S6806-2011 - NY Senate Open Legislation - Extends the provisions of chapter 517 of the laws of 2011 relating to the rates of payment for the treatment and care of injured employees by two years

Extends provisions relating to the rates of payment for the treatment and care of injured employees by two years.

Sponsor: ROBACH / Co-sponsor(s): AVELLA, SAVINO
Law Section: Workers' Compensation / Law: Amd S2, Chap 517 of 2011

S6806-2011 Actions

Jun 5, 2012: SUBSTITUTED BY A9657
May 7, 2012: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
May 2, 2012: 2ND REPORT CAL.
May 1, 2012: 1ST REPORT CAL.636
Mar 23, 2012: REFERRED TO LABOR

S6806-2011 Meetings

Labor: May 1, 2012

S6806-2011 Calendars

Active List: Jun 5, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 2, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 7, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 8, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 9, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 14, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 15, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 16, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 21, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 22, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 23, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 30, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 31, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 4, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 5, 2012

S6806-2011 Votes

VOTE: COMMITTEE VOTE: - Labor - May 1, 2012

Ayes (16): Robach, Alesi, DeFrancisco, Gallivan, Grisanti, Johnson, Marcellino, McDonald, Martins, Peralta, Addabbo, Dilan, Gianaris, Perkins, Rivera, Smith

S6806-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S6806

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend chapter 517 of the laws of 2011, amending the workers'
compensation law relating to the rates of payment for the treatment and
care of injured employees, in relation to extending the provisions
thereof

PURPOSE:
This bill would provide for the continuation of reimbursement
for certain medical treatments under the workers compensation system
in the event the federal government changes the codes associated with
such treatments.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
The bill would provide for the continuation of
reimbursement to medical providers for certain kinds of medical care
in the event that the federal government changes the codes for those
medical treatments. The codes are in statute and would become moot if
re-coded at the federal level. The bill would provide for continued
use of the current codes until promulgation of the new codes.
Reimbursement would then be linked to those new codes.

JUSTIFICATION:
Back injuries are a common problem for injured
employees seeking benefits from the Workers' Compensation program.
For many diagnoses, spinal fusion surgery is the recommended
treatment for such individuals and results in superior outcomes than
other treatments. In most cases, the Use of spinal implants is the
preferable method of performing fusion surgery and has become the
medical standard of care.
From a financial standpoint, however, performing fusion surgery with
implants involves a higher surgical cost, that cost is more than
recouped in saving derived from a shorter hospital stay, more
effective rehabilitation and better results. The ability of the
patient to return to work sooner presents additional savings for
employers and insurers with a Workers' Compensation injury or
disability.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2011: S.4559B - Similar - Signed Chapter 517 of the Laws of 2011.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Undetermined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate.

S6806-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
                                          6806
 I N  SENATE
 March 23, 2012
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ROBACH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
 

AN ACT to amend chapter 517 of the laws of 2011, amending  the  workers'
 compensation  law  relating  to the rates of payment for the treatment
 and care of injured employees, in relation to extending the provisions
 thereof
 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section  1. 

Section  2 of chapter 517 of the laws of 2011 relating to
 the rates of payment for the treatment and care of injured employees, is
 amended to read as follows:

 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately; and shall  be  deemed  to
 have been in full force and effect on and after April 1, 2011, and shall
 expire  on  April  1,  [2012] 2014 when upon such date the provisions of
 this act shall be deemed repealed.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD15066-01-2

S6806-2011: Extends the provisions of chapter 517 of the laws of 2011 relating to the rates of payment for the treatment and care of injured employees by two years