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"New York Department of Health" redirects here. For the New York City entity, see New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
New York State Department of Health
Department overview
FormedFebruary 19, 1901 (1901-02-19)
JurisdictionNew York
HeadquartersAlbany, NY
Department executive
  • James V. McDonald M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner (Appointed June 9, 2023)
Key document
Websitewww.health.ny.gov Edit this at Wikidata

The New York State Department of Health is the department of the New York state government responsible for public health.

Public health infrastructure

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Further information: Healthcare in New York (state)

New York State relies on a county-based system for delivery of public health services.[1] The Department of Health promotes the prevention and control of disease, environmental health, healthy lifestyles, and emergency preparedness and response; supervises local health boards; oversees reporting and vital records; conducts surveillance of hospitals; does research at the Wadsworth Center; and administers several other health insurance programs and institutions.[1] 58 local health departments offer core services including assessing community health, disease control and prevention, family health, and health education; 37 localities provide environmental health services, while the other 21 rely on the state's Department of Health.[1] Its regulations are compiled in title 10 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations.

A nurse pinning ceremony at Nazareth College. Nurses represent a majority of rural public health workers.

At the local level, public health workers are found not only in local health agencies but also in private and nonprofit organizations concerned with the public's health.[2] The most common professional disciplines are physicians, nurses, environmental specialists, laboratorians, health educators, disease investigators, outreach workers, and managers, as well as other allied health professions.[2] Nurses represented 22% of the localities' workforce (and 42% of full-time equivalent workers in rural localities), scientific/investigative staff represented 22%–27% of the workforce, support staff represented 28%, education/outreach staff represented 10%, and physicians represented 1%.[1] In 2018 the Department of Health had over 3300 personnel in its central office, three regional offices, three field offices and nine district health offices, and an additional 1400 personnel in its five healthcare institutions.[3]

Certificate of need

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The certificate of need (CON) process is a regulatory mechanism used to oversee the establishment, construction, renovation, and major equipment acquisition of healthcare facilities.[4][5] The CON process aims to control health care costs and prevent duplicative services by ensuring new investments meet a community need.[6][7] The process is governed by Article 28 of the Public Health Law and administered by the department with guidance and approval from its Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC).

New York's CON requirements are among the most extensive in the nation, covering all six major categories of health services: hospital beds, non-hospital beds, medical equipment, new facilities, new services, and even emergency medical transport, and New York is unique in applying CON laws to dentists' offices.[8]

Professional licensing

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The Office of Professional Medical Conduct and State Board for Professional Medical Conduct are responsible for investigating and adjudicating complaints against physicians, physician assistants, and specialist assistants.[9][10] The Education Department's State Board for Medicine advises the Board of Regents on licensing, practice standards, and professional conduct for physicians and physician assistants.[11]

Medical assistance

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The Department, through the NY State of Health marketplace, manages eligibility and enrollment for Medicaid applicants.[12][13][14] New York has transitioned to Medicaid managed care away from the fee-for-service model, and most beneficiaries enroll in "mainstream" Medicaid managed care plans.[15][16][17]

New York distributes its disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments through multiple mechanisms, including the Health Care Reform Act (HCRA)-funded General Hospital Indigent Care Pool for both public and voluntary hospitals, the High Need Indigent Care Adjustment Pool for rural hospitals, DSH intergovernmental transfers for public hospitals, and DSH payments to Institutes for Mental Disease (IMDs), to help offset financial losses from serving Medicaid and uninsured patients.[18][19][20][21]

Statewide Health Information Network

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The Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY, pronounced "shiny") is a health information exchange that allows healthcare providers to access and share patient data, managed by the nonprofit New York eHealth Collaborative. There are several regional health information organizations such as Hixny.

