Directs the state comptroller to conduct an audit of the department of health and other agencies to ensure that the agency meets its responsibilities to review and assess Medicaid managed care organizations for compliance with federal and state requirements to maintain adequate health care providers within network, and to meet mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
Summary
A08781 would add a new section to the executive law requiring the state comptroller to conduct an audit at least once every three years of the Department of Health and any other state agency the comptroller deems necessary. The audit is intended to assess whether New York is adequately reviewing Medicaid managed care organizations, including HMOs, prepaid health services plans, and HIV special needs plans, for compliance with federal and state requirements.
The bill focuses on three main oversight areas: whether managed care plans maintain an adequate network of health care providers, whether they comply with mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements, and whether they properly address complaints of fraud and abuse and submit plans to remedy deficiencies. After each audit, the comptroller must publish a report explaining the findings and compliance determinations for each Medicaid managed care organization and send the report to the governor, attorney general, legislative leaders, and relevant health, mental health, and substance use disorder committee chairs and ranking members.
Impact
The bill would expand state oversight obligations by formally directing the comptroller to audit the Department of Health and related agencies on a recurring basis and to publicly report on Medicaid managed care compliance. It does not directly change Medicaid eligibility or benefits, but it would create a new statutory audit and reporting framework tied to article 44 of the Public Health Law and to federal and state parity and network adequacy standards. The practical effect would be increased scrutiny of Medicaid managed care organizations and greater transparency for state policymakers and regulators.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or vote record is available with the bill text, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to summarize. Based on the bill’s purpose, the measure appears oversight-oriented and consumer-protective, aiming to strengthen accountability for Medicaid managed care plans and ensure compliance with mental health and substance use disorder protections. The absence of recorded opposition or support in the provided materials means the overall sentiment cannot be measured from debate or voting history.
Contention
The bill’s likely points of contention would center on administrative burden, audit costs, and whether the comptroller should be given this recurring oversight role over the Department of Health and potentially other agencies. Supporters would likely emphasize stronger enforcement of network adequacy and parity requirements, especially for mental health and substance use disorder services, while critics might question duplication of existing regulatory functions or the feasibility of evaluating every managed care organization in the detail required. Because no discussion transcript is provided, no specific lawmakers or stakeholder groups are identified as taking those positions.
Directs the state comptroller to conduct an audit of the department of health and other agencies to ensure that the agency meets its responsibilities to review and assess Medicaid managed care organizations for compliance with federal and state requirements to maintain adequate health care providers within network, and to meet mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
Directs the state comptroller to conduct an audit of the department of financial services to ensure the agency is meeting its responsibility to evaluate and assess insurer compliance with federal and state mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
Directs the state comptroller to conduct an audit of the department of financial services to ensure the agency is meeting its responsibility to evaluate and assess insurer compliance with federal and state mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
Requires the superintendent of financial services to audit certain reports to ensure such insurers are in full compliance with federal and state mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
Requires the superintendent of financial services to audit certain reports to ensure such insurers are in full compliance with federal and state mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
Requires each state agency that publishes reports containing data on its website to post such reports in a machine-readable format; requires the state comptroller to conduct compliance audits and issue a written report to the legislature, the governor, and the audited agencies.
Directs the department of health, in conjunction with other state agencies, to establish and maintain a directory webpage locating publicly accessible lactation accommodations in state-owned and state-leased buildings.
Ensures Medicaid spending results in real access to medical care by increasing transparency in Medicaid managed care network adequacy reviews and safeguarding continuity of care in light of recent major provider network withdrawals.