PULSE 1/2/2026: Update on Governor’s Actions on Bills Tracked by MSSNY

In December, the Governor took action on several high profile bills impacting healthcare delivery, including signing legislation supported by MSSNY to expand coverage for lung cancer screening, vetoing legislation opposed by MSSNY that would have greatly increased damages in wrongful death actions  and announcing that she would sign, in January 2026 with significant amendments, the Medical Aid in Dying legislation that was supported by MSSNY based upon its House of Delegates policy.

Governor Hochul took action on several more “under the radar” bills with potential impact to health care delivery that MSSNY, some of which were supported and some of which opposed.

SIGNED

1. A3986A – A bill supported by MSSNY that will prohibit a health insurer from paying a physician or other care provider with a virtual credit card unless that form of payment has been expressly agreed to by such physician or other care provider.
2. 203B – A bill supported by MSSNY based upon House of Delegates policy that requires hospitals to develop a violence prevention program including the establishment of security personnel in hospital emergency departments to protect physicians and other staff from violent verbal and physical abuse.  MSSNY PULSE 12/19/25
3. 6693B – a bill opposed by MSSNY and several specialty societies to permit podiatrists to perform total ankle replacements.

VETOED

1. 5170 – A bill opposed by MSSNY that would have further increased liability premiums by enabling plaintiffs to seek recovery directly against a third-party defendant.
2. 1226 – A bill supported by MSSNY based upon House of Delegates policy that would have expanded community notification and hearing requirements that a hospital must follow when it seeks to close or substantially reduce services.  However, the Department of Health recently issued a guidance substantially increasing existing notification requirements MSSNY PULSE article 12/19/25
3. 929 – Would have required health data collection companies not otherwise subject to HIPAA to follow certain confidentiality rules.  MSSNY did not take a formal position on this bill but there were aspects of the legislation that appeared to be overbroad.