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Bill

A 1987

Provides for the humane removal of downed animals

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Linda Rosenthal

Requires private insurers and public plans to cover in-home medical care for disabled or elderly with mobility issues, equal to other medical conditions.

REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
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Bill Summary · A 1987

Summary — A1987 (Assembly) — Home Health Care Coverage

Note: The bill text reported for A1987 addresses expanded home health care and insurance coverage for disabled and elderly persons with mobility issues. (The user-provided short title "Provides for the humane removal of downed animals" appears to be a mismatch with the bill content and is not reflected in the bill text.)

Purpose

Authorize and require covered health care professionals and health insurers to provide and reimburse "home care" — preventive, primary, specialty, or urgent medical care delivered in a patient’s home — for individuals who are disabled or elderly with mobility issues and cannot reasonably attend in‑person visits.

Key provisions

  • Permits a health care professional to provide care or treatment in a patient’s home when:
    • The individual is unable to present for an in‑person visit in a health care facility, as documented in the medical record based on the clinician’s good‑faith clinical judgment; and
    • The clinician can provide adequate care in the home consistent with applicable clinical standards.
  • Defines "home care" to include preventive, primary, specialty, or urgent care provided in the home, and explicitly excludes custodial care.
  • Requires that group and individual health insurance contracts (including insurance companies, hospital/medical/health service corporations, HMOs, and entities administering the State Health Benefits Program and School Employees’ Health Benefits Program) issued, delivered, or renewed on or after the act’s effective date must provide benefits for expenses incurred in conducting home care.
    • Benefits must be provided to the same extent as for other medical conditions.
    • The requirement applies to contracts in which the insurer reserved the right to change premiums.
    • The statute states it should not be interpreted to impose new network adequacy requirements specifically for home care.
  • Committee amendments clarify:
    • "Elderly" means persons age 65 or older with mobility issues.
    • "Health care professional" includes persons licensed under Title 45 of the Revised Statutes and nurse practitioners/clinical nurse specialists.

Definitions (select)

  • Disabled: total and permanent inability to engage in substantial gainful activity due to a medically determinable impairment (including blindness).
  • Elderly: age 65+ (as amended, with mobility issues).
  • Health care professional: licensed under Title 45 (plus nurse practitioners/clinical nurse specialists per amendment).

Who is affected

  • Patients: disabled individuals and elderly (65+) with mobility issues who cannot attend in‑person visits.
  • Providers: physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and other licensed clinicians delivering in‑home medical services.
  • Payers: private insurers, health service/hospital/medical service corporations, HMOs, and entities administering SHBP/SEHBP — required to cover home care services as described.

Procedural status / timeline

  • Introduced in Assembly: January 9, 2024 (referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee).
  • Reported out of Assembly Aging & Human Services Committee with amendments: December 12, 2024 (referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee).
  • Referred to Agriculture: January 14, 2025 (listed twice).
  • Current status shown as: REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE.
  • Companion/coordinating measure: S1599 (Senate).
  • Sponsor: Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Increased access to medically appropriate in‑home services for patients with mobility limitations.
  • Insurers will need to update policies and claims processes to cover home care consistent with existing benefit levels; potential cost implications for payers and premiums.
  • The bill excludes custodial care, focusing on clinically oriented services; does not create additional network adequacy obligations.
  • Operational considerations for providers: documentation requirements, standards of care, and billing/credentialing for in‑home services.

Effective date is not specified in the summary text; applicability is described as applying to contracts issued, delivered, approved, or renewed on or after the act’s effective date.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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