NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7807A
SPONSOR: Epstein TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to information
provided to patients regarding sudden unexpected death in epilepsy
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The bill would require health care practitioners to provide patients
with epilepsy with current and evidence-based information about SUDEP
risk factors and conditions, as well as contact information for nonpro-
fit organizations that provide support services for epilepsy conditions.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends section 2995 of the Public Health Law
(Structure and definitions) by adding definitions for "health care prac-
titioner" and "Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy."
Section 2 of the bill adds a new section 2997-f-1 to the Public Health
Law (Provision of information relating to sudden unexpected death in
epilepsy) to require health care practitioners who are treating patients
for epilepsy to provide them with information regarding sudden unex-
pected death in epilepsy risk factors and conditions, and with contact
information for nonprofit organizations that provide support for epilep-
sy conditions.
Section 2 also requires the Department of Health to provide culturally
and linguistically appropriate written information to health care prac-
titioners necessary to implement the above requirement, and to post such
information on the Department's website. It would also allow nonprofit
organizations to provide the Department with resources and contact
information which may also be added to the website.
Section 3 of the bill is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sudden unexpected
death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the cause of epilepsy-related mortality at
an annual rate of 1.16 cases per every 1,000 people with epilepsy.
Currently, SUDEP is not widely discussed between doctors and their
patients, yet the best way to prevent SUDEP is to reduce the number of
seizures suffered by a person with epilepsy as much as possible. To be
able to reduce their number of seizures, a person with epilepsy needs to
know their triggers for seizures, take their medicine on time, and know
the risk factors for SUDEP to better understand and plan for the future.
This legislation would require health care practitioners to provide
patients they are treating for epilepsy with current and evidence-based
information about SUDEP and to connect them with nonprofit organizations
that can offer further assistance and support. It would also require the
Department of Health to provide information to health care practitioners
to assist with compliance and to post such information on its website.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2019: 5.5397 (Hoylman) - Died in Health
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7807--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 23, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN, SEAWRIGHT, JAFFEE, SAYEGH, McDONOUGH --
read once and referred to the Committee on Health -- recommitted to
the Committee on Health in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to information
provided to patients regarding sudden unexpected death in epilepsy
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 2995 of the public health law is
2 amended by adding two new paragraphs (f) and (g) to read as follows:
3 (f) "Health care practitioner" shall mean a physician, nurse practi-
4 tioner, or physician assistant licensed or certified pursuant to title
5 eight of the education law.
6 (g) "Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy" shall mean sudden, unex-
7 pected death in patients with epilepsy, with or without evidence of a
8 seizure.
9 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2997-f-1
10 to read as follows:
11 § 2997-f-1. Provision of information relating to sudden unexpected
12 death in epilepsy. 1. Any health care practitioner who is treating a
13 patient for epilepsy, who has primary responsibility for the treatment
14 and care of the patient, shall provide such patient with the following
15 written information:
16 (a) current and evidence-based information about sudden unexpected
17 death in epilepsy risk factors and conditions that has been reviewed by
18 one or more accredited medical experts and national epilepsy organiza-
19 tions; and
20 (b) contact information for nonprofit organizations that provide
21 information and support services for epilepsy conditions.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11201-06-0
A. 7807--A 2
1 2.(a) The commissioner shall provide written information to health
2 care practitioners necessary to implement subdivision one of this
3 section, and shall post such information on the department's website.
4 (b) The commissioner shall ensure that such information is culturally
5 and linguistically appropriate for all recipients.
6 (c) Any local or national organization that provides education or
7 services related to epilepsy conditions may request that the commission-
8 er include such organization's informational material and contact infor-
9 mation on the department's website. Once such a request is made, the
10 commissioner may add the information to the department's website at his
11 or her discretion.
12 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
13 have become a law.