History

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An engraving depicting a violent mob attacking a closed gate, and above the gate a sign says "Quarantine Marine Hospital".
The 1858 Staten Island Quarantine War was a series of attacks on the New York Marine Hospital in Staten Island

The earliest New York state laws regarding public health were quarantine laws for the port of New York, first passed by the New York General Assembly in 1758.[22][23] The 1793 Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic precipitated the 1799–1800 creation of the New York Marine Hospital, and in 1801 its resident physician and the health officers of the port were constituted as the New York City board of health. The 1826–1837 cholera pandemic precipitated further legislation. In 1847 a law mandated civil registration of vital events (births, marriages, and deaths). In 1866, the state legislature passed the Metropolitan Health Law and established the NYC Metropolitan Board of Health, and in 1870 the legislature replaced it with the NYC Department of Health.[24][25]

The State Board of Health was created 18 May 1880 by the 103rd Legislature.[26] The 1881–1896 cholera pandemic further caused an expansion of its powers to compel reporting and to perform the duties of local boards of health. The State Department of Health and its commissioner were created by an act of 19 February 1901 of the 124th Legislature, superseding the board.[27]

The certificate of need (CON) requirement was created by New York in 1964.[28][6][29]

The state implemented Medicaid in 1966 and designated the state Department of Social Services as the "single state agency" but required it to contract with the Health Department.[30][31] The Social Services Department and local social districts were responsible for eligibility determinations and paying claims, while the Health Department and local health districts were responsible for settings standards (including fees schedules) and supervising and surveilling providers.[31] In 2012, the Health Department started assuming administrative responsibilities for Medicaid from the counties.[12][32][33][13]

By 1970 the state began to regulate health insurance reimbursement rates, in 1983 began all-payer rate setting, and by 1986-1988 had moved to a case-based system.[34][35][36] In 1996 these were replaced by the current Health Care Reform Act (HCRA), allowing negotiated reimbursement rates and establishing tax funding for public goods like graduate medical education, charity care, and public health.[37][38][39] The Health Care Reform Act of 2000 (HCRA 2000) was a major extension and modification that made significant changes to how New York State funded hospitals, subsidized care for the uninsured, and managed health insurance programs.[40][41]

List of commissioners

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Name Dates in Office Governors Served Comments
Daniel Lewis March 6, 1901[42] – Early 1905 Benjamin B. Odell, Jr. Previously was President of the State Board of Health, which became the Department of Health, and served out full term
Eugene H. Porter May 1905[43] – Early 1914 Frank W. Higgins, Charles Evans Hughes,
Horace White, John Alden Dix,
William Sulzer, Martin H. Glynn		 Served out his term
Hermann M. Biggs January 19, 1914[44] – June 28, 1923[45] Martin H. Glynn, Charles S. Whitman,
Alfred E. Smith, Nathan L. Miller		 Died while serving
Matthias Nicoll Jr. July 12, 1923[46] – January 11, 1930[47] Alfred E. Smith, Franklin D. Roosevelt Resigned to become Commissioner of the Westchester County (New York) Department of Health
Thomas J. Parran, Jr. March 5, 1930[48] – May 6, 1936[49] Franklin D. Roosevelt, Herbert Lehman Resigned to become Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service
Edward S. Godfrey April 21, 1936[50] – May 1, 1947[51] Herbert Lehman, Charles Poletti, Thomas E. Dewey Retired
Herman E. Hilleboe July 1, 1947[52] – January 7, 1963[53] Thomas E. Dewey, W. Averell Harriman,
Nelson A. Rockefeller		 Became head of the Division of Public Health Practice at the Columbia University School of Public Health[54]
Hollis S. Ingraham January 7, 1963?[53] – January 2, 1975[55][56] Nelson A. Rockefeller Served out full term
Robert P. Whalen January 2, 1975[55] – April 29, 1975[57] (acting)
April 29, 1975[57] – December 31,1978[58]		 Hugh Carey Resigned to become Vice chairman of the New York State Health Planning Commission
David Axelrod January 1, 1979[59] – May 12, 1991[60] Hugh Carey, Mario M. Cuomo Resigned after a severe stroke[61]
Lorna McBarnette February 25, 1991 – June 9, 1992 Mario M. Cuomo Acting[62]
Mark R. Chassin June 9, 1992[63] – December 31, 1994 Mario M. Cuomo Served out full term
Barbara Ann DeBuono Early February 1995[64] – November 1, 1998[65] George E. Pataki Resigned to become an executive in the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System
Dennis P. Whalen November 1, 1998 – June 1999 George E. Pataki Acting[66]
Antonia C. Novello June 1999[67] – December 31, 2006 George E. Pataki Served out full term
Richard F. Daines February 2007[68] – December 31, 2010[69] Eliot Spitzer, David Paterson Served out full term
Nirav R. Shah January 24, 2011[70] – May 4, 2014 Andrew Cuomo Resigned to become chief operating officer at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California[71]
Howard A. Zucker May 4, 2014 – May 5, 2015 (acting)
May 5, 2015[72] – December 1, 2021		 Andrew Cuomo, Kathy Hochul Part of Governor Cuomo and Hochul's COVID-19 task force during the pandemic[73]
Mary T. Bassett December 1, 2021 – January 1, 2023 Kathy Hochul Part of Governor Hochul's COVID-19 task force during the pandemic[74]
James V. McDonald January 1, 2023 – June 9, 2023 (acting)
June 9, 2023[75] – current		 Kathy Hochul Current commissioner

