Albany, NY – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) announced passage of legislation (A6396B) that she authored that would require insurance companies to provide full coverage for eating disorders treatment, expanding on the current New York State Mental Health Parity Law that only covers anorexia and bulimia. This change will provide those suffering from a lesser known eating disorder the ability to seek treatment and recover without fear of mounting medical costs.

“Eating disorders are real, complex, devastating conditions that affect health, productivity, and families across New York. With treatment costing upwards of $30,000 per month, it is high time we create parity in the law to cover these disorders and allow people to heal without worry of their medical bills,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic.

In the United States, 30 million men and women suffer from some form of an eating disorder. Currently, only anorexia and bulimia are covered by insurance in New York. This bill would expand the definition of eating disorders to include pica, rumination disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, other specified feeding or eating disorder, and any other eating disorder contained in the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association.

In American high schools, thirty percent of girls and sixteen percent of boys suffer from disordered eating, with anorexia being the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. 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.

“NEDA is so grateful to Assemblywoman Nily Rozic for her leadership and to the entire New York State Assembly for addressing this gap in coverage for eating disorders. While eating disorders are serious mental illnesses, recovery is possible with appropriate treatment. We frequently hear from families who have been forced into financial hardship due to a lack of appropriate insurance coverage. We hope to see this bill pass the State Senate this month to ensure that all New Yorkers struggling with eating disorders have access to the care they need,” said Claire Mysko, CEO of the National Eating Disorder Association.

Rozic added, “Eating disorders are highly treatable, especially if a person seeks treatment early. I am proud to have championed this crucial, life-saving legislation.”

Supported by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), the Mental Health Association in New York State, and other organizations, the bill passed the Assembly with bipartisan support. It is sponsored in the State Senate by Senator Kathy Marchione (R-Saratoga).