BILL NUMBER: S9172
SPONSOR: FAHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to direct access
laboratory testing for certain lipid screening assays
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation would allow direct access laboratory testing for
certain lipid screening assays.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 requires clinical laboratories to perform certain lipid
screening assays at the request of an individual and without a practi-
tioner order or prescription.
Section 2 establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in New York State and
across the United States. Millions of Americans live with high levels of
cholesterol, one of the most common and preventable contributors to
cardiovascular risk. Routine lipid screening is therefore an important
preventive tool for early detection and risk reduction for cardiovascu-
lar disease.
Direct access to lipid screening is unnecessarily limited by the
requirement that individuals obtain a practitioner order or prescription
before testing. This additional step delays and discourages testing,
particularly for individuals without regular access to primary care,
those facing scheduling or cost barriers, or those seeking preventive
health information between medical visits. These barriers result in
missed opportunities for early detection and preventive intervention.
This bill allows licensed clinical laboratories to offer direct access
to certain lipid screening tests including LDL cholesterol, HDL choles-
terol, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) without
requiring a practitioner order, while maintaining existing laboratory
quality and safety standards under state law and the federal Clinical
Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). The bill does not authorize
laboratories to diagnose or treat medical conditions or alter the scope
of practice of licensed health professionals.
Removing barriers to preventive testing helps individuals take a more
proactive role in monitoring cardiovascular health, promotes earlier
detection of risk factors, and improves long-term public health outcomes
across New York State.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become law.