Governor Signs and Vetoes Numerous Healthcare Mandate Bills
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Numerous bills of interest and consequences to physicians were acted on by Governor Hochul this past week. One bill was signed eliminating a long-standing physician reporting requirement, and two others vetoed that would have placed new requirements on some physicians. However, two other bills were signed, creating new reporting requirements for physicians treating certain neurological conditions.
Bills signed into law include:
- A.1894/S.3362 (Bill) – Eliminates a reporting requirement for physicians and other care providers to report to DOH that a patient in their care is a “habitual user of narcotic drugs”. Effective Immediately.
- 1985-C/S.598-B (Bill) – creates a State Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) Registry and requires reporting to DOH by hospitals, physicians, PAs and NPs of all patients diagnosed or treated for FTD within 180 days of patients receiving their care. Effective on or about January 16, 2026.
- 7845/S.6413 (Bill) – creates an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Motor Neuron Disease (MND) registry and requires reporting to DOH by hospitals, physicians, PAs and NPs of all patients diagnosed or treated for FTD within 180 days of patients receiving their care. Effective on or about January 16, 2026.
Bills Vetoed Included:
- A.778/S.7714 (Bill) – Would have required DOH to create an informational pamphlet concerning intrauterine devices, and would have requires practitioners to distribute such informational pamphlet to patients seeking contraceptives.
- 2168/S.7545 (Bill) – Would have required DOH to develop maternal health care providers to distribute written information about episiotomy to maternity patients.
- 6917-A/S.6441-A (Bill)– Would have required health insurers to reimburse pharmacists for time spent counseling patients when they dispense contraceptives.