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d New York State Public Health Council (December 2003). Strengthening New York's Public Health System for the 21st Century. OCLC 180188059.
  2. ^ a b Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2001). Public Health's Infrastructure: A Status Report. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ New York State Public Health Council. NYS Department of Health 2018 Annual Report (PDF).
  4. ^ Public Health Law § 2802
  5. ^ "Certificate of Need (CON)". New York State Department of Health. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  6. ^ a b NYS Executive Department (22 April 1964), New York State bill jackets - L-1964-CH-0730, New York State Library
  7. ^ "Certificate of Need State Laws". National Conference of State Legislatures. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
  8. ^ "New York". Conning the Competition (Report). Institute for Justice. 14 April 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  9. ^ Public Health Law § 230
  10. ^ "Understanding New York's Medical Conduct Program - Physician Discipline". New York State Department of Health. March 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  11. ^ Education Law § 6523
  12. ^ a b Social Services Law § 365-n.
  13. ^ a b Medicaid Administration: Annual Report to the Governor and Legislature (PDF) (Report). New York State Department of Health. December 2019. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  14. ^ Bachrach, D.; Boozang, P. M.; Dutton, M. J.; Holahan, D. (January 2011). "Revisioning" Medicaid as part of New York's coverage continuum (PDF) (Report). United Hospital Fund. p. 2. ISBN 978-1-933881-10-2.
  15. ^ 18 NYCRR § 360-10.1
  16. ^ "The Future of Long Term Care in NYS". New York State Department of Health. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  17. ^ "Medicaid Managed Care". Western New York Law Center. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  18. ^ Public Health Law §§ 2807-k, 2807-w
  19. ^ Tracy, Carrie; Benjamin, Elisabeth Ryden; Dunker, Amanda (January 2018). Unintended Consequences: How New York State Patients and Safety-Net Hospitals Are Short Changed (Report). Community Service Society of New York. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  20. ^ Glossary of New York Medicaid Policy (PDF) (Report). Sachs Policy Group. February 2022. pp. 21–22. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  21. ^ Orecki, Patrick (15 February 2019). "Medicaid Supplemental Payments: State Workgroup Makes Limited Progress on Part of the Problem". Citizens Budget Commission. Citizens Budget Commission of New York. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  22. ^ New York State Department of Health (1910). Thirtieth Annual report of the State Department of Health of New York for the year ending December 31, 1909. pp. 490–492. OCLC 1760127.
  23. ^ "An Act to prevent the bringing in and Spreading of Infectious Distempers in this Colony". The Colonial Laws of New York from the Year 1664 to the Revolution. Vol. 4. J. B. Lyon, state printer. 1894. pp. 237–239. hdl:2027/mdp.39015011398438. LCCN 28028259. Chapter 1061 of Van Schaack, chapter 139 (vol. 2) of Livingston & Smith, enacted 24 March 1758, expired 1 January 1762. See also chapter 1213 on page 707.
  24. ^ Chapter 74 of the Laws of 1866, volume 1, pages 114–144, enacted 26 February 1866, at § 5.
  25. ^ Chapter 137, Laws of 1870, enacted 5 April 1870, page 373, at § 30; and also page 388, at § 90 et seq.
  26. ^ Chapter 322 of the Laws of 1880, pages 465–468, enacted 18 May 1880, at § 13.
  27. ^ Chapter 29 of the Laws of 1901, pages 31–37, enacted 19 February 1901, at § 4.
  28. ^ "An act to amend the public health and social welfare laws… regarding prior approval for hospital and nursing home construction, additions, or modifications…". Laws of New York. Vol. 187th sess.: II. 1964. pp. 1883–1891. hdl:2027/uc1.a0001834738. ISSN 0892-287X. Chapter 730, enacted 22 April 1964, effective 1 October 1964.
  29. ^ Mitchell, Matthew D. (2024). "Certificate of Need Laws in Health Care: Past, Present, and Future". Inquiry. 61: 469580241251937. doi:10.1177/00469580241251937. PMC 11088301. PMID 38727175. It wasn't until 1964, however, that New York State enacted the first CON law in health care.
