S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        7483--A
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                    April 14, 2010
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by Sens. HUNTLEY, ESPADA, THOMPSON -- read twice and ordered
         printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Health
         --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
         and recommitted to said committee
       AN ACT to amend the public health  law,  in  relation  to  enacting  the
         "hospital closure planning act"
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
    2  the "hospital closure planning act".
    3    S  2.  The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2801-g
    4  to read as follows:
    5    S 2801-G. COMMUNITY FORUM ON HOSPITAL CLOSURE. 1. NO LATER THAN THIRTY
    6  DAYS AFTER THE CLOSURE OF A GENERAL  HOSPITAL,  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL
    7  HOLD  A PUBLIC COMMUNITY FORUM FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING PUBLIC INPUT
    8  CONCERNING THE ANTICIPATED IMPACT OF THE GENERAL HOSPITAL'S  CLOSURE  ON
    9  ACCESS  TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY MEMBERS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY,
   10  INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO RECIPIENTS OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR  NEEDY
   11  PERSONS,  THE  UNINSURED,  AND  UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, AND OPTIONS AND
   12  PROPOSALS TO AMELIORATE SUCH ANTICIPATED IMPACT.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
   13  AFFORD COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, LABOR  UNIONS,  PAYERS,
   14  BUSINESSES  AND  CONSUMERS A REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT RELE-
   15  VANT MATTERS AT SUCH COMMUNITY FORUM.
   16    2. NO LATER THAN SIXTY DAYS AFTER HOLDING A COMMUNITY  FORUM  PURSUANT
   17  TO  SUBDIVISION  ONE OF THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE AVAIL-
   18  ABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE INFORMATION REGARDING:
   19    (A) THE ANTICIPATED IMPACT OF THE GENERAL HOSPITAL'S CLOSURE ON ACCESS
   20  TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY MEMBERS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, INCLUD-
   21  ING BUT NOT LIMITED  TO  RECIPIENTS  OF  MEDICAL  ASSISTANCE  FOR  NEEDY
   22  PERSONS, THE UNINSURED, AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS;
   23    (B)  SPECIFIC  MEASURES THE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER PARTIES HAVE TAKEN OR
   24  WILL TAKE TO AMELIORATE SUCH ANTICIPATED IMPACT; AND
   25    (C) ANY  FURTHER  RECOMMENDATIONS  REGARDING  ACCESS  TO  HEALTH  CARE
   26  SERVICES IN COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY THE GENERAL HOSPITAL'S CLOSURE.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD11426-16-0
       S. 7483--A                          2
    1    3.  A COMMUNITY FORUM CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE HELD
    2  AT A LOCATION WITHIN A REASONABLE  PROXIMITY  TO  THE  GENERAL  HOSPITAL
    3  SUBJECT  TO  CLOSURE, AND SHALL BE ANNOUNCED NO LESS THAN TEN DAYS PRIOR
    4  TO THE DATE OF SUCH COMMUNITY FORUM.
    5    S  3.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall apply only to
    6  general hospitals that close on or after such effective date.