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NY State Senate Passes HCV Screening Bill for "Baby Boomers" - NY Baby Boomers Could Avoid Serious Disease With New Hep C Test Requirement
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Bill Passed by Legislature Requires Offer of Screening Test for Boomers Visiting Doctor or Hospital; Follows Recommendation by Centers for Disease Control
From Jules: the Bill will go to governor for approval
(ALBANY, N. Y.) Baby boomers across New York, many of whom may have hepatitis C without knowing it, will be offered a screening test when visiting health care providers under an AARP-backed bill passed by the state Legislature today.
The bill (S2750A/A1286), sponsored by Senate Health Committee Chairman Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau) and Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski (D-New City), requires people born between 1945 and 1965 to be offered a screening test for hepatitis C - a potentially fatal illness - when seeing their primary care doctor and receiving hospital inpatient and outpatient care.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called for such testing last August after finding people born between 1945 and 1965 are at risk for Hepatitis C infection. Those baby boomers accounted for 75 percent of the estimated 3.2 million Americans infected with hepatitis C, the CDC found.
An estimated 200,000 New Yorkers are living with Hepatitis C, and it's an increasing cause of illness and death. But 45 percent to 85 percent of people living with the disease are unaware they have it, since it often shows no symptoms, according to a CDC report.
Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness that attacks the liver and can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or fatal liver cancer.
"This is truly a life and death matter, and AARP is so pleased that Senator Hannon and Assemblyman Zebrowski won such an important victory for baby boomers," said Beth Finkel, AARP New York State Director. "Offering a screening test to the thousands of New Yorkers whose lives could be saved or improved is just plain common sense."
The bill passed the Senate today 63-0. It passed the Assembly 138-1 on June 10.
There have been great advances over the past few years in treatments for hepatitis C and many carrying the disease can be cured.
By increasing testing opportunities, the bill will make more people living with hepatitis C aware of their infection status, get available treatment, and take steps to prevent transmission.
Empowering individuals to know their hepatitis C infection status is an important step toward meeting the public health challenges presented by a disease which is contagious and communicable. Given that many people infected with this disease show no symptoms, testing is a crucial factor in disease prevention.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley, urged colleagues this spring to test all baby boomers for hepatitis C.
AARP New York, which advocates on behalf of New Yorkers 50 and older, is calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign the bill into law.
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New York State Bill requires Hepatitis C test offer is OK'd, Bill passed State Senate June 20 by 63-0 vote
Bill requires doctors, hospitals to ask baby boomers about option
By Rick Karlin, http://www.timesunion.com
Published 9:53 pm, Thursday, June 20, 2013
Albany
If approved by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, baby boomers may be asked a new question when they go for medical check-ups: Do you want a hepatitis C test?
The Senate on Thursday passed a measure, earlier approved by the Assembly, that would require primary care physicians and hospitals to offer the test to their patients.
It would apply to baby boomers - those born between 1945 and 1965.
The measure, sponsored by Republican Sen. Kemp Hannon, who chairs the health committee, and Democratic Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, was backed by a broad coalition including AARP, Vocal NY and the pharmaceutical industry.
They overcame objections by the state Medical Society, which believes there is insufficient evidence to support testing.
Those in favor of the bill, though, cited estimates that up to 200,000 New Yorkers could have hepatitis C without realizing it because they haven't yet felt the symptoms.
"The challenge is a person can live with hepatitis C for decades before they show any symptoms," said Sean Barry of Vocal NY.
Once they set in, the symptoms are similar to the other better-known hepatitis B, including jaundice and liver damage.
The disease can be fatal but is treatable if diagnosed in time.
"This is truly a life and death matter," said Beth Finkel, AARP's New York State director.
The disease can be transmitted by blood transfusions done before 1992 (after which there was screening) or sharing of needles, said Barry.
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STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1286--A
Cal. No. 191
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
(PREFILED)
January 9, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, MILLER, ENGLEBRIGHT, MAISEL, JAFFEE,
ROSENTHAL, GIBSON, MILLMAN, TITONE, BENEDETTO, ROBERTS, GALEF, ROBINSON, BOYLAND, O'DONNELL, WEPRIN, HOOPER, STIRPE, RODRIGUEZ, GUNTHER, MOSLEY, GOTTFRIED, BRONSON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, BRENNAN, CROUCH, GABRYSZAK, JACOBS, ORTIZ, PERRY, RABBITT, RIVERA,SALADINO, SIMANOWITZ, SWEENEY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health -- reported from committee, advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring hospitals to offer hepatitis C testing; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2171 to read as follows:
S 2171. REQUIRED OFFERING OF HEPATITIS C SCREENING TESTING. 1. EVERY INDIVIDUAL BORN BETWEEN THE YEARS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE AND NINETEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE WHO RECEIVES HEALTH SERVICES AS AN INPATIENT IN A GENERAL HOSPITAL DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION TEN OF SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED ONE OF THIS CHAPTER OR WHO RECEIVES PRIMARY CARE SERVICES IN AN OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF SUCH HOSPITAL OR IN A DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT CENTER LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHT OF THIS CHAPTER OR FROM A PHYSICIAN, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT OR NURSE PRACTITIONER PROVIDING PRIMARY CARE SHALL BE OFFERED A HEPATITIS C SCREENING TEST OR HEPATITIS C DIAGNOSTIC TEST UNLESS THE HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER PROVIDING SUCH SERVICES REASONABLY BELIEVES THAT:
(A) THE INDIVIDUAL IS BEING TREATED FOR A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY;
OR
(B) THE INDIVIDUAL HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN OFFERED OR HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A HEPATITIS C SCREENING TEST (EXCEPT THAT A TEST SHALL BE OFFERED IF OTHERWISE INDICATED); OR
(C) THE INDIVIDUAL LACKS CAPACITY TO CONSENT TO A HEPATITIS C SCREENING TEST.
