What's happening
This bill requires insurance policies covering contraception to also cover emergency contraception, and mandates public health information about its use and availability.
Why it matters
Expands insurance coverage. The bill ensures that if a health insurance policy covers contraception, it must also cover emergency contraception—regardless of whether it is obtained via prescription, a standing order, or over-the-counter—eliminating barriers based on how it is accessed.
Defines emergency contraception broadly. By including both prescription and non-prescription drugs approved by the FDA for post-intercourse pregnancy prevention, the bill guarantees coverage of all FDA-recognized emergency contraception options, not just specific products.
Mandates public health education. The bill requires the state to provide public information about emergency contraception’s safety, effectiveness, proper use, and how to obtain it, which could improve awareness and correct misinformation.
Potential to reduce unintended pregnancies. By lowering financial and informational barriers, the bill could increase timely access to emergency contraception, potentially reducing the rate of unintended pregnancies and supporting reproductive autonomy.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Emergency Contraceptive Access
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
10 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to insurance
- Referred to insurance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
487
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, JOYNER, GOTTFRIED, DINOWITZ, GALEF, JAFFEE, MOSLEY, PICHARDO, L. ROSENTHAL, ROZIC, CROUCH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, GLICK, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law and the public health law, in relation to providing for dispensing emergency contraception under certain conditions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3216 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (n) to read as follows:
(n)(1) Any policy under this article that covers contraception when provided pursuant to a prescription, shall cover emergency contraception when provided pursuant to an ordinary prescription or order under section sixty-eight hundred thirty-one of the education law and when lawfully provided other than through a prescription or order.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, "emergency contraception" means one or more prescription or non-prescription drugs, used separately or in combination, in a dosage and manner for preventing pregnancy when used after intercourse, found safe and effective for that use by the United States food and drug administration, and dispensed or administered for that purpose.
§ 2. Section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (t) to read as follows:
(t)(1) Any policy under this article that covers contraception when provided pursuant to a prescription, shall cover emergency contraception when provided pursuant to an ordinary prescription or order under section sixty-eight hundred thirty-one of the education law and when lawfully provided other than through a prescription or order.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03772-01-9
A. 487 2
(2) For purposes of this subsection, "emergency contraception" means one or more prescription or non-prescription drugs, used separately or in combination, in a dosage and manner for preventing pregnancy when used after intercourse, found safe and effective for that use by the United States food and drug administration, and dispensed or administered for that purpose.
§ 3. Section 4304 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (n) to read as follows:
(n)(1) Any policy under this article that covers contraception when provided pursuant to a prescription, shall cover emergency contraception when provided pursuant to an ordinary prescription or order under section sixty-eight hundred thirty-one of the education law and when lawfully provided other than through a prescription or order.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, "emergency contraception" means one or more prescription or non-prescription drugs, used separately or in combination, in a dosage and manner for preventing pregnancy when used after intercourse, found safe and effective for that use by the United States food and drug administration, and dispensed or administered for that purpose.
§ 4. Subdivision 1 of section 207 of the public health law is amended by adding a new paragraph (p) to read as follows:
(p) Emergency contraception, including information about its safety, efficacy, appropriate use and availability.
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; and sections one, two and three of this act shall apply to policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after such effective date.
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.