S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        3593--A
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                   February 28, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  ADAMS  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance  --  recommitted
         to the Committee on Insurance in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8
         --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
         and recommitted to said committee
       AN ACT to amend the insurance law,  in  relation  to  medical  proof  in
         no-fault  actions, and provides for the repeal of such provisions upon
         expiration thereof
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  The insurance law is amended by adding a new section 5110
    2  to read as follows:
    3    S 5110. MEDICAL PROOF IN NO-FAULT ACTIONS. 1. A PARTY WHO INITIATES AN
    4  ACTION FOR MONEY, EXCLUSIVE OF INTEREST AND  COSTS  AND  ATTORNEY  FEES,
    5  WHICH  SEEKS  REIMBURSEMENT  FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT, TESTING, OR SUPPLIES
    6  PURSUANT TO SECTION FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SIX OF THIS ARTICLE, SHALL
    7  AT TRIAL, SUBMIT THE SWORN STATEMENT OF  THE  LICENSED  MEDICAL  PROFES-
    8  SIONAL THAT RENDERED, PRESCRIBED OR ORDERED THE MEDICAL TREATMENT ON THE
    9  ISSUE  OR ISSUES OF MEDICAL NECESSITY OR A SWORN STATEMENT FROM A REPRE-
   10  SENTATIVE THAT CLAIMED SERVICES HAD BEEN BILLED IN ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE
   11  WORKERS  COMPENSATION FEE SCHEDULE PURSUANT TO SECTION FIVE THOUSAND ONE
   12  HUNDRED EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE.
   13    2. THE LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL SHALL AFFIRM THAT NO-FAULT  BENE-
   14  FITS WERE DULY ASSIGNED TO THE PLAINTIFF, THE CLAIMED TREATMENT, TESTING
   15  OR  SUPPLIES  WERE  RENDERED,  PRESCRIBED  OR  ORDERED BY THE PLAINTIFF,
   16  MEDICALLY NECESSARY TO TREAT ACCIDENT RELATED INJURIES AND SHALL INCLUDE
   17  THE MATERIAL FACTS AND DOCUMENTS  UPON  WHICH  THE  OPINION  OF  MEDICAL
   18  NECESSITY  WAS  BASED; OR, THE REPRESENTATIVE SHALL INCLUDE THE RELEVANT
   19  SECTIONS OF THE FEE SCHEDULE AND THE MATERIAL FACTS AND  DOCUMENTS  THAT
   20  SUPPORT  THE  CLAIMED  SERVICES  WERE  BILLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEE
   21  SCHEDULE. SUBMISSION OF SUCH SWORN STATEMENT SHALL NOT CREATE A PRESUMP-
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD07585-02-1
S. 3593--A 2 1 TION OF MEDICAL NECESSITY OR PROVIDE GREATER DEFERENCE TO THE TREATING 2 MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL OR ADHERENCE TO THE FEE SCHEDULE. 3 3. A PARTY OPPOSING SUCH ACTION MAY SUBMIT A SWORN STATEMENT ON THE 4 ISSUE OR ISSUES OF MEDICAL NECESSITY OR THAT THE CLAIMED SERVICES WERE 5 NOT BILLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORKERS COMPENSATION FEE SCHEDULE 6 PURSUANT TO SECTION FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE. 7 SUCH STATEMENT SHALL INCLUDE THE MATERIAL FACTS AND/OR DOCUMENTS UPON 8 WHICH SUCH STATEMENT IS BASED. 9 4. A COPY OF THE SWORN STATEMENT OR STATEMENTS SHALL BE FURNISHED TO 10 ALL PARTIES NO LATER THAN THE TIME THAT THE STATEMENT IS SUBMITTED TO 11 THE COURT. THE SWORN STATEMENT SHALL BE ACCEPTED BY THE COURT IN LIEU OF 12 TESTIMONY UNLESS, AFTER SUBMISSION OF THE SWORN STATEMENT, THE COURT 13 DETERMINES THAT IT WISHES TO HEAR TESTIMONY WHEREIN THE COURT SHALL THEN 14 DIRECT THAT ALL PARTIES SUBMITTING A SWORN STATEMENT SHALL HAVE THAT 15 PERSON APPEAR AND TESTIFY IN PERSON. 16 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall: 17 1. apply to all actions and proceedings commenced on or after such 18 date; 19 2. apply to any action or proceeding which was commenced prior to such 20 effective date where, as of such date, either: (a) a trial of the issues 21 has not yet commenced, or (b) the parties have not yet entered into a 22 stipulation of settlement; and 23 3. expire and be deemed repealed December 31, 2018.