What's happening
This bill prohibits insurance policies from charging co-payments for treatment at opioid treatment programs in New York.
Why it matters
Reduces financial barriers to opioid addiction treatment. by eliminating co-payments, making it easier for individuals to start and continue evidence-based care without worrying about out-of-pocket costs.
Supports public health efforts to combat the opioid crisis. by potentially increasing access to opioid agonist therapies (such as methadone or buprenorphine), which are proven to reduce overdose deaths and improve recovery outcomes.
Applies broadly to a wide range of insurance policies. in New York, ensuring that most people with private health coverage or group plans will benefit from the removal of these co-payment requirements for opioid treatment programs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Opioid Treatment Co-Pays
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to insurance
- Print number 4643a
- Amend and recommit 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.
End Opioid Treatment Co-Pays
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4643--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 19, 2019
Introduced by Sens. HARCKHAM, MARTINEZ, RAMOS, SALAZAR, SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to prohibiting co-payments for treatment at an opioid treatment program
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 31-b to read as follows:
(31-b) Every policy that provides coverage for treatment at an opioid treatment program shall not impose a co-payment fee during the course of treatment on any insured for such treatment. For the purposes of this section "opioid treatment program" means a program or practitioner engaged in opioid treatment of individuals with an opioid agonist treatment medication.
§ 2. Subsection (l) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new paragraph 7-c to read as follows:
(7-c) Every policy that provides coverage for treatment at an opioid treatment program shall not impose a co-payment fee during the course of treatment on any insured for such treatment. For the purposes of this section "opioid treatment program" means a program or practitioner engaged in opioid treatment of individuals with an opioid agonist treatment medication.
§ 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (l-3) to read as follows:
(l-3) Every policy that provides coverage for treatment at an opioid treatment program shall not impose a co-payment fee during the course of treatment on any insured for such treatment. For the purposes of this section "opioid treatment program" means a program or practitioner
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04805-03-9
S. 4643--A 2
engaged in opioid treatment of individuals with an opioid agonist treatment medication.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on and after such date.
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 prohibiting co-payments for treatment at an opioid treatment program
Purpose
This bill relates to prohibiting co-payments for treatment at an opioid treatment program
Summary of provisions
Section one amends the insurance law by adding a new paragraph 31-b to section 3216
Section two amends the insurance law by adding a new paragraph 7-c to section3221
Section three amends the insurance law by adding a new paragraph subsection 1-3 of section 4303
Section four sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Private insurance plans, including plans available under the Affordable Care Act, require co-pays to be collected every time a patient visits an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP). This requirement does not take into account the frequency of patient visits, and creates a barrier to OTP treatment services. At the start of treatment, patients are required by federal law to receive treatment up to 6 times a week for 90 days. Once those 90 days are up, many patients continue to seek treatment several times a week. Requiring daily co-pays under these circumstances becomes cost-prohibitive for people seeking treatment. Prohibiting co-payments for treatment at an OTP will help all New Yorkers in need to gain access to potentially life-saving services.
Legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
Undetermined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which 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.