BILL NUMBER: S8666A
SPONSOR: MANNION
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring hospi-
tals to ask patients if they have a disability that requires accommo-
dation under The Americans with Disabilities Act
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to require health care professionals to
include questions related to the Americans with Disabilities Act on such
professionals' intake forms.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill would require that patient intake forms include
specific questions about the patient's disability and any request-
ed.reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act;
however, a patient would not be required to answer these questions if
they do not wish to do so.
Section 2 of this bill provides that the effective date shall take
effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
It is unfortunately common for people with disabilities to experience
challenges in accessing needed healthcare services due to physical or
communication barriers in medical facilities. However, many of these
barriers could be mitigated through proper accommodations that meet such
patient's needs.
Ensuring that healthcare workers and facilities are proactive in accom-
modating their patients by including an optional disability accommo-
dations needs assessment on the patient intake form inquiring about
their needs under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is crucial
to providing appropriate care. By putting in place these ADA accommo-
dations, healthcare providers can provide more effective and equitable
care to all their patients and minimize disruptions in critical
services. This bill would require health care professionals to include
questions related to the Americans with Disabilities Act on such profes-
sionals' intake forms.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

Statutes affected:
S8666A: 2803-t public health law