Bill Text: NY A07102 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relates to competency exams, service of charges, petitions to modify or vacate orders, profiling requirements and modifying physician and advertising and testimony standards.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-08 - referred to health [A07102 Detail]
Download: New_York-2013-A07102-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relates to competency exams, service of charges, petitions to modify or vacate orders, profiling requirements and modifying physician and advertising and testimony standards.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-08 - referred to health [A07102 Detail]
Download: New_York-2013-A07102-Introduced.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7102
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 1, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GOTTFRIED -- (at request of the Department of
Health) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation
to enforcing compliance with clinical competency exams, simplifying
service of charges, limiting petitions to modify or vacate orders,
profiling requirements of self-insured physicians, modifying physician
and advertising and testimonial standards and to amend the public
health law, in relation to expanding the applicability of penalties
for willful violations of the commissioner of health's orders and
amending chapter 58 of the laws of 2008, relating to reimbursement to
particular provider pharmacies and prescription drug coverage, in
relation to the effectiveness of certain provisions thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 7 of section 230 of the public health law is
2 amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
3 (D) (I) A COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, ON NOTICE TO THE LICENSEE
4 AND AFTER AFFORDING THE LICENSEE AND THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL
5 CONDUCT AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ORDER
6 THE LICENSEE TO COMPLY WITH RECOMMENDED REMEDIATION ARISING FROM THE
7 EXAMINATIONS IN PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION. (II) IF A COMMITTEE
8 ON PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT WHEN CONSIDERING THE RESULTS OF A CLINICAL
9 COMPETENCY EXAMINATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION
10 DETERMINES THAT THE LICENSEE IS INCOMPETENT AND THAT THERE IS NO PRACTI-
11 CAL REMEDIATION FOR SUCH INCOMPETENCE, IT MAY REFER THE CASE TO THE
12 DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CONDUCT FOR THE DIREC-
13 TOR'S CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER TO PRESENT TO AN INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE
14 PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (IV) OF PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION TEN OF
15 THIS SECTION FOR ITS CONCURRENCE ON CHARGES PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF
16 SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY OF THE EDUCATION
17 LAW.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09282-03-3
A. 7102 2
1 S 2. Subdivision 5 of section 6530 of the education law, as added by
2 chapter 606 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
3 5. (A) Practicing the profession with incompetence on more than one
4 occasion; OR
5 (B) BEING FOUND TO BE INCOMPETENT BY AN EXAMINATION WHICH HAS OCCURRED
6 PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (C) OF SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED
7 THIRTY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW WHEN THERE IS NO PRACTICAL REMEDIATION
8 FOR SUCH INCOMPETENCE.
9 S 3. Subdivision 15 of section 6530 of the education law, as added by
10 chapter 606 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
11 15. (A) Failure to comply with an order issued pursuant to subdivision
12 seven, paragraph (a) of subdivision ten, and subdivision seventeen of
13 section two hundred thirty of the public health law; OR
14 (B) FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH REMEDIATION RECOMMENDATIONS ARISING FROM AN
15 EXAMINATION WHEN AN EXAMINATION HAS OCCURRED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (C)
16 OF SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED THIRTY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
17 LAW, WHEN SUCH COMPLIANCE HAS BEEN ORDERED BY A COMMITTEE ON PROFES-
18 SIONAL CONDUCT PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (D) OF SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION
19 TWO HUNDRED THIRTY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW.
20 S 4. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (d) of subdivision 10 of section
21 230 of the public health law, as amended by chapter 477 of the laws of
22 2008, is amended to read as follows:
23 (i) A copy of the charges and the notice of the hearing shall be
24 served BY THE BOARD on the licensee EITHER (A) personally [by the board]
25 at least thirty days before the hearing[. If personal service cannot be
26 made after due diligence and such fact is certified under oath, a copy
27 of the charges and the notice of hearing shall be served]; OR (B) by
28 registered or certified mail to the licensee's [last known] CURRENT
29 RESIDENTIAL OR PRACTICE address [by the board]; MAILED at least
30 [fifteen] THIRTY days before the hearing; OR (C) BY REGISTERED OR CERTI-
31 FIED MAIL TO THE LICENSEE'S CURRENT REGISTRATION ADDRESS PURSUANT TO
32 SECTION SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED TWO OF THE EDUCATION LAW OR THE LICENSEE'S
33 MOST RECENT MAILING ADDRESS ON FILE WITH THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION
34 DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO THE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT SET FORTH IN SUBDI-
