New York Senate Bill S01715

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/25
• Refer: 1/13/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Establishes a hyperbaric oxygen therapy pilot program to treat veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Summary

This bill would establish a five-year hyperbaric oxygen therapy pilot program within the Department of Health to provide treatment to New York veterans diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The program would allow authorized medical professionals, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and other licensed practitioners acting within their scope of practice, to prescribe hyperbaric oxygen therapy using FDA-approved hyperbaric chambers or comparable investigational devices with FDA exemption. The bill also requires participating providers to submit annual reports to the commissioner of health on the cost and efficiency of the program, along with recommendations for improvement or expansion. By December 31, 2031, the commissioner must submit a statewide report to the governor and legislative leaders summarizing the data collected, including the number of veterans treated and an analysis of the program’s cost and efficiency. The bill takes effect immediately and directs the Department of Health to adopt any necessary implementing regulations.

Impact

The bill would add a new article to the Public Health Law creating a state-run pilot program specifically for veterans with TBI or PTSD and authorizing hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a covered treatment within that program. It would not broadly mandate coverage statewide, but it would create a new statutory framework for treatment access, reporting, and evaluation, and it would require the Department of Health to regulate implementation. The measure affects veterans, health care providers, and the Department of Health, and it could influence future policy on whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be expanded beyond the pilot phase.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears generally supportive of expanding treatment options for veterans and is framed as a health and veterans’ services initiative. The absence of recorded committee discussion or votes suggests there is no documented public controversy in the available materials, but the bill’s pilot-program structure indicates an effort to test effectiveness before any broader adoption. Overall, the tone is policy-oriented and exploratory rather than adversarial.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are likely to be the medical evidence supporting hyperbaric oxygen therapy for TBI and PTSD, the cost of providing the treatment, and whether the state should fund or authorize a pilot program for a therapy that may be viewed as experimental or not universally accepted. Supporters would likely emphasize veteran care, alternative treatment options, and the value of collecting data through a pilot program. Skeptics may question efficacy, standards of care, and whether resources should instead be directed to more established treatments for mental health and brain injury.