Section 2145. Rabies; services and expenses of suppression

1. The county
  health authority is responsible for the services and expenses  necessary
  for  the  suppression of human rabies. Suppression of human rabies shall
  include, but not be limited to:
    (a) availability at all times for prompt investigation of  reports  of
  possible  exposures  to  rabies  of  people, pets, or domestic livestock
  occurring within the county,  and  to  render  authorization  for  human
  postexposure treatment,
    (b)  making  arrangements  for  appropriate disposition of the animals
  involved,   including   confinement   and   observation,    quarantines,
  vaccination boosters, or euthanasia and testing,
    (c)  collection,  preparation  and submission of animal specimens to a
  laboratory approved by the commissioner for rabies diagnosis,
    (d) verifying terms of confinement, observation and quarantines,
    (e) authorized  human  postexposure  treatment  under  the  conditions
  hereinafter   specified,   except   that   third   party   coverage   or
  indemnification shall first be applied against the  cost  of  treatment,
  and
    (f)  operation  of rabies vaccination clinics free of charge for dogs,
  cats and domesticated ferrets owned by persons with local residence.
    2. Under the conditions specified below, the county  health  authority
  is  responsible  for  authorized  human  postexposure  treatment for all
  persons exposed within the county, regardless of  the  location  of  the
  person's  residence;  except  in  any  case where the person's county of
  residence has agreed to be responsible for such treatment in  accordance
  with  the  provisions of this title. In addition, for persons with local
  residence who are exposed to rabies in New York city or  out  of  state,
  the county health authority is responsible for that portion of treatment
  that occurs after such persons return to their local residences.
    3.  Human postexposure treatment specifically authorized by the county
  health authority shall be rendered by the provider or providers selected
  by the county  health  authority,  located  within  the  county  or  the
  vicinity  thereof, and approved by the person's health insurance carrier
  or managed care plan if pre-approval is required by the health insurance
  carrier or managed care plan, provided that:
    (a) any person may, at his or her option, be treated at his or her own
  expense by the health care provider of his or her choice,
    (b) the county health authority may, at its option,  assume  financial
  responsibility for necessary treatment rendered by other providers,
    (c)  the  county  shall authorize initial treatment from a provider or
  providers geographically accessible  to  the  location  of  the  exposed
  person at the time that treatment is determined to be necessary, and
    (d)  the county shall authorize post-initial treatment from a provider
  or providers geographically accessible to the exposed person's residence
  if the person returns to his or  her  residence  during  the  course  of
  treatment.
    4. Consent by any person to human postexposure treatment authorized by
  the  county  health  authority  shall constitute assignment of any third
  party health benefits to the county health authority and permission  for
  the  person's health care and insurance providers to release medical and
  financial information regarding  the  treatment  to  the  county  health
  authority.
    5.  Health care and insurance providers shall comply with any requests
  by  the  county  health  authority  for  information   regarding   human
  postexposure  treatment  rendered  to  an  enrollee  whose treatment was
  authorized by the county health authority.
    6. Under the terms of this title, the county health authority  is  not
  responsible for:

    (a)  services  and  expenses of human postexposure treatment that were
  not specifically authorized by the county health authority,  except  for
  completion  of  treatment  for  their  residents  exposed and started on
  rabies treatment in New York city  or  elsewhere  outside  of  New  York
  state,
    (b)  services  and  expenses  of  medical  treatment  unrelated to the
  prevention of rabies infection such as wound suturing  and  measures  to
  control bacterial infection of bite wounds, and
    (c) expenses of preexposure rabies vaccination.
    7.  A  clinic  for  rabies vaccination for dogs, cats and domesticated
  ferrets of persons with local residence  shall  be  conducted  at  least
  every  four  months  within the county under the direction of the county
  government, by the health officials of the county and the several  local
  health  districts  within  a  county. Donations may be requested but not
  required at the clinics. Any listing of costs in clinic announcements or
  advertisements must indicate that vaccinations  are  available  free  of
  charge,  and  that  donations are optional. Counties may at their option
  provide vaccination clinic services to persons without county residence,
  and may require a fee based on cost from these persons.
    8. Claims for services and expenses, approved by the county  shall  be
  paid  by  the  fiscal  officer  of  the  county from funds in his or her
  custody upon presentation of such claim, without further or other  audit
  or may be paid pursuant to the local finance law.