On May 27, 2016, Act (A 10436) http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A10436 was introduced in the N.Y Assembly and referred to the Committee on Health.
The Act would enable the Commissioner to establish and help promote a statewide telehealth/telemedicine network to serve the entire state including rural, urban and suburban areas. In addition, the utilization, storage, and retrieval of electronic records is to be promoted.
Members will be appointed to the public health and health planning council and will reflect the diversity of the state’s population including various geographic areas and population densities throughout the state.
The council members will represent the public health system, healthcare providers, and individuals with expertise in the clinical and administrative aspects of healthcare delivery. A statewide telehealth/telemedicine network capable of providing for the storage and retrieval of EMRs would be established.
The network needs to have information via a biennial plan on issues affecting healthcare consumers, health planning, financing, and reimbursement, regulations and compliance, and public health. At least two members need to be members of the behavioral health services advisory council and at least four members need to represent general hospitals or nursing homes.
The Act also calls for a grant program to be referred to as “Telehealth/Telemedicine Development and Research Grant Fund”, be provided to underserved areas and populations subject to the availability of funding from New York State.