STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
311--A
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 7, 2015
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Introduced by Sen. ESPAILLAT -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Health -- recommitted to
the Committee on Health in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the definition of
palliative care
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 4012-b of the public health law, as added by chap-
2 ter 195 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 4012-b. Hospice palliative care [program for persons with advanced
4 and progressive disease]. 1. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision
5 of this article to the contrary, a hospice may also offer a program of
6 palliative care for patients with advanced [and progressive disease]
7 life-limiting conditions and illnesses and their families. Such a
8 program may be provided by a hospice issued a certificate of approval
9 pursuant to section [forty hundred] four thousand four of this article,
10 acting alone or under contract with a certified home health agency, long
11 term home health care program, licensed home care services agency or
12 AIDS home care program, as such terms are defined in section thirty-six
13 hundred two of this chapter. Nothing in this section shall preclude the
14 provision of palliative care by any other health care provider otherwise
15 authorized to provide such services.
16 2. For the purposes of this section [the following terms shall mean:
17 (a) "Advanced and progressive disease" means a medical condition which
18 is irreversible and which will continue indefinitely, where there is no
19 reasonable hope of maintaining life.
20 (b)] "Palliative care" means the active, interdisciplinary care of
21 patients with advanced, life-limiting illness, focusing on relief of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01907-03-6
S. 311--A 2
1 distressing physical and psychosocial symptoms and meeting spiritual
2 needs. Its goal is achievement of the best quality of life for patients
3 and families.
4 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
