Relates to providing information to patients and the public on hospital rule-based exclusions

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic58

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Michelle Hinchey says this is needed

Since 2003, more than 40 community hospitals in New York have closed. As a result, large health care systems now control more than 70 percent of acute hospital beds; and hospital mergers in New York continue apace. Unfortunately, these large hospital systems sometimes remove categories of care from local hospitals, leaving patients in regions of the state without access to particular types of care, including some types of emergency care. Too often patients do not have the ability to determine whether the healthcare facilities in their area provide the care they seek, because information about how healthcare facilities' restrictions impacts, options for care is too difficult to obtain. Worse still, denials of care can lead to serious adverse health impacts that jeopardize individ- uals' lives and wellbeing. In addition, some denials of care violate state and federal law. It is incumbent on New York to identify whether and where there are health care deserts in the state where particular types of care are unavailable and to understand the impacts of such gaps on communities and individuals statewide. It is equally imperative to give prospective patients the tools they need to determine whether the hospital or healthcare facilities in their area provide the care they seek prior to admission. Access to this information is lifesaving; it permits patients to make informed deci- sions about where to seek the health care they need.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.