Provides that group health insurance policies offered in the large group market that is issued, amended, or renewed in this state shall provide coverage for corrective lenses used to correct the sight of individuals medically diagnosed with color vision deficiency.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A299
SPONSOR: Paulin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to providing reimburse-
ment for certain corrective lenses used to correct color vision defi-
ciency
PURPOSE:
This bill would require insurance policies offered in the large group
market to provide coverage for color correcting eye lenses.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 3221 of the insurance law by adding a new
subsection (t) that requires every group health insurance policy offered
in the large group market to provide coverage for individuals medically
diagnosed with color vision deficiency.
Section 2 amends section 4303 of the insurance law by adding a new
subsection (ss) that requires every group contract in the large group
market to provide coverage for individuals medically diagnosed with
color vision deficiency.
Section 3 sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Color blindness, or color vision deficiency (CVD), impacts 300 million
people worldwide, or 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women. The vast majority
of individuals with CVD (99%) have red-green color deficiency. Such a
deficiency occurs when the eye cannot filter wavelengths of certain
colors, resulting in muted or inaccurate perceptions of color.
Color correcting eye lenses have been developed to address the red-green
color deficiency. The lenses allow the eye to properly filter wave-
lengths of color, which as a result increases the saturation of color
perceived by the wearer. A driver with CVD who wears these lenses will
increase his or her safety on the road by being able to differentiate
among traffic signals and to take notice of brake lights. The lenses
could also play an integral part in expanding job opportunities to those
with CVD in roles they traditionally would not be able to perform, such
as law enforcement officers, firefighters, soldiers, electrical workers
and pilots.
In addition, these lenses significantly enhance the quality of life for
people with CVD by giving them the ability to see certain colors in
their surroundings for the first time. In their day-to-day life, they
will be able to enjoy views in nature, confidently dress themselves and
experience art to a fuller extent; something those with normal vision
may take for granted.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021 and 2022: A3947, Referred to Insurance.
2019 and 2020: A354, Referred to Insurance.
2018: Referred to Insurance.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
299
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 4, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to providing reimburse-
ment for certain corrective lenses used to correct color vision defi-
ciency
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a
2 new subsection (u) to read as follows:
3 (u) (1) Every group health insurance policy offered in the large group
4 market that is issued, amended, or renewed in this state shall provide
5 coverage for corrective lenses used to correct the sight of individuals
6 medically diagnosed with color vision deficiency.
7 (2) An insured person shall be entitled to reimbursement of up to four
8 hundred dollars every thirty-six months for expenses related to the
9 purchase of up to one pair of corrective lenses.
10 (3) The insured person may choose corrective lenses exceeding the
11 amount of coverage required by this section and shall be liable for the
12 difference in cost. Reimbursement shall be provided according to the
13 respective principles and policies of the health insurance plan and may
14 include such policy provisions as deductibles, coinsurance, allowable
15 charge limitations, and coordination of benefits.
16 (4) For the purposes of this subsection, "corrective lenses" shall
17 mean any lens, including contact lenses, glasses or spectacles, worn in
18 front of the eye to correct the sight of individuals medically diagnosed
19 with color vision deficiency.
20 § 2. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new
21 subsection (uu) to read as follows:
22 (uu) (1) A group contract issued, amended, or renewed pursuant to this
23 section offered in the large group market shall provide coverage for
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02163-01-3
A. 299 2
1 corrective lenses used to correct the sight of individuals medically
2 diagnosed with color vision deficiency.
3 (2) An insured person shall be entitled to reimbursement of up to four
4 hundred dollars every thirty-six months for expenses related to the
5 purchase of up to one pair of corrective lenses.
6 (3) The insured person may choose corrective lenses exceeding the
7 amount of coverage required by this section and shall be liable for the
8 difference in cost. Reimbursement shall be provided according to the
9 respective principles and policies of the health insurance plan and may
10 include such policy provisions as deductibles, coinsurance, allowable
11 charge limitations, and coordination of benefits.
12 (4) For the purposes of this subsection, "corrective lenses" shall
13 mean any lens, including contact lenses, glasses or spectacles, worn in
14 front of the eye to correct the sight of individuals medically diagnosed
15 with color vision deficiency.
16 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
17 have become a law.
