What's happening
This bill requires New York health insurers to cover all costs for speech therapy for stuttering, without benefit limits.
Why it matters
Removes barriers to ongoing care. By prohibiting insurers from imposing any limits on the number of visits, duration, or maximum benefits for stuttering therapy, the bill ensures that people who stutter can access as much therapy as medically necessary, rather than being cut off after a set number of sessions.
Expands access across insurance types. The bill applies not only to individual insurance policies, but also to group and blanket policies, as well as health service corporations, meaning it covers a wide range of health plans and will benefit children and adults alike.
Coordinates with educational services, but fills gaps. Coverage can be denied if stuttering therapy is already being provided through a school-based Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP); however, the bill requires insurers to cover supplemental therapy outside of educational settings, addressing needs that aren't met by school programs.
Maintains standard insurance oversight. While mandating comprehensive coverage, the bill still allows insurers to use medical management tools (like prior authorization and utilization review) and to require patients to use in-network providers, which may help control costs and ensure quality without denying necessary care.
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Who cares
Individuals Who Stutter and Their Families
This bill directly impacts people who stutter by mandating health insurance coverage for speech therapy, removing benefit limits and ensuring comprehensive access to treatment.
Speech-Language Pathologists and Related Health Professionals
Providers licensed to deliver speech therapy for stuttering will see increased demand for their services, potentially expanding their patient base and clinical opportunities.
Health Insurance Companies
Insurers offering medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive coverage in New York will be required to cover all costs for speech therapy for stuttering, impacting their coverage policies, cost structures, and claims processing.
Educational Systems and Special Education Administrators
Schools and public health agencies involved in delivering Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) must coordinate with families and insurers, as the bill clarifies when insurance must cover supplemental therapy outside educational settings.
Headline styles
Require Insurance for Stuttering Therapy
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Substituted by A10030B
- Ordered to third reading cal.1389
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Print number 8969b
- Amend and recommit to finance
- Reported and committed to finance
- Print number 8969a
- 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.
Require Speech Therapy Coverage
Passed Senate · Sponsor David Weprin
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8969--B
IN SENATE
January 21, 2026
Introduced by Sen. BAILEY -- 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 -- reported favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to requiring health insurers to provide coverage for speech therapy for stuttering
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subsection (k) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new paragraph 24 to read as follows:
(24) (A) Every large group policy delivered or issued for delivery in this state which provides medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall, upon the referral of a physician, provide coverage for all costs for speech therapy for stuttering. Such speech therapy shall include, but not be limited to, habilitative speech therapy treatment and rehabilitative speech therapy treatment for stuttering, provided such treatment is performed by a health care professional licensed pursuant to title eight of the education law. Such coverage shall not be subject to any durational benefit limitation or maximum for benefits, services, or visits provided under this paragraph.
(B) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the medical management or utilization review of the services or prevent a policy from requiring that services be provided through a network of participating providers.
(C) Coverage may be denied on the basis that such treatment is being provided to the insured pursuant to an individualized family service plan under section twenty-five hundred forty-five of the public health law or an individualized education plan under article eighty-nine of the education law. The provision of services pursuant to an individualized family service plan under section twenty-five hundred forty-five of the public health law or an individualized education plan under article
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07423-09-6
eighty-nine of the education law shall not affect coverage under the policy for services provided on a supplemental basis outside of an educational setting if such services are provided upon the referral of a physician.
§ 2. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new subsection (yy) to read as follows:
(yy) (A) Every large group contract issued by a medical expense indemnity corporation, hospital service corporation and health service corporation which provides medical, major medical, or similar comprehensivetype coverage shall, upon referral of a physician, provide coverage for all costs for speech therapy for stuttering. Such speech therapy shall include, but not be limited to, habilitative speech therapy treatment and rehabilitative speech therapy treatment for stuttering, provided such treatment is performed by a health care professional licensed pursuant to title eight of the education law. Such coverage shall not be subject to any durational benefit limitation or maximum for benefits, services, or visits provided under this subsection.
(B) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent the medical management or utilization review of the services or prevent a policy from requiring that services be provided through a network of participating providers.
(C) Coverage may be denied on the basis that such treatment is being provided to the insured pursuant to an individualized family service plan under section twenty-five hundred forty-five of the public health law or an individualized education plan under article eighty-nine of the education law. The provision of services pursuant to an individualized family service plan under section twenty-five hundred forty-five of the public health law or an individualized education plan under article eighty-nine of the education law shall not affect coverage under the policy for services provided on a supplemental basis outside of an educational setting if such services are provided upon the referral of a physician.
§ 3. This act shall take effect January 1, 2028 and shall apply to policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after such effective date. 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 and completed on or before such effective 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 requiring health insurers to provide coverage for speech therapy for stuttering
Purpose
To require large group insurance policies to cover speech therapy for stuttering.
Summary of provisions
This bill amends the insurance law to require insurers to provide cover- age for costs related to stuttering, including speech therapy. Such treatment must be recommended by a licensed health care provider. The act would apply to policies and contracts that are issued on or after the effective date.
Justification
Millions of Americans suffer from stuttering. Stuttering can occur in childhood or can result from an underlying adverse medical condition or occurrence, such as a stroke or a brain injury. Stuttering can also develop due to the genetic predisposition of the person, their neurophy- siology, and even family dynamics. Unfortunately, not all insurers provide coverage for this condition. This bill, which is patterned after similar legislation in other states, will ensure that stuttering is covered throughout our state.
Legislative history
2025: S.3654-a - Similar bill vetoed
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
One hundred twenty days after becoming a law, with provisions.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.