NY Pub Health L § 2950 (2021)
2021 New York Laws PBH - Public Health Article 29-A - Access to Community Health Care Services in Rural Areas Title 1 - Rural Health Care Access 2950 - Legislative Findings.

§  2950. Legislative findings. The legislature finds and determines as   follows:1.  The  health  care  delivery   system   is   undergoing   a   major   transformation  in response to changing demographics and consumer needs,   changes in reimbursement policies, the emergence  of  alternate  service   providers, and public pressure to control health care costs.2. Such changes have a particularly severe impact on rural health care   delivery,  which  consists  of  small, frequently isolated providers who   have limited financial resources and health support networks. Many  such   providers  are  experiencing  financial  stress  or  certain barriers to   change which could  seriously  reduce  access  to  quality  health  care   services by individuals in rural environs.3.  This  development  calls  for  greater  sharing of information and   resources among rural health care providers.  The  promotion  of  proper   planning  and  cooperative  efforts  among  such providers would improve   individual  access  to  health  care  in   rural   areas   and   enhance   cost-effectiveness  in the delivery of such services as tertiary, acute,   primary, home health and skilled nursing care; and illness prevention.4. It is, therefore,  the  intent  of  the  legislature  to  encourage   continued  access  to high quality health care in rural areas as well as   the development of rural health network agreements  among  providers  of   health  care  servicing  rural  areas  which  result  in  the  merger or   integration and coordination of health care services  pursuant  to  such   network  agreements;  and  to  provide  the  necessary  funding for such   networks.5. It is further  the  intent  of  the  legislature  that  as  needed,   regulatory waivers may be granted to participating providers as required   to   successfully  implement  networks  within  the  limits  of  prudent   provision for the health, safety, and  general  welfare  of  the  people   receiving  health  care.    In addition, the commissioner shall actively   provide for technical assistance in order to support  the  creation  and   operation of rural health networks.6.  It  is  further the intent of the legislature that, in order to   promote access to health care services, to increase the required linkage   of health care service providers, and promote the quality and continuity   of care provided to residents in rural areas, it shall be the policy  of   this  state  to  encourage  cooperative,  collaborative  and integrative   arrangements between rural networks and health care providers who  might   otherwise   be   competitors,   under  the  active  supervision  of  the   commissioner. To the extent such arrangements might be  anti-competitive   within  the  meaning  and  intent  of  the federal antitrust laws, it is   further the intent of the legislature to supplant competition with  such   arrangements  to the extent necessary to accomplish the purposes of this   article, and provide state action immunity under the  federal  antitrust   laws with respect to the planning, implementation and operation of rural   health  networks and central services facility rural health networks and   health care providers participating in or members of such networks.