BILL NUMBER: S4862
SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to transportation
management brokers
 
PURPOSE:
To eliminate from law the broker involvement in ambulette transportation
under Medicaid.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
The bill strikes certain portions of the social services law to effectu-
ate the purpose of this bill.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The ambulette industry serving Medicaid patients provide vital and
direct service to a very fragile population, namely, transportation
services to and from direct medical care providers serving poor and
low-income patients who have no access to privately owned vehicles and
who have handicapping conditions that prevent utilization of mass trans-
it providers. Most of the Uber and medallion taxi fleets lack the neces-
sary equipment to safely serve this population. Without ambulette
services the quality of life of the New Yorkers they serve would
substantially deteriorate and their life expectancy shortened. The
COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the delivery of ambu-
lette services to this population. Delivery of health services and coun-
selling via telehealth has substantially reduced in-person visits by
patients. Further, government restrictions imposing social distancing
within the vehicles prevent the multi-loading of patients and thereby
reduces the profitability of each and every run by these vehicles.
Recently empowered brokers by law do nothing to improve the delivery of
direct care providers of service to this fragile population, not the
doctors, not adult care facilities, not physical rehabilitation facili-
ties, not mental rehabilitation facilities and not ambulette transpor-
ters.
Previously, the Department of Health managed and controlled the delivery
of services by ambulette companies through the Transportation Manager
Program. That program needs to be reinstated and replace brokers. The
subject bill would eliminate the unnecessary, redundant, and expensive
brokers authorized for reimbursements from public funds. To ensure the
continuation of quality, timely and safe transport services to this
population, the savings generated by the elimination of middleman
brokers needs to be reinvested and redirected to those entities provid-
ing direct care to patients having substantial handicapping conditions.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: S7243 - Referred to Health
2023-24: S2412 - Referred to Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided however that the amend-
ments to subdivisions 4 and 6 of section 365-h of the social services
law made by sections one and two of this act shall not affect the expi-
ration and reversion of such section pursuant to subdivision(a) of
section 40 of part B of chapter 109 of the laws of 2010, as amended.

Statutes affected:
S4862: 365-h social services law, 365-h(4) social services law, 365-h(6) social services law