On June 6th, the New York State Legislature passed Assembly Bill (A) 6698 and Senate Bill (S) 6636, also known as the Grieving Families Act, which would expand the types of damages awarded in a wrongful death lawsuit without caps on damages. If signed into law, these bills will increase medical malpractice insurance premiums in the state of New York by nearly 40 percent and therefore increase overall healthcare costs to the patient. In partnership with the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) and other physician organizations, the New York Chapter of the ACS campaigned against the legislation. While there is a chance Governor Hochul could veto the Grieving Families Act, the New York State Legislature has enough votes to override her veto. Efforts will now be focused on urging the Governor to veto the legislation as well as educating members of the New York State Legislature of the negative impact these bills could have on the delivery of surgical care in the state.
K 647 – Cancer
Introduced by Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal (D), K 647 asks Governor Hochul to proclaim November 11, 2023, as Lung Cancer Screening Awareness Day in the state. The bill was introduced and referred to the Assembly Calendar.
IN THE NEWS
Shortage of non-sterile, single-use pneumatic tourniquet cuffs
The FDA issued a letter to healthcare providers about localized shortages of non-sterile, single-use pneumatic tourniquet cuffs, which are mostly used in elective limb surgeries and in emergency settings; the agency recommended that healthcare providers use alternative devices or reuse existing devices after sterilizing them. Read the FDA notice here.