35 VISION FIVE OF SUCH SECTION, MAILED AT LEAST FORTY-FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE
36 HEARING; OR (D) BY FIRST CLASS MAIL TO AN ATTORNEY, LICENSED TO PRACTICE
37 IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WHO HAS APPEARED ON BEHALF OF THE LICENSEE IN
38 THE MATTER BEFORE THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CONDUCT MAILED AT
39 LEAST THIRTY DAYS BEFORE THE HEARING.
40 S 5. Paragraph (q) of subdivision 10 of section 230 of the public
41 health law, as added by chapter 477 of the laws of 2008, is amended to
42 read as follows:
43 (q) [At any time subsequent] SUBSEQUENT to the final conclusion of a
44 professional misconduct proceeding against a licensee, whether upon the
45 determination and order of a hearing committee issued pursuant to para-
46 graph (h) of this subdivision or upon the determination and order of the
47 administrative review board issued pursuant to paragraph (d) of subdivi-
48 sion four of section two hundred thirty-c of this title, the licensee
49 may file a petition with the director, requesting vacatur or modifica-
50 tion of the determination and order. IF THE DETERMINATION AND ORDER DID
51 NOT INCLUDE THE PENALTY OF LICENSE REVOCATION, THE PETITION MAY BE FILED
52 AT ANY TIME. IF THE DETERMINATION AND ORDER INCLUDED A SANCTION OF
53 LICENSE REVOCATION, THE PETITION MAY BE FILED AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO SUCH
54 TIME AS THE LICENSEE IS AUTHORIZED, PURSUANT TO SECTION SIXTY-FIVE
55 HUNDRED ELEVEN OF THE EDUCATION LAW, THE RULES OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS
56 AND THE REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION TO SEEK BOARD OF
A. 7102 3
1 REGENTS RESTORATION OF THE REVOKED LICENSE. The director shall, after
2 reviewing the matter and after consulting with department counsel,
3 determine in the reasonable exercise of his or her discretion whether
4 there is new and material evidence that was not previously available
5 which, had it been available, would likely have led to a different
6 result, or whether circumstances have occurred subsequent to the
7 original determination that warrant a reconsideration of the measure of
8 discipline. Upon determining that such evidence or circumstances exist,
9 the director shall have the authority to join the licensee in an appli-
10 cation to the chairperson of the state board for professional medical
11 conduct to vacate or modify the determination and order, as the director
12 may deem appropriate. Upon the joint application of the licensee and the
13 director, the chairperson shall have the authority to grant or deny such
14 application.
15 S 6. Section 6511 of the education law, as amended by chapter 542 of
16 the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
17 S 6511. Penalties for professional misconduct. The penalties which may
18 be imposed by the board of regents on a present or former licensee found
19 guilty of professional misconduct (under the definitions and proceedings
20 prescribed in sections sixty-five hundred nine and sixty-five hundred
21 ten of this [article] SUBPART) are: (1) censure and reprimand, (2)
22 suspension of license, (a) wholly, for a fixed period of time; (b)
23 partially, until the licensee successfully completes a course of
24 retraining in the area to which the suspension applies; (c) wholly,
25 until the licensee successfully completes a course of therapy or treat-
26 ment prescribed by the regents; (3) revocation of license, (4) annulment
27 of license or registration, (5) limitation on registration or issuance
28 of any further license, (6) a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars,
29 upon each specification of charges of which the respondent is determined
30 to be guilty, (7) a requirement that a licensee pursue a course of
31 education or training, and (8) a requirement that a licensee perform up
32 to one hundred hours of public service, in a manner and at a time and
33 place as directed by the board. The board of regents may stay such
34 penalties in whole or in part, may place the licensee on probation and
35 may restore a license which has been revoked, provided, in the case of
36 licensees subject to section two hundred thirty of the public health
37 law, notice that the board is considering such restoration is given to
38 the office of professional medical conduct at least thirty days before
39 the date on which such restoration shall be considered. Upon the recom-
40 mendation of the office of professional medical conduct, the board of
41 regents may deny such restoration. IN THE EVENT THAT THE BOARD, WHEN
42 CONSIDERING SUCH RESTORATION, ELECTS TO ACT IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT
43 WITH ANY RECOMMENDATION OF THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CONDUCT,
44 THE BOARD SHALL INCLUDE AN EXPLICIT JUSTIFICATION FOR DEPARTING FROM
45 SUCH RECOMMENDATION IN ITS WRITTEN DETERMINATION. Any fine imposed
46 pursuant to this section or pursuant to subdivision two of section
47 sixty-five hundred ten of this [article] SUBPART may be sued for and
48 recovered in the name of the people of the state of New York in an
49 action brought by the attorney general. In such action the findings and
50 determination of the board of regents or of the violations committee
51 shall be admissible evidence and shall be conclusive proof of the
52 violation and the penalty assessed.
53 S 7. Subdivision 3 of section 2995-a of the public health law, as
54 added by chapter 542 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
55 3. Each physician who is self-insured for professional medical malp-
56 ractice shall periodically report to the department on forms and in the
A. 7102 4
1 time and manner required by the commissioner the information specified
2 in paragraph [(f)] (E) of subdivision one of this section, except that
3 the physician shall report the dollar amount (to the extent of the
4 physician's information and belief) for each judgment, award and settle-
5 ment and not a level of significance or context.
