What's happening
This bill requires health insurance policies in New York to cover diagnostic screening for colorectal cancer, including annual exams for at-risk individuals.
Why it matters
Expands insurance coverage to include specific colorectal cancer screening for higher-risk groups. such as individuals with a family history, personal history of polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease—potentially enabling earlier detection for those most at risk.
Requires annual diagnostic exams for certain populations. (e.g., people age 50+ without symptoms and those age 40+ with family history or risk factors), which could catch cancers or precancerous conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed until later stages.
Allows deductibles and coinsurance to apply. as with other covered benefits, meaning insured individuals may still have some out-of-pocket costs, but coverage cannot be excluded or denied for these screenings.
Mandates consistency across all types of major medical insurance policies. in New York, creating a uniform standard that could reduce disparities in access to potentially life-saving colorectal cancer screening.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Cover Colon Cancer Screenings
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to insurance
- 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.
Require Colorectal Cancer Screening Coverage
In Assembly Committee · Insurance · Sponsor Michaelle C. Solages
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4716
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 24, 2017
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to providing for health insurance coverage for diagnostic screening for colorectal cancer
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 3216 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new paragraph 11-b to read as follows:
(11-b) (A) Every policy delivered or issued for delivery in this state which provides medical coverage that includes coverage for physician services in a physician's office and every policy which provides major medical or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall provide, upon the prescription of a health care provider legally authorized to prescribe under title eight of the education law, the following coverage for diagnostic screening for colorectal cancer:
(i) standard diagnostic testing including, but not limited to, a digital rectal examination at any age for people having a family history of colorectal cancer or a personal history of polyps or inflammatory bowel disease; and
(ii) an annual standard diagnostic examination including, but not limited to, a digital rectal examination for people age fifty and over who are asymptomatic and for people age forty and over with a family history of colorectal cancer or other colorectal cancer risk factors.
(B) Such coverage may be subject to annual deductibles and coinsurance as may be deemed appropriate by the superintendent and as are consistent with those established for other benefits within a given policy.
§ 2. Subsection (l) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new paragraph 11-b to read as follows:
(11-b) (A) Every policy delivered or issued for delivery in this state which provides medical coverage that includes coverage for physician services in a physician's office and every policy which provides major
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08316-01-7
S. 4716 2
medical or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall provide, upon the prescription of a health care provider legally authorized to prescribe under title eight of the education law, the following coverage for diagnostic screening for colorectal cancer:
(i) standard diagnostic testing including, but not limited to, a digital rectal examination at any age for people having a family history of colorectal cancer or a personal history of polyps or inflammatory bowel disease; and
(ii) an annual standard diagnostic examination including, but not limited to, a digital rectal examination for people age fifty and over who are asymptomatic and for people age forty and over with a family history of colorectal cancer or other colorectal cancer risk factors.
(B) Such coverage may be subject to annual deductibles and coinsurance as may be deemed appropriate by the superintendent and as are consistent with those established for other benefits within a given policy.
§ 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (z-2) to read as follows:
(z-2) (1) Every policy delivered or issued for delivery in this state which provides medical coverage that includes coverage for physician services in a physician's office and every policy which provides major medical or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall provide, upon the prescription of a health care provider legally authorized to prescribe under title eight of the education law, the following coverage for diagnostic screening for colorectal cancer:
(A) standard diagnostic testing including, but not limited to, a digital rectal examination at any age for people having a family history of colorectal cancer or a personal history of polyps or inflammatory bowel disease; and
(B) an annual standard diagnostic examination including, but not limited to, a digital rectal examination for people age fifty and over who are asymptomatic and for people age forty and over with a family history of colorectal cancer or other colorectal cancer risk factors.
(2) Such coverage may be subject to annual deductibles and coinsurance as may be deemed appropriate by the superintendent and as are consistent with those established for other benefits within a given policy.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to providing for health insurance coverage for diagnostic screening for colorectal cancer
Purpose
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. This legislation requires insurance coverage for the screening of colorectal cancer.
Summary of provisions
Every policy issued in New York State providing medical coverage shall provide the following cover for diagnostic screening for colorectal cancer:
* Digital rectal examination at any age for cancer or personal history of polyps or other possible indicators of the disease.
* Annual diagnostic examination for people age 40 and over with family history of other risk factors.
Justification
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in the United States and the third leading cause in women. In 2017, it is expected to cause about 50,260 deaths.
Colorectal cancer is highly preventable with regular screening and simple prevention techniques. For most Americans, standard screening with sigmoidoscpy and checking the stool for blood should begin at the age of 50.
Colorectal cancer is a disease in which the cells of the colon or rectum become abnormal and begin to divide without control, forming a mass called a polyp.
The implementation of such screenings as are outlined in this bill would aid in reducing the number of individuals who develop colorectal cancer while also reducing the number of deaths due to the disease.
Legislative history
S4450 (2007), S1189 (2009), S1392 (2011), S1264 (2013), S3866 (2015).
Fiscal implications
Has not been determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.