STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9523
IN SENATE
March 19, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law and the social services law, in
relation to coverage for treatments to slow the progression of
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 3216 of the insurance law is
2 amended by adding a new paragraph 11-d to read as follows:
3 (11-d) Every policy which provides medical, major medical, or similar
4 comprehensive-type coverage shall provide coverage for all medically
5 necessary diagnostic testing and United States food and drug administra-
6 tion-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the progres-
7 sion of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, in accordance with the
8 United States food and drug administration label, as determined by a
9 physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches. Coverage of
10 United States food and drug administration-approved treatments or medi-
11 cations prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease or
12 another related dementia pursuant to this paragraph shall not be subject
13 to step therapy.
14 § 2. Subsection (l) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by
15 adding a new paragraph 11-d to read as follows:
16 (11-d) Every insurer delivering a group or blanket policy or issuing a
17 group or blanket policy for delivery in this state that provides cover-
18 age for medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive-type coverage
19 shall provide coverage for all medically necessary diagnostic testing
20 and United States food and drug administration-approved treatments or
21 medications prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease
22 and other dementia, in accordance with the United States food and drug
23 administration label, as determined by a physician licensed to practice
24 medicine in all its branches. Coverage of United States food and drug
25 administration-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the
26 progression of Alzheimer's disease or another related dementia pursuant
27 to this paragraph shall not be subject to step therapy.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15298-01-6
S. 9523 2
1 § 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new
2 subsection (p-2) to read as follows:
3 (p-2) A medical expense indemnity corporation, a hospital service
4 corporation or a health service corporation that provides coverage for
5 medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall
6 provide coverage for all medically necessary diagnostic testing and
7 United States food and drug administration-approved treatments or medi-
8 cations prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and
9 other dementia, in accordance with the United States food and drug
10 administration label, as determined by a physician licensed to practice
11 medicine in all its branches. Coverage of United States food and drug
12 administration-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the
13 progression of Alzheimer's disease or another related dementia pursuant
14 to this subsection shall not be subject to step therapy.
15 § 4. Subdivision 2 of section 365-a of the social services law is
16 amended by adding a new paragraph (mm-1) to read as follows:
17 (mm-1) all medically necessary diagnostic testing and United States
18 food and drug administration-approved treatments or medications
19 prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other
20 dementia, in accordance with the United States food and drug adminis-
21 tration label, as determined by a physician licensed to practice medi-
22 cine in all its branches. Coverage of United States food and drug admin-
23 istration-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the
24 progression of Alzheimer's disease or another related dementia pursuant
25 to this paragraph shall not be subject to step therapy.
26 § 5. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
27 ing the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to all
28 policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on
29 or after such date.
