What's happening
This bill requires insurance companies to issue joint checks to both patients and out-of-network health care providers for payment.
Why it matters
Helps prevent payment misdirection or delays. by requiring insurance checks for out-of-network services to be made out to both the patient and the provider, reducing the risk that patients cash the check without paying their provider.
Could improve access to out-of-network care. by giving providers more confidence they’ll be paid directly, potentially making them more willing to accept out-of-network patients.
Increases administrative oversight for patients and providers. , as both must endorse the check, which can help resolve disputes over billing or payment responsibility more transparently.
May affect patient-provider relationships. , since patients will be more directly involved in the payment process, making them more aware of costs and potentially reducing confusion over insurance reimbursements.
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Who cares
Insurance companies
Insurers covered by the bill would have to send insured patients joint checks payable to both the patient and the provider for out-of-network services.
Patients receiving out-of-network care
Their insurance payment checks would name both them and their health care provider, rather than the patient alone.
Out-of-network health care providers and group practices
They would be named as joint payees on checks issued to insured patients to pay for their services.
Headline styles
Require Joint Checks for Providers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to insurance
- Referred to insurance
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2839
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 25, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring insurance companies to issue joint checks for payment to an insured and a health care provider in certain circumstances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 4406-h to read as follows:
§ 4406-h. Payment for out-of-network health care services; joint checks. An insurance company subject to article thirty-two of this chapter, shall issue and provide an insured with a joint check made out to both the insured and to a health care provider for the purposes of payment to such health care provider for any out-of-network services rendered to the insured. Such check shall list the full name of the insured with the word "and" after such name followed by the name of the health care provider or group practice.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04714-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.