  30. ^ "An act to amend the social welfare law, the code of criminal procedure, the family court act, the local finance law, the mental hygiene law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to medical assistance for needy persons". Laws of New York. Vol. 189th sess.: I. 1966. pp. 844–880. hdl:2027/uc1.b4378123. ISSN 0892-287X. Chapter 256, approved 30 April 1966.
  31. ^ a b US Senate Special Committee on Aging Subcommittee on Long-Term Care (1976). Fraud and Abuse Among Practitioners Participating in the Medicaid Program (Report). GPO. p. 121. LCCN 77600797. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
  32. ^ "FY 2012-2013 enacted health and mental hygiene budget". Laws of New York. 2012. pp. 42, at section 6 of part F. ISSN 0892-287X. Chapter 56, enacted 30 March 2012.
  33. ^ Counsel to the Governor (30 March 2012), NYS Bill and Veto Jackets: 2012, Chapter 56, New York State Archives
  34. ^ "An act to… provide for a comprehensive survey of health care financing, education, and illness prevention and creating councils for the conduct thereof, in relation to general hospital revenue and reimbursement of inpatient services…". Laws of the State of New York Passed at the Sessions of the Legislature. 211th sess.: I: 3–44. 1988. hdl:2027/nyp.33433107706404. ISSN 0892-287X. Chapter 2, enacted 20 January 1988, effective immediately.
  35. ^ NYS Executive Department (20 January 1988), New York State bill jackets - L-1988-CH-0002, New York State Library
  36. ^ I Fraser (1 January 1995). "Rate regulation as a policy tool: lessons from New York State". Health Care Financing Review. 16 (3): 151–175. ISSN 0195-8631. PMC 4193515. PMID 10142575. Wikidata Q33557855.
  37. ^ "New York Health Care Reform Act of 1996". Laws of New York. Vol. 219th sess.: III. 1996. pp. 3243–3348. hdl:2027/nyp.33433017532965. ISSN 0892-287X. Chapter 639, enacted 12 September 1996, effective immediately and entering into force 1 July 1996 with caveats.
  38. ^ Counsel to the Governor (12 September 1996), NYS Bill and Veto Jackets: 1996, Chapter 639, New York State Archives
  39. ^ Orecki, Patrick (2020-03-05). Six Things to Know About New York State Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) Taxes. Citizens Budget Commission (Report). New York: Citizens Budget Commission. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  40. ^ "New York Health Care Reform Act of 2000". Laws of New York. Vol. 222nd sess.: I. 1999. pp. 1–80. hdl:2027/nyp.33433017533005. ISSN 0892-287X. Chapter 1, enacted 30 December 1999.
  41. ^ Counsel to the Governor (30 December 1999), NYS Bill and Veto Jackets: 1999, Chapter 1, New York State Archives
  42. ^ "Nominations Confirmed". New York Times. March 7, 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  43. ^ "McMackin Out, Sherman In Child — Labor Committee Wins Fight — Homeopath for Health Board". New York Times. May 4, 1905. p. 5. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  44. ^ "Dr. Biggs Health Chief — Nominated for State Commissioner and Quickly Confirmed". New York Times. January 20, 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  45. ^ "Dr. Hermann Biggs Dies of Pneumonia — State Commissioner of Health Stricken at His Camp in Adirondacks — Long Eminent In City — He Introduced Diphtheria Antitoxin in This Country and Was an Authority on Tuberculosis". New York Times. June 29, 1923. p. 17. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  46. ^ "Dr. Nicoll Health Chief — Governor Smith Appoints Former Associate of Dr. Biggs". New York Times. July 13, 1923. p. 14. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  47. ^ "Dr. Nicoll Resigns State Health Post — Physician, Just Reappointed, Will Take the Place of Commissioner in Westchester — Will Form a County Unit — Free Hand Has Been Granted to Him to Organize Service — Praised by Governor Roosevelt". New York Times. January 12, 1930. p. 27. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  48. ^ "Condemns Delaying State Building Bill — Governor Takes Republicans to Task for Holding Up Appropriation Two Months — Eleven Bills Approved — They Include an Addition to Workmen's Compensation Law — Two Measures Are Vetoed". New York Times. March 6, 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  49. ^ "Dr. Parran is Sworn In — He Becomes Surgeon General as Morgenthau Praises Record". New York Times. May 7, 1936. p. 18. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  50. ^ "Jury-Change Bill Killed at Albany — Proposal for Five-sixths Verdicts in Civil Suits Beaten in Senate After Attack — Injury Measures Lost — Byrn Proposals All Defeated — Godfrey Confirmed as State Health Commissioner". New York Times. April 22, 1936. p. 4. