SFY 2026 Final State Budget Deal Reached
Both houses and the Governor have reached an agreement on a Final State Budget for SFY 2025-26, over one month after the April 1st budget deadline. Three Article VII budget bills have gone to print and the Senate and Assembly are in the process of passing them now. We await the remaining Article VII and Appropriations budget bills which we expect to be introduced later today with a goal of getting the final budget in place this week.The Health, Transportation/ Economic Development, and Public Protection/General Government Article VII budget bills have been printed. Below please find an update on its provisions of interest to the Academy. More budget updates to follow.SFY 2026 Final Budget Areas of Interest to NYSAFP
Both houses and the Governor have reached an agreement on a Final State Budget for SFY 2025-26, over one month after the April 1st budget deadline. Three Article VII budget bills have gone to print and the Senate and Assembly are in the process of passing them now. We await the remaining Article VII and Appropriations budget bills which we expect to be introduced later today with a goal of getting the final budget in place this week.The Health, Transportation/ Economic Development, and Public Protection/General Government Article VII budget bills have been printed. Below please find an update on its provisions of interest to the Academy. More budget updates to follow.SFY 2026 Final Budget Areas of Interest to NYSAFP
- Managed Care Organization (MCO) Tax Physician Fee Schedule Increase: The increase was not included in the final health budget bill. However, all the bills are not out yet and we will update you as they continue to be released.
- Physician Excess Medical Malpractice Program: Rejects Executive Budget proposal to restructure the Program and extends the Program for one year
- Expanded Physician Assistant Scope of Practice and Nurse Interstate Compact: Rejects Executive Budget proposal to expand physician assistant scope of practice and allow NYS to enter Interstate Nurse Licensure Compacts
- Transfer of Oversight from State Education Department to Health Department: Rejects Executive Budget proposal to transfer oversight/licensing of physicians, PAs & special assistants from the State Education Department to the Health Department
- Exclusion of Medicaid from IDR Rejects Executive Budget proposal to exclude Medicaid from IDR
- Prescriber Prevails: Rejects proposal to remove prescriber prevails in Medicaid
- Reporting Requirements for Healthcare Transactions: Rejects Executive Budget proposal to establish additional reporting requirements for healthcare transactions
- Modernize Pregnancy Loss Reporting: Includes a proposal to clarify that pregnancy loss reporting is not necessary under New York State law unless requested by the patient and protect the identity and of individuals who suffered a pregnancy loss (per S.3173) with modifications to ensure that disposition of any tissue resulting from a pregnancy loss that occurs without the attendance of a health care provider be disposed of in accordance with the patient’s wishes, and to restrict the investigation and criminalization of stillbirths.
- Maternal and Reproductive Health: Includes the Executive proposal, with language proposed by the Senate, to require that hospitals provide abortion care to patients in emergency situations when necessary to stabilize the patient, and the patient consents to such services. Also requires hospitals that have limited capability for treating high risk maternity patients in need of specialized emergency care to have appropriate triage, treatment, and transfer protocols ensuring the patient’s condition is stable prior to transfer.
- Expand Access to Infertility Treatments: Includes Executive proposal, with modifications, to provide Medicaid coverage for standard fertility preservation services and costs of storage of oocytes or sperm for individuals with iatrogenic infertility who are enrolled in Medicaid. Additionally, the proposal would allow the Commissioner of Health to establish a program to provide health care providers with grants to improve access to health care services that provide the full range of care for infertility.
- Increase Access To Controlled Substances as Emergency Treatment For Substance Use Disorders: Rejects Executive Budget proposal to increase access to controlled substances as emergency treatment for substance use disorders
- Update Medical Debt Consent Law: Rejects Executive Budget proposal to update medical debt consent laws to require separate consent for treatment and payment
- Expanded Personnel Authorized to Give Immunizations: Rejects Executive Budget proposal to expand the personnel authorized to give immunizations including allowing medical assistants to administer immunizations in an outpatient office under physician or PA supervision, licensed pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to patients 2 years of age or older, and pharmacists to supervise registered pharmacy technicians in vaccine administration.
- Involuntary Commitment and Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT): Includes proposal to amend the involuntary commitment standards in existing law to clarify the circumstances when a person with mental illness may be committed; Permits psychiatric nurse practitioners to make one of the necessary commitment certifications and requires clinicians to consider certain factors; Upon admission to a hospital or received as a patient in a comprehensive psychiatric emergency program, the hospital or program shall make reasonable efforts to identify and promptly notify any community provider of mental health services that maintains the client on its caseload, and such provider shall be notified and included in discharge planning.
- Treat Workers’ Compensation Patients: Rejects Executive Budget proposal to allow any licensed acupuncturist, chiropractor, nurse practitioner, occupational therapist, physical therapist, physician, physician assistant, podiatrist, psychologist, or social worker to treat workers’ compensation patients.
- Allow Medical/Surgical Residents to Treat Workers’ Compensation Patients: Accepts Executive Budget proposal to allow, under the supervision of an authorized provider, medical and surgical residents and fellows who are currently in academic training programs to treat workers’ compensation patients.
- Workers’ Compensation Payments: Accepts Executive Budget proposal to allow workers’ compensation payers to pay for medical treatment and care, in addition to compensation payments and prescribed medicine, without accepting liability for one year, during which such payments may be disputed. This authorization currently applies to pay compensation and prescription benefits, but not medical treatment payments.