6 S 8. Subdivision 27 of section 6530 of the education law, as added by
7 chapter 606 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
8 27. Advertising or soliciting for patronage that is not in the public
9 interest. (a) Advertising or soliciting not in the public interest shall
10 include, but not be limited to, advertising or soliciting that: (i) is
11 false, fraudulent, deceptive, OR misleading[, sensational, or flamboy-
12 ant];
13 (ii) represents intimidation or undue pressure;
14 (iii) [uses testimonials;
15 (iv)] guarantees any service;
16 [(v)] (IV) makes any claim relating to professional services or
17 products or the costs or price therefor which cannot be substantiated by
18 the licensee, who shall have the burden of proof;
19 [(vi)] (V) makes claims of professional superiority which cannot be
20 substantiated by the licensee, who shall have the burden of proof; or
21 [(vii)] (VI) offers bonuses or inducements in any form other than a
22 discount or reduction in an established fee or price for a professional
23 service or product.
24 (b) The following shall be deemed appropriate means of informing the
25 public of the availability of professional services: (i) informational
26 advertising not contrary to the foregoing prohibitions; and
27 (ii) the advertising in a newspaper, periodical or professional direc-
28 tory or on radio [or], television, OR THE INTERNET of fixed prices, or a
29 stated range of prices, for specified routine professional services,
30 provided that if there is an additional charge for related services
31 which are an integral part of the overall service being provided by the
32 licensee, the advertisement shall so state, and provided further that
33 the advertisement indicates the period of time for which the advertised
34 prices shall be in effect.
35 (c)(i) All licensees placing advertisements shall maintain, or cause
36 to be maintained, an exact copy of each advertisement, transcript, tape
37 or video tape thereof as appropriate for the medium used, for a period
38 of one year after its last appearance. This copy shall be made avail-
39 able for inspection upon demand of the department of health;
40 (ii) A licensee shall not compensate or give anything of value to rep-
41 resentatives of the press, radio, television or other communications
42 media in anticipation of or in return for professional publicity in a
43 news item[;].
44 (d) [No demonstrations, dramatizations or other portrayals of profes-
45 sional practice shall be permitted in advertising on radio or tele-
46 vision;] TESTIMONIALS, DEMONSTRATIONS, DRAMATIZATIONS, OR OTHER PORTRAY-
47 ALS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE ARE PERMITTED PROVIDED THAT THEY OTHERWISE
48 COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CONDUCT AND FURTHER
49 PROVIDED THAT THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE SATISFIED:
50 (I) THE PATIENT EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZES THE PORTRAYAL IN WRITING;
51 (II) THE APPROPRIATE DISCLOSURE IS INCLUDED TO PREVENT ANY MISLEADING
52 INFORMATION OR IMAGERY AS TO THE IDENTITY OF THE PATIENT;
53 (III) REASONABLE DISCLAIMERS ARE INCLUDED AS TO ANY STATEMENTS MADE OR
54 RESULTS ACHIEVED IN A PARTICULAR MATTER;
55 (IV) THE USE OF FICTIONAL SITUATIONS OR CHARACTERS MAY BE USED IF NO
56 TESTIMONIALS ARE INCLUDED; AND
A. 7102 5
1 (V) FICTIONAL PATIENT TESTIMONIALS ARE NOT PERMITTED.
2 S 9. Subdivision 2 of section 12-b of the public health law, as
3 amended by section 17 of part A of chapter 58 of the laws of 2008, is
4 amended to read as follows:
5 2. A person who wilfully violates any provision of this chapter, or
6 any regulation lawfully made or established by any public officer or
7 board under authority of this chapter, OR ANY LAWFUL ORDER PRESCRIBED BY
8 THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, the punishment for violating which is not
9 otherwise prescribed by this chapter or any other law, is punishable by
10 imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding ten
11 thousand dollars or by both. Effective on and after April first, two
12 thousand eight the comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to
13 deposit amounts collected in excess of two thousand dollars per
14 violation to the patient safety center account to be used for purposes
15 of the patient safety center created by title two of article twenty-
16 nine-D of this chapter.
17 S 10. Section 32 of part A of chapter 58 of the laws of 2008, amend-
18 ing the elder law and other laws relating to reimbursement to particular
19 provider pharmacies and prescription drug coverage, as amended by
20 section 26 of part A of chapter 59 of the laws of 2011, is amended to
21 read as follows:
22 S 32. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
23 have been in full force and effect on and after April 1, 2008; provided
24 however, that sections one, six-a, nineteen, twenty, twenty-four, and
25 twenty-five of this act shall take effect July 1, 2008; provided however
26 that sections sixteen[, seventeen] and eighteen of this act shall expire
27 April 1, 2014; provided, however, that the amendments made by section
28 twenty-eight of this act shall take effect on the same date as section 1
29 of chapter 281 of the laws of 2007 takes effect; provided further, that
30 sections twenty-nine, thirty, and thirty-one of this act shall take
31 effect October 1, 2008; provided further, that section twenty-seven of
32 this act shall take effect January 1, 2009; and provided further, that
33 section twenty-seven of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed
34 March 31, 2014; and provided, further, however, that the amendments to
35 subdivision 1 of section 241 of the education law made by section twen-
36 ty-nine of this act shall not affect the expiration of such subdivision
37 and shall be deemed to expire therewith and provided that the amendments
38 to section 272 of the public health law made by section thirty of this
39 act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed
40 repealed therewith.
41 S 11. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that sections
42 one, two, three, four, five, six and eight of this act shall take effect
43 on the sixtieth day after this act shall have become a law.