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  51. ^ "Dr. Godfrey Quits State Health Post — Retiring Commissioner Hails Freedom Given Him by Both Dewey and Lehman". New York Times. May 2, 1947. p. 26. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  52. ^ "Dr. Hilleboe Begins State Health Task — E.J. Donovan, D.H. Grant Enter Parole Board — MacCormack Assumes Standards Duties". New York Times. July 2, 1947. p. 24. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  53. ^ a b "Page 4 of a Summary of the News During Period of the New York Newspaper Strike". New York Times. April 1, 1963. p. 32. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  54. ^ "Miscellany — Herman E. Hilleboe, M.D.". Archives of Environmental Health. 12 (6): 786. 1966. doi:10.1080/00039896.1966.10664482.
  55. ^ a b "Carey Tours Two Agencies and Vows To Improve Health-Care Monitoring". New York Times. January 3, 1975. p. 28. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  56. ^ "Hollis Ingraham, 86, Health Official". New York Times. June 2, 1994. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  57. ^ a b "Snag Develops in Albany On U.D.C. Fiscal Trouble - New Officials". New York Times. April 30, 1975. p. 41. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  58. ^ "Whalen Resigns As Health Chief". New York Times. December 2, 1978. p. 27. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  59. ^ McNeil, Jr., Donald G. (December 27, 1978). "3 Chemical Sites Near Love Canal Possible Hazard". New York Times. p. B1. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  60. ^ Sack, Kevin (April 18, 1991). "Axelrod Retires From Health Post". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  61. ^ Sack, Kevin (February 27, 1991). "Health Commissioner Is in Intensive Care". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  62. ^ "New York Health Care: Less Money, More Ills, No Chiefs". New York Times. June 1, 1991. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  63. ^ "Health Chief Is Confirmed After Long Delay". New York Times. June 10, 1992. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  64. ^ Fritsch, Jane (March 8, 1995). "State Regulators Review New York City's Public Hospitals". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  65. ^ Fisher, Ian (July 29, 1998). "Health Commissioner Is Leaving". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  66. ^ Hernandez, Raymond (May 27, 1999). "U.S. Lets New York Shift Most Poor to Managed Care". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  67. ^ Levy, Clifford J. (June 19, 1999). "Albany Notes; A Longer Lobbying Law, But Not a Tougher One — Winning Over The Skeptics". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  68. ^ Finn, Robin (February 2, 2007). "New Man in the Hot Seat of State Health Commissioner". New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  69. ^ Hartocollis, Anemona (March 2, 2011). "Richard F. Daines, 60, Ex-State Health Chief". New York Times. p. A23. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  70. ^ "Governor Cuomo Announces Health Commissioner Unanimously Confirmed by New York State Senate". www.governor.ny.gov. Office of the Governor of New York. January 24, 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  71. ^ "Press Release — Nirav Shah, MD, Joins Kaiser Permanente — Former New York State Health Commissioner to Lead Southern California Clinical Operations". share.kaiserpermanente.org. Kaiser Permanente. May 5, 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  72. ^ "New York State Senate Standing Committee on Health - Preliminary Legislative Highlights 2015 Legislative Session" (PDF). www.nysenate.gov. New York State Senate. July 2015. p. 6. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  73. ^ "At Novel Coronavirus Briefing, Governor Cuomo Confirms 11 Additional Cases - Bringing Statewide Total to 33". Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  74. ^ Silberstein, Rachel (December 2, 2023). "N.Y. health commissioner Mary Bassett to step down". Albany Times Union. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  75. ^ Silberstein, Rachel (June 16, 2023). "New York's health commissioner chose medicine over the pharmacy business". Albany Times-Union. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
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