This issue covers significant legislative movement and emergency regulatory actions affecting New York’s health care landscape. The Senate advanced several high-impact measures, passing bills to establish mandatory minimum Medicaid coverage for childbirth stays and to prohibit hospitals from storing credit card information without written consent.

On the regulatory front, the Education Department issued critical emergency rules overhauling pharmacy technician practice settings and prescription transfer protocols, aiming to reduce administrative friction. Additionally, the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports proposed joint certification frameworks for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics to ensure continued federal compliance and Medicaid billing.

Elsewhere, lawmakers introduced comprehensive mandates regarding gender-affirming care coverage, prohibiting fail-first step therapy for serious mental health conditions, and expanding pharmacy benefit manager transparency requirements.