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A09730 Summary:

BILL NOA09730
 
SAME ASSAME AS S08219-A
 
SPONSORGunther
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd §33.27, Ment Hyg L
 
Requires an annual report for the independent substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman program by October 31st each year.
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A09730 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          9730
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                     March 28, 2022
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Mental Health
 
        AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law,  in  relation  to  requiring  an
          annual  report  for  the independent substance use disorder and mental
          health ombudsman program
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Section  33.27  of  the  mental  hygiene law, as added by
     2  section 1 of part FF of chapter 57 of the laws of 2018,  is  amended  to
     3  read as follows:
     4  § 33.27 Independent substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman.
     5    (a)  There  is  hereby  established  the  office  of  the  independent
     6  substance use disorder and mental health ombudsman program that will  be
     7  operated  or  selected by the office of [alcoholism and substance abuse]
     8  addiction services and supports, in  consultation  with  the  office  of
     9  mental  health for the purpose of assisting individuals with a substance
    10  use disorder and/or mental illness to ensure that they receive appropri-
    11  ate health insurance coverage.
    12    (b) Such ombudsman  will  identify,  investigate,  refer  and  resolve
    13  complaints  that  are  made  by,  or on behalf of, consumers relative to
    14  health insurance coverage and access to initial and continuing substance
    15  use disorder care and mental health care; accept, investigate, refer and
    16  help to resolve complaints that are made by treatment providers relative
    17  to health insurance coverage of and reimbursement for initial or contin-
    18  uing substance use disorder and mental health care; accept, investigate,
    19  refer and help to resolve complaints that are made by or  on  behalf  of
    20  consumers or by providers relative to network adequacy for access to and
    21  continuing  substance  use  disorder  and mental health care. By October
    22  thirty-first annually, the ombudsman must submit an annual report summa-
    23  rizing the work of the  program  and  make  recommendations  to  address
    24  systemic  issues identified during the previous year. Such annual report
    25  shall be submitted to the  governor,  the  temporary  president  of  the
    26  senate, the speaker of the assembly and the relevant legislative commit-
    27  tee chairs.
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD13377-03-2

        A. 9730                             2
 
     1    (c)  Notwithstanding  sections  one  hundred  twelve  and  one hundred
     2  sixty-three of the state finance law and section one  hundred  forty-two
     3  of  the economic development law, or any other inconsistent provision of
     4  law, funds available for expenditure pursuant to this  section  for  the
     5  establishment  of  an  ombudsman  for  substance use disorder and mental
     6  health insurance coverage, may  be  allocated  and  distributed  by  the
     7  commissioner of the office of [alcoholism and substance abuse] addiction
     8  services  and  supports,  subject to the approval of the director of the
     9  budget, without a competitive bid or request for  proposal  process  for
    10  the  establishment of an ombudsman for substance use disorder and mental
    11  health insurance coverage. Provided, however, that  such  allocation  or
    12  distribution must be based on objective criteria and an allocation meth-
    13  odology that is approved by the director of the budget.
    14    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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