Bill Text: NY A08702 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes the commissioner of health to conduct a study and issue a report examining unmet health and resource needs facing women with polycystic ovarian syndrome in New York and the impact of limited service and resources for women to obtain accurate, non-coercive health care information and timely access to a comprehensive range of reproductive and sexual health care services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to health [A08702 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-A08702-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8702 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY October 23, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health AN ACT authorizing the commissioner of health to conduct a study and issue a report examining unmet health and resource needs facing women with polycystic ovarian syndrome in New York state and the impact of limited service centers and resources for women to obtain accurate, non-coercive health care information and timely access to a comprehen- sive range of reproductive and sexual health care services The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Definition. As used in this act, "polycystic ovarian 2 syndrome" is a hormonal imbalance disorder that is common among 1 in 10 3 women during their reproductive age, meaning that: 4 1. (a) there is an elevated amount of testosterone and releasing of 5 sex hormones called androgens, caused by a condition called hyperandro- 6 genism; and 7 (b) too much of these hormones within the body can cause irregular 8 periods, heavy periods, excessive body and facial hair, oily skin or 9 acne, thinning or hair loss, weight gain, and difficulty getting preg- 10 nant; with hyperandrogenism and abnormal levels of sex hormones, there 11 is a prevention of eggs being normally released from the ovaries, irreg- 12 ular menstrual periods, and infertility. 13 2. Within the United States, approximately twelve percent of women 14 face difficulties getting pregnant. 15 § 2. Authorization of study and study scope. 1. The commissioner of 16 health (hereinafter "the commissioner") is hereby authorized and 17 directed to conduct a study and issue a report examining the unmet 18 health and resource needs facing women with polycystic ovarian syndrome 19 in New York state, and the impact of service and resources for women to 20 obtain accurate non-coercive health care information and timely access 21 to a comprehensive range of reproductive and sexual health care services EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD13629-02-9A. 8702 2 1 in alignment with their health care and that supports personal deci- 2 sion-making. 3 2. The commissioner may request, and shall receive upon request, data 4 and information from such entities and other relevant sources to meet 5 the purposes of the study. This information shall include but not be 6 limited to: 7 (a) what state and/or federal funds or taxes or other subsidies, if 8 any, are directly or indirectly allocated to limited service centers and 9 resources for women to obtain accurate, non-coercive health care infor- 10 mation and timely access to a comprehensive range of reproductive and 11 sexual health care services; 12 (b) whether the limited service centers for sexual and reproductive 13 centers, specifically for polycystic ovarian syndrome, in the state are 14 part of larger umbrella organizations that operate limited service sexu- 15 al and reproductive centers, specifically for polycystic ovarian 16 syndrome, across the country, and if so, whether those umbrella organ- 17 izations receive state and/or federal funding; 18 (c) the services provided by limited service sexual and reproductive 19 centers, specifically for polycystic ovarian syndrome, and what services 20 are most frequently sought at limited service sexual and reproductive 21 centers, specifically for polycystic ovarian syndrome; 22 (d) the number of women who access services at limited service sexual 23 and reproductive centers, specifically for polycystic ovarian syndrome, 24 the geographic regions in which each woman accessing the services of 25 these centers resides, the distance to the nearest licensed medical 26 facility providing these services, the prices charged for such services, 27 and the basic demographic information about each woman, including race, 28 age, and marital status. Basic demographic information included in any 29 report shall be published in the aggregate so that it is impossible to 30 identify any particular individual; 31 (e) whether sexual and reproductive centers, specifically for polycys- 32 tic ovarian syndrome, hold themselves out to the public, either in 33 person, through community participation of events or through their 34 advertising or websites, as medical facilities or entities in which 35 comprehensive, polycystic ovarian syndrome, are available. 36 (f) whether sexual and reproductive services, specifically for poly- 37 cystic ovarian syndrome, are seeking comprehensive options counseling or 38 services at medical facilities and whether women have experienced a 39 delay in receiving health care, including receiving birth control, due 40 to a visit to a limited service sexual and reproduction center; 41 (g) whether limited service sexual and reproductive service centers 42 enroll women in any public benefits programs or connect women to other 43 services, and if so, which services limited service sexual and reproduc- 44 tive centers, specifically for polycystic ovarian syndrome, connect 45 women to; 46 (h) the nature of information given to clients or potential clients at 47 sexual and reproductive centers specifically for polycystic ovarian 48 syndrome; and the nature of limited service sexual and reproductive 49 service centers, specifically for polycystic ovarian syndrome, opera- 50 tional manuals, handbooks or guidelines, in connection to the provision 51 or services to clients; 52 (i) the number of state-certified medical professionals on staff or 53 volunteering at limited service sexual and reproductive centers, specif- 54 ically for polycystic ovarian syndrome, and the number who are providing 55 medical services or counseling on site during regular business hours at 56 limited service sexual and reproductive centers and whether sexual andA. 8702 3 1 reproductive centers inform women whether or not they have any medical 2 professionals on the premises, on staff, or in a volunteer capacity; and 3 (j) whether limited service sexual and reproductive centers, specif- 4 ically for polycystic ovarian syndrome, collect medical information and 5 what other information is collected upon intake, how limited service 6 sexual and reproductive centers, specifically for polycystic ovarian 7 syndrome, handle medical and other client records, and whether the 8 medical records are in compliance with federal and state requirements 9 governing medical privacy. 10 § 3. Study timeline and taskforce structure. The study shall commence 11 no later than six months following the effective date of this act. The 12 commissioner shall establish a temporary taskforce of nine members to 13 support the department of health in the development of the study, the 14 review of the findings and the establishment of specific recommendations 15 for solutions to address any service gaps or negative impact in the 16 state identified through the study. The taskforce shall have adequate 17 geographical representation and include but not necessarily be limited 18 to: a representative of the division of consumer protection; a member 19 for the New York State Council on Women and Girls, a member of American 20 college of obstetricians and gynecologists whose practice includes the 21 provision of all sexual and reproductive related care, specifically for 22 polycystic ovarian syndrome, including receiving birth control; individ- 23 uals with professional experience in the fields of reproductive rights, 24 health and/or justice; a member with professional experience and exper- 25 tise in the first amendment and free speech rights; and a staff member 26 from the bureau of social justice within the office of the New York 27 state attorney general. The members of the taskforce shall be appointed 28 as follows: three members by the governor; three members to be appointed 29 by the temporary president of the senate; and three members to be 30 appointed by the speaker of the assembly. The members of the commission 31 shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reim- 32 bursed for any expenses incurred in the performance of their duties 33 hereunder. The commissioner shall issue a report to the governor and the 34 legislature; and shall post such report on the department of health's 35 public website, containing the findings and policy recommendations no 36 later than eighteen months following the effective date of this act. 37 Such report may include de-identified patient information in the 38 aggregate, but shall not include personally identifiable information. 39 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
