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History
- Referred to insurance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Requires providers of insurance policies to maintain a database of health care providers offering foreign language services
In Assembly Committee · Insurance · Sponsor David Weprin
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to maintaining a database of certain foreign language services as required by federal health care reform laws
Purpose
This bill will ensure that insurance customers are able to access care in their native language. Federal healthcare law has certain thresholds which require insurers with a certain number of foreign language speaking customers to offer documents and customer service in that language. This is good, however it does not provide any requirements as 'to how many actual practitioners covered by the plan speak that language. This bill would require insurers on the NYS healthcare exchange to provide a database of the foreign language services offered by practitioners covered by their plan, so customers can determine the most appropriate plan for their location and language skills.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 3102 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (g) "Foreign language services database requirement."
Justification
This will allow the many New Yorkers who do not speak English as a first language to more easily find a healthcare plan which offers doctors with the appropriate language skills.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implication
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the 120th day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.