Payment for services

§ 586. Payment for services. 1. It shall be unlawful for any purveyor of clinical laboratory services, directly or indirectly, through any person, firm, corporation or association or its officers or agents, to bill or receive payment, reimbursement, compensation or fee from any person other than the recipient of the services, such recipient being the person upon whom the clinical services have been or will be rendered.

2. The provisions of subdivision one of this section shall be inapplicable to services rendered by a clinical laboratory operated by the state of New York; and to payment by:

(a) A legal relative of the recipient of the services;

(b) An insurance carrier designated by the recipient of the services;

(c) A hospital as defined in article twenty-eight of this chapter on behalf of an in-patient or out-patient of such hospital having been the recipient of the services;

(d) One purveyor to another purveyor for actual services rendered;

(e) An industrial firm only for its own employees;

(f) A trade union health facility only for its registered patients;

(g) Governmental agencies and/or their specified public or private agent, agency or organization on behalf of the recipient of the services;

(h) A substance abuse or chemical dependence program which has been approved to operate by the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services pursuant to the provision of section 23.01 or article thirty-two of the mental hygiene law on behalf of clients of such a program having been the recipient of the services; and

(i) A health maintenance organization operating in accordance with article forty-three of the insurance law or article forty-four of this chapter.

3. The public health council shall adopt and amend rules and regulations, subject to approval by the commissioner, to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this section.