Relates to prohibiting insurance coverage for assisted suicide; disallows any individual, group, or contract insurance from covering physician-assisted suicide, including but not limited to, aid-in-dying prescription drugs.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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6140
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 12, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. BOYLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to prohibiting insurance
coverage for physician assisted suicide
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 3216 of the insurance law is amended by adding a
2 new subsection (n) to read as follows:
3 (n) (1) No policy delivered or issued for delivery in this state shall
4 provide coverage for physician-assisted suicide, including but not
5 limited to, coverage for any aid-in-dying prescription drug.
6 (2) For purposes of this subsection "physician-assisted suicide" shall
7 mean the voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a
8 lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician
9 and "aid-in-dying prescription drug" shall mean a drug determined and
10 prescribed by a physician which an individual may choose to self-admin-
11 ister to bring about his or her death.
12 § 2. Section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new
13 subsection (u) to read as follows:
14 (u) (1) No policy of group or blanket accident and health insurance
15 shall provide coverage for physician-assisted suicide, including but not
16 limited to, coverage for any aid-in-dying prescription drugs.
17 (2) For purposes of this subsection "physician-assisted suicide" shall
18 mean voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a
19 lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician
20 and "aid-in-dying prescription drug" shall mean a drug determined and
21 prescribed by a physician which an individual may choose to self-admin-
22 ister to bring about his or her death.
23 § 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new
24 subsection (ss) to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09822-01-1
S. 6140 2
1 (ss) (1) No contract issued by a medical expense indemnity corpo-
2 ration, hospital service corporation or health service corporation shall
3 provide coverage for physician-assisted suicide, including but not
4 limited to, coverage for any aid-in-dying prescription drugs.
5 (2) For purposes of this subsection "physician-assisted suicide" shall
6 mean voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a
7 lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician
8 and "aid-in-dying prescription drug" shall mean a drug determined and
9 prescribed by a physician which an individual may choose to self-admin-
10 ister to bring about his or her death.
11 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all
12 contracts entered into, renewed, modified or amended on or after such
13 effective date.