2023 New York Laws › GMU - General Municipal › Article 6 - Public Health and Safety › 126-B - Public Hospitals for Chronically Ill.

* §  126-b. Public hospitals for chronically ill. 1. (a) The governing
board of a county or city may by resolution determine that  there  shall
be  in  such county or city a public hospital for the care and treatment
of the chronically ill and make  provision  for  the  establishment  and
operation  of  such a hospital by such county or city in the same manner
and in accordance with the  same  procedure  as  is  prescribed  by  the
provisions of this article for the establishment and operation of public
general   hospitals;   and   the  provisions  of  sections  one  hundred
twenty-six, one hundred  twenty-seven,  one  hundred  twenty-eight,  one
hundred twenty-nine, one hundred thirty-one, one hundred thirty-two, one
hundred   thirty-three,   one  hundred  thirty-five-a  and  one  hundred
thirty-five-b shall apply thereto except to the  extent  they  shall  be
inconsistent therewith.
(b)  Provided  the  state  board of social welfare shall approve, such
county or city may use for the operation of such a hospital  a  building
or buildings formerly used as a tuberculosis hospital or sanatorium or a
part thereof.
2.  (a) If such a hospital is established, provision shall be made for
the admission  of  patients  thereto,  upon  the  authorization  of  the
commissioner  of  public  welfare of the county or city, as the case may
be, who are receiving public assistance or care from  such  commissioner
or  who may be determined to be needy by such commissioner in accordance
with the standards and criteria of his public welfare district  pursuant
to  the  provisions  of  the social welfare law, and for payment by such
commissioner for the cost of care provided such patients.
(b) When a patient who is  not  the  concern  of  the  public  welfare
commissioner is admitted, the superintendent shall cause to be made such
inquiry  as  he  may  deem  necessary  relative  to  the ability of such
patient, and of the relatives legally liable for his support, to pay for
his care  and  treatment.  If  he  finds  that  such  patient,  or  said
relatives,  are  able  to  pay for his care and treatment in whole or in
part, an order shall  be  made  by  the  superintendent  directing  such
patient, or said relatives, to pay to the treasurer of such hospital for
the  support  of such patient a specified sum per week, in proportion to
their financial ability, but such sum shall not exceed the  actual  cost
of  maintenance.  The  superintendent  shall  have  the  same  power and
authority to collect such  sums  from  the  patient,  or  his  relatives
legally  liable  for  his  support,  as is possessed by a public welfare
official in like circumstances. If the  superintendent  find  that  such
patient,  or his said relatives, are not able to pay, either in whole or
in part, for his care and treatment in such hospital, the unpaid cost of
his maintenance shall become a charge upon the county or city  by  which
the  hospital is maintained, but may be subject to chargeback to another
public welfare district pursuant to the provisions of the social welfare
law. The provisions of this paragraph shall  not  apply  to  any  person
admitted for care and treatment of tuberculosis, as defined and provided
for in the public health law.
(c) No employee of such hospital shall accept from any patient thereof
any fee, payment or gratuity whatsoever for his service.
3.  (a)  Whenever a county or city has, prior to the enactment of this
section, established a public hospital for the care of  the  chronically
sick,  the  governing  body  of  such  county  or city may by resolution
provide that such hospital shall thereafter be controlled and maintained
in accordance with the provisions of this section and article.
(b) Any public hospital for the care of the chronically sick which may
hereafter be established by the governing board of any  county  or  city
shall be subject to the provisions of this section and article.
* NB There are 2 § 126-b's