What's happening
This bill requires insurance plans to cover comprehensive annual medical exams, including cancer screenings and related tests, for all New York firefighters.
Why it matters
Targets firefighter health risks. By mandating insurance coverage for a very detailed set of annual medical exams, the bill addresses the elevated health risks firefighters face due to occupational exposure (including cancers, heart/lung issues, and more), aiming for early detection and intervention.
Covers both career and volunteer firefighters. The mandate applies to all firefighters in New York, regardless of whether they are paid or volunteers, providing critical health protections to a wide segment of public safety workers who may have otherwise inconsistent access to comprehensive screenings.
Sets a high standard for medical screening. The bill specifies an unusually thorough scope of required tests—going beyond basic checkups to include full lab panels, cancer screenings tailored by age and risk, stress ECGs, and periodic chest x-rays—potentially setting a precedent for occupational health standards.
May impact insurance costs and public budgets. Expanding mandated coverage to include extensive annual exams and additional testing as determined by the health commissioner could increase insurance premiums or costs to municipalities, with implications for both public spending and firefighter recruitment/retention.
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
Free Annual Physicals for Firefighters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to rules
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
9061
IN SENATE
October 23, 2020
Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to insurance coverage of comprehensive annual medical examinations for firefighters
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 36 to read as follows:
(36)(A) Every policy which provides medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall provide coverage for comprehensive annual medical exams for insured individuals who are firefighters. Such comprehensive annual medical exam coverage shall include:
(i) a detailed symptom health history including headaches, skin rashes, intestinal or respiratory symptoms, weakness, and cognitive dysfunction;
(ii) an in person physical exam including cardiovascular, skin, thyroid, mouth, pulmonary, intestinal, urinary, lymph node, neurological, musculoskeletal, breast and testes, as applicable, examination;
(iii) vital signs and body measures tested and recorded including blood pressure, oxygen saturation, heart and respiratory rate, weight, height and body fat percentage;
(iv) laboratory assessments including:
a. comprehensive metabolic panel, complete blood count with differential, lipid panel, thyroid stimulating hormone, high-sensitivity c-reactive protein, and hemoglobin A1c blood tests; and
b. urinalysis for pH, glucose, ketones, protein, blood and bilirubin, and microscopic assessment for white blood cells, red blood cells, white blood cell casts, red blood cell casts, and crystals;
(v) spirometry;
(vi) cancer screening, including, digital rectal exam for individuals with prostate-specific antigen, cervical exam with Pap test, breast exam, respirator fit test, colonoscopies beginning at forty-five years of age or earlier depending on family history, mammograms beginning at age forty or earlier depending on family history, and low dose computed
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16197-02-0
S. 9061 2
tomography depending on age, smoking history, forced expiratory volume (FEV1), family history of lung cancer, obstructive lung disease and history of pneumonia; and
(vii) a stress electrocardiogram with maximal oxygen uptake calculated.
(B) Notwithstanding the requirements for comprehensive annual medical exam coverage pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, such coverage shall additionally include a chest x-ray every five years and any additional testing determined necessary by the commissioner of health.
(C) An insured shall identify his or her profession as a firefighter and years of service to his or her primary care physician to receive such comprehensive annual medical examination pursuant to this paragraph.
(D) As used in this paragraph the term "firefighter" means (i) any firefighter regularly employed by a fire department of any municipality in the state and (ii) any volunteer firefighter as defined in subdivision one of section three of the volunteer firefighters' benefit law.
§ 2. Subsection (l) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new paragraph 21 to read as follows:
(21)(A) Every policy which provides medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall provide coverage for comprehensive annual medical exams for insured individuals who are firefighters. Such comprehensive annual medical exam coverage shall include:
(i) a detailed symptom health history including headaches, skin rashes, intestinal or respiratory symptoms, weakness, and cognitive dysfunction;
(ii) an in person physical exam including cardiovascular, skin, thyroid, mouth, pulmonary, intestinal, urinary, lymph node, neurological, musculoskeletal, breast and testes, as applicable, examination;
(iii) vital signs and body measures tested and recorded including blood pressure, oxygen saturation, heart and respiratory rate, weight, height and body fat percentage;
(iv) laboratory assessments including:
a. comprehensive metabolic panel, complete blood count with differential, lipid panel, thyroid stimulating hormone, high-sensitivity c-reactive protein, and hemoglobin A1c blood tests; and
b. urinalysis for pH, glucose, ketones, protein, blood and bilirubin, and microscopic assessment for white blood cells, red blood cells, white blood cell casts, red blood cell casts, and crystals;
(v) spirometry;
(vi) cancer screening, including, digital rectal exam for individuals with prostate-specific antigen, cervical exam with Pap test, breast exam, respirator fit test, colonoscopies beginning at forty-five years of age or earlier depending on family history, mammograms beginning at age forty or earlier depending on family history, and low dose computed tomography depending on age, smoking history, forced expiratory volume (FEV1), family history of lung cancer, obstructive lung disease and history of pneumonia; and
(vii) a stress electrocardiogram with maximal oxygen uptake calculated.
(B) Notwithstanding the requirements for comprehensive annual medical exam coverage pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, such coverage shall additionally include a chest x-ray every five years and any additional testing determined necessary by the commissioner of health.
S. 9061 3
(C) An insured shall identify his or her profession as a firefighter and years of service to his or her primary care physician to receive such comprehensive annual medical examination pursuant to this paragraph.
(D) As used in this paragraph the term "firefighter" means (i) any firefighter regularly employed by a fire department of any municipality in the state and (ii) any volunteer firefighter as defined in subdivision one of section three of the volunteer firefighters' benefit law.
