GNYHA’s recent quarterly meeting of Legal Affairs and Corporate Compliance professionals featured updates on legislative, regulatory, and enforcement developments pertinent to the legal and compliance functions. GNYHA—which the New York State Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Board has certified as an Accredited Provider—offered attendees CLE credit for participating in this event.
Laura Alfredo, Esq., GNYHA’s Executive Vice President, Legal, Regulatory, and Professional Affairs and General Counsel, highlighted pending New York State bills that GNYHA is concerned about, including the Hospital Closure Bill and the Grieving Families Act. GNYHA opposes both.
On the regulatory activity front, Ms. Alfredo discussed the US Supreme Court’s overruling of the Chevron doctrine, as well as other Supreme Court decisions that represent an overhaul of Federal administrative agency authority. GNYHA will offer standalone programming on this. She also highlighted New York State’s Health Equity Impact Assessment law, noting that GNYHA is advocating for a more streamlined approach to the process.
Puja Khare, Esq., GNYHA’s Vice President, Legal, Regulatory, and Professional Affairs, reviewed the New York State Department of Health (DOH) Cybersecurity Regulations for Hospitals. She detailed GNYHA’s advocacy efforts, which include informing DOH about existing Federal cybersecurity regulations.
Alison Burke, GNYHA’s Vice President, Regulatory and Professional Affairs, reviewed the State Office of Mental Health’s (OMH) proposed rule on admission and discharge for psychiatric inpatient units of general hospitals and comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs. GNYHA will submit comments on OMH’s proposed rule.
Lori Lahn, GNYHA’s Assistant Vice President, Legal, Regulatory, and Professional Affairs, reviewed New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) activities, including GNYHA’s ongoing work with OMIG. Ms. Lahn described GNYHA’s advocacy to make the OMIG’s audit of the Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus program less burdensome for hospitals. New York’s Clinical Staffing Committee Law, the State’s Hospital Financial Assistance Law, the Department of Justice’s Whistleblower Program, and the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act also were discussed during the event.
Ms. Alfredo gave an update on the Change Healthcare cyberattack, noting GNYHA’s advocacy efforts include working with the New York Health Plan Association and the New York State Department of Financial Services to encourage health insurers to extend flexibilities on timely filing deadlines.