (a) Anemia screening for pregnant women;
16 (b) Bacteriuria urinary tract or other infection screening for preg-
17 nant women;
18 (c) BRCA counseling about genetic testing for women at higher risk;
19 (d) Breast cancer mammography screenings every one to two years for
20 women over age forty;
21 (e) Breast cancer chemoprevention counseling for women at higher risk;
22 (f) Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling from trained
23 providers, as well as access to breastfeeding supplies, for pregnant and
24 nursing women;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04952-02-3
A. 4465--A 2
1 (g) Cervical cancer screening for sexually active women;
2 (h) Chlamydia infection screening for younger women and other women at
3 higher risk;
4 (i) Contraception: Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive
5 methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling,
6 not including abortifacient drugs;
7 (j) Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling for
8 all women;
9 (k) Folic acid supplements for women who may become pregnant;
10 (l) Gestational diabetes screening for women twenty-four to twenty-
11 eight weeks pregnant and those at high risk of developing gestational
12 diabetes;
13 (m) Gonorrhea screening for all women at higher risk;
14 (n) Hepatitis B screening for pregnant women at their first prenatal
15 visit;
16 (o) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling for
17 sexually active women;
18 (p) Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA Test: high risk HPV DNA testing
19 every three years for women with normal cytology results who are thirty
20 years of age or older;
21 (q) Osteoporosis screening for women over age sixty depending on risk
22 factors;
23 (r) RH incompatibility screening for all pregnant women and follow-up
24 testing for women at higher risk;
25 (s) Tobacco use screening and interventions for all women, and
26 expanded counseling for pregnant tobacco users;
27 (t) Sexually transmitted infections (STI) counseling for sexually
28 active women;
29 (u) Syphilis screening for all pregnant women or other women at
30 increased risk; and
31 (v) Well-woman visits to obtain recommended preventive services.
32 2. The department shall also consider making use of social media
33 networks for the purposes of advancing such initiatives.
34 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
