What's happening
This bill extends the expiration date of certain enhanced consumer and provider protections in health-related laws from 2019 to 2021.
Why it matters
Extending the expiration date means that important protections for both healthcare consumers and providers—such as coverage requirements, dispute resolution processes, or access safeguards—will continue to be enforced for two more years, rather than expiring in 2019.
By keeping these protections active, the bill helps ensure stability in the health insurance market and maintains safeguards that may prevent sudden disruptions in care or coverage for New Yorkers.
The extension gives lawmakers more time to assess the effectiveness and real-world impact of the enhanced protections before making decisions about permanent changes or further reforms.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Extend Consumer Protections Law
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.85
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.420
- Substituted for A8084
- Referred to health
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1370
- Referred to rules
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.
Extend Health Care Protections
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Marianne Buttenschon
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6318
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 4, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend chapter 451 of the laws of 2007 amending the public health law, the social services law and the insurance law, relating to providing enhanced consumer and provider protections, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 20 of chapter 451 of the laws of 2007 amending the public health law, the social services law and the insurance law, relating to providing enhanced consumer and provider protections, as amended by chapter 82 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
1. sections four, eleven and thirteen of this act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed June 30, [2019] 2021;
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11495-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend chapter 451 of the laws of 2007 amend- ing the public health law, the social services law and the insurance law, relating to providing enhanced consumer and provider protections, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
Purpose or general idea of bill
To maintain existing consumer protections that makes consumers aware of changes to network coverage under their health plan.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill would extend the sunset provisions of chapter 451 of the laws of 2007 for an additional two years, to expire June 30, 2021.
These provisions require that if a contract between a plan and a hospi- tal is not renewed or is terminated by either party, the parties contin- ue to abide by the terms of the contract, including reimbursement terms for a period of two months from the termination or end of the contract period. The provisions require that notice be provided to enrollees within 15 days of the commencement of the two-month period. However, these requirements do not apply where both parties agree to the termi- nation or non-renewal and the insurer provides notice to the insured at least 30 days in advance of the date of contract termination. It also allows the Department of Health to waive the two month extension if the contract is being terminated for cause.
Justification
This bill would maintain current protections for consumers when a contract is terminated between the health care provider and their health plan. By requiring health plans and hospitals to continue to abide by the terms of the contract for a period of two months from the termi- nation or end of the contract period, consumers will not be unduly surprised or alarmed and will have time to adequately prepare for this transition.
Prior legislative history
New Legislation.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.