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Who cares
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Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
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.
Relates to mandatory health insurance coverage for acupuncture services
In Assembly Committee · Insurance · Sponsor Ron Kim
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 mandatory health insurance coverage for acupuncture services
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 would amend subsection (i) of section 3216 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new paragraph 32.
Section 2 would amend section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (pp).
Section 3 provides that the effective date for this legislation shall be 90 days after it is signed into law.
Justification
The ACA ensured access of all New Yorkers to a basic level of healthcare, which included "essential health benefits" which are loosely outlined by the Federal Government. States are permitted to expand these "essential health benefits" in order to provide their citizens with greater access to basic levels of care. Acupuncture is currently not provided for as an essential health benefit in New York, and is not covered by New York's basic health plan. This leaves many New Yorker's without the ability to afford this important treatment.
Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating a number of conditions, including chronic pain, nausea, headaches, anxiety, depression, insomnia and infertility. Acupuncture is also a cost effective alternative to some other forms of treatment, often resulting in permanent improvement for patients with chronic conditions. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating chronic pain as an alternative to opioids. This makes adding acupuncture as an essential health benefit even more important given the opioid epidemic facing the state. Ensuring that citizens have access to quality acupuncture as part of their basic health insurance offered on the health exchange should be a key part of New York's public health plan.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
The State may be liable for any difference in premiums paid in the event that adding acupuncture as an essential health benefit creates an additional cost to plans. Given its relative cost effectiveness compared to other means of treatment, it could result in no cost/premium increases, or a reduction.
Effective date
90 days after it becomes law
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.