Amd §2404-a, Pub Health L; amd §§3216, 3221 & 4303, Ins L
Provides that policies and contracts covering diagnostic screening for prostate cancer shall not be subject to cost sharing; requires notice of availability of such coverage without cost sharing to be provided in the notice to persons at risk of or having prostate cancer.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8683A
SPONSOR: Gottfried TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
the written summary relating to prostate cancer; and to amend the insur-
ance law, in relation to coverage of diagnostic screening for prostate
cancer
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Eliminates barriers to prostate cancer screening by prohibiting cost
sharing and advising patients of such coverage.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends Public Health Law § 2404-a to require the inclusion
of information regarding the availability of insurance coverage for
prostate cancer screening without cost sharing in the standardized writ-
ten summary prepared by the Commissioner of Health.
Sections two, three and four amend Insurance Law §§ 3216(i)(11-a)(B),
3221(1)(11-a)(B), and 4303(z-1)(2) respectively, to provide that diag-
nostic testing for prostate cancer for men having a prior history, men
40 and over with a family history, and men 50 and over who are asympto-
matic shall not be subject to annual deductibles or coinsurance.
Section five provides that this act shall take effect immediately and
apply to policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified or amended on
or after January 1, 2019.
JUSTIFICATION:
The Affordable Care Act provided that certain preventative measures must
be covered by insurance at no cost to the patient. The rationale being
to encourage individuals and remove any obstacles from receiving preven-
tative care in order to achieve better health outcomes and reduce costs
to the system. Similarly, in 2015 the state enacted provisions to ensure
women have access to breast cancer screenings at no cost to them. These
provisions are especially important in today's health insurance market-
place where more and more individuals are covered by high deductible
policies. This legislation, similar to the breast cancer screening
provisions enacted in 2015, will ensure men have access to prostate
screenings at no cost to them.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately and applies to policies and contracts issued, renewed, modi-
fied or amended on or after January 1, 2019.
