What's happening
This bill requires insurance providers to maintain a publicly accessible database listing health care providers' foreign language services, specialties, and locations.
Why it matters
Improves transparency and informed choice. By requiring insurance providers to publish up-to-date information on provider language services, specialties, and locations, the bill empowers patients—especially those with limited English proficiency—to make better decisions about where to seek care.
Addresses health equity. Publicly accessible language data can help reduce barriers for non-English speakers, making it easier for them to find providers who can communicate in their preferred language, which may improve care outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Enhances accountability for insurers. Mandating this database creates a new layer of oversight, compelling insurance companies to accurately track and disclose provider capabilities, which could help regulators and advocates identify gaps in language access across health networks.
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Who cares
Headline styles
List Doctors Who Speak Languages
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
2 Co-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 Language Services Directory
In Assembly Committee · Insurance · Sponsor David Weprin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3245
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 5, 2019
Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, MONTGOMERY, PARKER -- 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 maintaining a database of certain foreign language services as required by federal health care reform laws
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3102 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (g) to read as follows:
(g) Foreign language services database requirement. The provider of any insurance policy required under the United States Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119 (2010)) and the United States Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. No. 111-152, 124 Stat. 1029 (2010)) to provide foreign language services shall maintain a database, available to every customer, client or insured individual under such provider's policies. Such database shall contain the name, location, specialty and languages spoken by doctors, physicians and other health care providers covered by such insurance provider's policies.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07287-01-9
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 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 speak- ing 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 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 that offers doctors with the appropriate language skills.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.7740/A.3268 Referred to Finance. 2017-18: Senate Bill 3587.
Fiscal implications
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.