NY A03676

Designates five general hospitals or hospices as "centers for sickle cell care excellence," with at least two located north of Putnam and Orange counties, to provide specialized care, treatment, palliative care, education, and research

Each center for excellence must affiliate with major higher learning institutions, including medical colleges and life science research institutes, with SUNY required to enter legal agreements enabling cooperation

Provides $500,000 per year to each center for excellence for sickle cell disease research

Establishes ten outpatient treatment centers distributed based on sickle cell patient population concentrations, each receiving $250,000 per year for management and equipment

Exempts patients being treated for sickle cell disease from requirements for written treatment plans when prescribed long-term opioids for chronic pain