§ 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (l-2) to read as follows:
(l-2)(A) Every contract which provides medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall provide coverage for comprehensive annual medical exams for insured individuals who are firefighters. Such comprehensive annual medical exam coverage shall include:
(i) a detailed symptom health history including headaches, skin rashes, intestinal or respiratory symptoms, weakness, and cognitive dysfunction;
(ii) an in person physical exam including cardiovascular, skin, thyroid, mouth, pulmonary, intestinal, urinary, lymph node, neurological, musculoskeletal, breast and testes, as applicable, examination;
(iii) vital signs and body measures tested and recorded including blood pressure, oxygen saturation, heart and respiratory rate, weight, height and body fat percentage;
(iv) laboratory assessments including:
a. comprehensive metabolic panel, complete blood count with differential, lipid panel, thyroid stimulating hormone, high-sensitivity c-reactive protein, and hemoglobin A1c blood tests; and
b. urinalysis for pH, glucose, ketones, protein, blood and bilirubin, and microscopic assessment for white blood cells, red blood cells, white blood cell casts, red blood cell casts, and crystals;
(v) spirometry;
(vi) cancer screening, including, digital rectal exam for individuals with prostate-specific antigen, cervical exam with Pap test, breast exam, respirator fit test, colonoscopies beginning at forty-five years of age or earlier depending on family history, mammograms beginning at age forty or earlier depending on family history, and low dose computed tomography depending on age, smoking history, forced expiratory volume (FEV1), family history of lung cancer, obstructive lung disease and history of pneumonia; and
(vii) a stress electrocardiogram with maximal oxygen uptake calculated.
(B) Notwithstanding the requirements for comprehensive annual medical exam coverage pursuant to paragraph (A) of this subsection, such coverage shall additionally include a chest x-ray every five years and any additional testing determined necessary by the commissioner of health.
(C) An insured shall identify his or her profession as a firefighter and years of service to his or her primary care physician to receive such comprehensive annual medical examination pursuant to this subsection.
(D) As used in this subsection the term "firefighter" means (i) any firefighter regularly employed by a fire department of any municipality in the state and (ii) any volunteer firefighter as defined in subdivision one of section three of the volunteer firefighters' benefit law.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately 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 insurance coverage of comprehensive annual medical examinations for firefighters
Purpose
This legislation amends the insurance law to mandate that insurance policies for firefighters include a number of screenings and early detection tests due to their increased risk for cancer and cancer-relat- ed disease.
Summary of specific provisions
The legislation would amend subsection (1) of section 3216 of the insur- ance law, subsection (1) of section 3221 of the insurance law, and section 4303 of the insurance law to require that every policy that provides medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive coverage for firefighters includes:
Read the full memo (663 words)
1. Detailed Symptom Health History: headaches, skin rashes, intestinal or respiratory symptoms, weakness, and cognitive dysfunction.
2. Physical Exam: a complete hand-on head-to-toe physical should be performed. The main systems that should be reviewed are cardiovascular, skin, thyroid, mouth, pulmonary, intestinal, breast, testes, urinary, lymph nodes, neurological, and musculoskeletal.
3. Vital signs and body measures: blood pressure, oxygen saturation
(pOx), heart and respiratory rate, weight, height, body fat percentage should be tested and recorded.
4. Laboratory assessments including:
a. Blood tests- CMP, CBC with differential, lipid panel, TSH, hCRP, and HbA I c.
b. Urinalysis for pH, glucose, ketones, protein, blood, and bilirubin, and microscopic assessment for WBC, RBC, WBC casts, RBC casts, and crys- tals.
c. Serum and urine immunofixation
d. Urinalysis and CMP to detect early changes in kidney and bladder function.
e. Spirometry provides a baseline and annual pulmonary function test- ing.
5. Cancer Screenings including: digital rectal exam for men with pros- tate-specific antigen (PSA); cervical exam with PAP and breast exam for women; FIT testing.
6. Colonoscopy at 45 years or earlier depending on family history.
7. Mammogram at 40 or earlier depending on family history.
8. Low Dose CT: depending on age, smoking history, FEV1. family history of lung cancer, obstructive lung disease, history of pneumonia.
9. Chest x-ray every 5 years.
10. Stress EKG with VO2 value calculated.
11. Any additional illnesses as determined necessary by the Commissioner of Health
Section four establishes the effective date.
Justification
This bill would require that insurance policies for firefighters include a number of screenings and early detection tests due to their increased risk for cancer and cancer-related disease. It is known that firefight- ers face unique occupational health risks in the line of duty. Years of research has shown that the health risks for firefighters are multifac- torial and include exposures from several aspects of their work environ- ment. Firefighters are not only at higher risk for cancers but also cardiac-related death and coronary artery disease.
Chronic exposures to heat, smoke, and toxic flame retardants through inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption put firefighters at risk for many cancers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) performed a multi-year study of nearly 30,000 firefighters to better understand the potential link between firefighting and cancer. Exposure to aerosolized chemicals like benzene, asbestos, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), formaldehyde, diesel exhaust, and new building materials with undefined chemicals creates special risks. The firefighters studied showed higher rates of certain types of cancer than the general U.S. population.
In a study conducted by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, in coordination with 100 firefighter participants from 2 fire- houses, the research found that even in fires with low smoke intensity, firefighters were just as exposed to appreciable levels of toxic materi- als. Exposure included carbon monoxide, benzene, aldehydes, and hydrogen cyanide. Exposure to these chemicals and/or any number of carcinogenic substances put firefighters at elevated risk for diseases less common among other professions. This legislation would mandate insurance compa- nies to pay for a wide variety of screenings and tests at these younger ages for firefighters due to their increased risks. This legislation will save the lives of firefighters throughout New York State.
Legislative history
New legislation
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.