BILL NUMBER: S2633
SPONSOR: GONZALEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to direct the department of health to complete a report on the
impact of hospital closures on healthcare access in New York state
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Legislative findings
Subsection 1: Declare serious public emergency regarding hospital
closures across New York State and provides the need to protect public
health, safety, and the general welfare, strengthening the department of
health's reporting efforts to ensure the findings are accessible to the
public and legislature.
Section 2: Provides that the Department of Health shall provide a
produce a report that examines impact of hospital closures on healthcare
access in the state and engage with public health experts, labor repre-
sentatives, community leaders, and residents.
Subsection 1: Requires that the report include statewide data categor-
ized by county or relevant zip code;
Subsection 1(a): Report on number of hospitals and hospital networks;
average number of total and available hospital beds; number of acute
care hospital beds per one thousand residents; number of Medicare and
Medicaid recipients and the percentage of insured and uninsured patients
served; projected market shares of all hospitals and hospital networks
in New York State; financial condition of hospitals and hospital
networks that have submitted a proposal for closure to the Department of
Health within the past year; travel times between hospitals providing
similar services, including public transportation options; number and
location of hospitals that have closed or reduced services in the previ-
ous five years, including unit closures or reductions in patient capaci-
ty; regions where additional hospitals are currently needed based on
public needs; demographics of patients served by each hospital and
hospital network in the previous five years, including race, sex,
gender, age, economic status, and disability status; payor mix of the
patients served by each hospital for the previous five years; number of
staff currently employed at each hospital and hospital network; access
to each hospital and hospital network by public or private transporta-
tion, including transportation sponsored by the hospital and hospital
network; nature and scope of healthcare services currently provided in
each hospital and hospital network; change in service volume in each
hospital and hospital network over the previous five years.
Subsection 1(b): Establishes that if the DOH does not have access to the
data listed in paragraph (a), it must collect such data or explain its
inability to do so.
Subsection 1(c): The department of health must produce the report by
April 1, 2025, and distribute it to key legislative leaders and commit-
tees. The report must also be posted publicly on the department's
website within one week of distribution.
Subsection 2: The report must use the data to define and identify areas
at risk of future hospital closures, designated as "distressed health-
care zones."
Subsection 3: Requires the department of health to issue a successive
report every three years, updating the designations of distressed
healthcare zones, which will be prioritized when allocating healthcare
spending and issuing certificates of need.
Section 3: The act takes effect immediately, the commissioner of health
and the public health and health planning council responsible for making
necessary regulations and taking actions to implement the act.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State is experiencing an undeclared healthcare emergency.
Currently, at least 12 hospitals in the state have filed applications
for closure, and 21 rural New York hospitals are at risk of immediate
closure. This trend threatens access to essential healthcare services
for millions of New Yorkers across the State and exacerbates existing
health disparities, disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable
populations in underserved areas. The State Department of Health will
collect and analyze statewide data and data from individual healthcare
facilities to assess the current state of healthcare in New York State
and determine how closures of healthcare facilities might impact health-
care access locally and statewide. By examining factors such as
geographic distribution, patient demographics, financial viability, and
quality of care, the Department of Health can identify areas of need and
develop targeted interventions to address this ongoing healthcare emer-
gency. The detailed report from the Department of Health incorporating
data from various sources, and engaging with public health experts and
community stakeholders, the state can better assess the impact and
develop strategies to find a solution. The identification of di stressed
healthcare zones will ensure that areas most in need of healthcare
services are prioritized in future healthcare planning and resource
allocation. This approach not only aims to prevent further closures but
also seeks to improve healthcare access for all New Yorkers.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.