2. IF AN INDIVIDUAL ACCEPTS THE OFFER OF A HEPATITIS C SCREENING TEST AND THE SCREENING TEST IS REACTIVE, THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER SHALL EITHER OFFER THE INDIVIDUAL FOLLOW-UP HEALTH CARE OR REFER THE INDIVIDUAL TO A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER WHO CAN PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP HEALTH CARE. THE FOLLOW-UP HEALTH CARE SHALL INCLUDE A HEPATITIS C DIAGNOSTIC TEST.
3. THE OFFERING OF HEPATITIS C SCREENING TESTING UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
4. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT AFFECT THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE OF ANY HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER OR DIMINISH ANY AUTHORITY OR LEGAL OR PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATION OF ANY HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER TO OFFER A HEPATITIS C SCREENING TEST OR HEPATITIS C DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR TO PROVIDE SERVICES OR CARE FOR THE SUBJECT OF A HEPATITIS C SCREENING TEST OR HEPATITIS C DIAGNOSTIC TEST.
5. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "HEPATITIS C DIAGNOSTIC TEST" SHALL MEAN ANY LABORATORY TEST OR TESTS THAT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS IN THE BLOOD AND PROVIDES CONFIRMATION OF WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL HAS A HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION.
(B) "HEPATITIS C SCREENING TEST" SHALL MEAN ANY LABORATORY SCREENING TEST OR TESTS THAT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS ANTIBODIES IN THE BLOOD.
(C) "PRIMARY CARE" MEANS THE MEDICAL FIELDS OF FAMILY MEDICINE, GENERAL PEDIATRICS, PRIMARY CARE, INTERNAL MEDICINE, PRIMARY CARE OBSTETRICS, OR PRIMARY CARE GYNECOLOGY, WITHOUT REGARD TO BOARD CERTIFICATION.
S 2. On or before January 1, 2016, the commissioner of health shall evaluate and report on the impact of this act with respect to the number of persons who are screened for hepatitis C and the number of persons who have accessed care following a positive test. Such report shall be submitted to the governor and to the chairs of the assembly and senate committees on health.
S 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law and shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1, 2020; provided, however, that the commissioner of health is authorized to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement this act prior to such effective date.
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http://online.wsj.com/
NY Baby Boomers Could Avoid Serious Disease With New Hep C Test Requirement
Bill Passed by Legislature Requires Offer of Screening Test for Boomers Visiting Doctor or Hospital; Follows Recommendation by Centers for Disease Control
ALBANY, N.Y., June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Baby boomers across New York, many of whom may have hepatitis C without knowing it, will be offered a screening test when visiting health care providers under an AARP-backed bill passed by the state Legislature today.
The bill (S2750A/A1286), sponsored by Senate Health Committee Chairman Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau) and Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski (D-New City), requires people born between 1945 and 1965 to be offered a screening test for hepatitis C -- a potentially fatal illness - when seeing their primary care doctor and receiving hospital inpatient and outpatient care.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called for such testing last August after finding people born between 1945 and 1965 are at risk for Hepatitis C infection. Those baby boomers accounted for 75 percent of the estimated 3.2 million Americans infected with hepatitis C, the CDC found.
An estimated 200,000 New Yorkers are living with Hepatitis C, and it's an increasing cause of illness and death. But 45 percent to 85 percent of people living with the disease are unaware they have it, since it often shows no symptoms, according to a CDC report.
Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness that attacks the liver and can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or fatal liver cancer.
"This is truly a life and death matter, and AARP is so pleased that Senator Hannon and Assemblyman Zebrowski won such an important victory for baby boomers," said Beth Finkel, AARP New York State Director. "Offering a screening test to the thousands of New Yorkers whose lives could be saved or improved is just plain common sense."
The bill passed the Senate today 63-0. It passed the Assembly 138-1 on June 10.
There have been great advances over the past few years in treatments for hepatitis C and many carrying the disease can be cured.
By increasing testing opportunities, the bill will make more people living with hepatitis C aware of their infection status, get available treatment, and take steps to prevent transmission.
Empowering individuals to know their hepatitis C infection status is an important step toward meeting the public health challenges presented by a disease which is contagious and communicable. Given that many people infected with this disease show no symptoms, testing is a crucial factor in disease prevention.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley, urged colleagues this spring to test all baby boomers for hepatitis C.
AARP New York, which advocates on behalf of New Yorkers 50 and older, is calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign the bill into law.
SOURCE AARP New York State
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