NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6396C
SPONSOR: Rozic TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to
coverage for eating disorders
PURPOSE:
This legislation closes a gap in coverage by requiring insurance compa-
nies to provide full coverage for all the aspects of eating disorders
treatment.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Sections I amends subparagraph (b) of paragraph 5 of subsection (1) of
section 3221 of the insurance law to require insurers in the state to
provide coverage for inpatient hospital care and physician services for
eating disorders. The term "eating disorder" is defined.
Section II amends paragraph 2 of subsection (g) of section 4303 of the
insurance law to require hospital service and health service corpo-
rations to provide coverage for eating disorders. The term "eating
disorder" is defined.
Section III amends paragraph 2 of subsection (h) of section 4303 to
require medical expense indemnity corporations and health service corpo-
rations which provide group, group remittance, or school blanket cover-
age for physician services to provide coverage for eating disorders. The
term "eating disorder" is defined.
Section IV sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
In the United States, 30 million women and men will suffer from a clin-
ically significant eating disorder at some time in their life, including
anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or other spec-
ified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED). Eating disorders are real,
complex, and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences
for health, productivity, and relationships, and can impact every organ
system in the body. Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-
threatening conditions that affect a person's emotional and physical
health. They are not a fad, phase or lifestyle choice.
People struggling with an eating disorder need to seek professional
help. Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental
illness. For females between fifteen to twenty-four years old who suffer
from anorexia nervosa, the mortality rate associated with the illness is
twelve times higher than the death rate of all other causes of death.
However, with proper medical care, eating disorders are highly treata-
ble. The earlier a person with an eating disorder receives treatment,
the greater the likelihood of physical and emotional recovery.
Treatment for an eating disorder can cost up to $30,000 per month.
Despite the severity of these conditions, insurance coverage can be
difficult to obtain, and many families are often forced to choose
between bankruptcy and saving a loved one's life. Despite mental health
parity laws, many insurance companies continue to deny coverage for an
eating disorder, often times because they do not have a solid under-
standing of what kind of care a patient requires in order to reach full
recovery. The proposed legislation would help ensure New York residents
have access to adequate healthcare coverage for eating disorders,
decreasing the chance of chronic illness and death.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2017: A06396B (Rozic) - Passed Assembly
FISCAL IMPACT TO THE STATE:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law; provided, however, that the provisions of this act shall
apply to policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered, or
amended on or after such effective date.
