Relates to requiring that private health insurance policies provide coverage for incontinence supplies and sets a cap on allowances under such policies.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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11146
IN ASSEMBLY
November 6, 2020
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Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Hunter) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to requiring that private
health insurance policies provide coverage for incontinence supplies
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 36 to read as follows:
3 (36)(A) Every policy which provides medical, major medical, or similar
4 comprehensive type coverage shall provide coverage for incontinence
5 supplies. Such program shall provide incontinence supplies to persons
6 that meet the program eligibility requirements established in subpara-
7 graph (B) of this paragraph. For purposes of this paragraph, "inconti-
8 nence supplies" shall mean products designed to help manage urinary or
9 bowel output. Such products shall be intended to protect clothing,
10 bedding, and furniture and shall consist of items including, but not
11 limited to, protective underwear, cloths, wipes, bedding protection,
12 cleaners, creams, lotions, bedpans, and urinals.
13 (B) To qualify for coverage under this paragraph, a person shall:
14 (i) be a resident of the state of New York; and
15 (ii) obtain a note from a physician indicating a need for an item in
16 accordance with subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
17 (C) Coverage provided under this paragraph shall be subject to a cap
18 on allowances granted of eighty dollars, every three months, per eligi-
19 ble person.
20 § 2. Subsection (l) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by
21 adding a new paragraph 21 to read as follows:
22 (21)(A) Every group or blanket policy which provides medical, major
23 medical, or similar comprehensive type coverage shall provide coverage
24 for incontinence supplies. Such program shall provide incontinence
25 supplies to persons that meet the program eligibility requirements
26 established in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph. For purposes of this
27 paragraph, "incontinence supplies" shall mean products designed to help
28 manage urinary or bowel output. Such products shall be intended to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00854-03-0
A. 11146 2
1 protect clothing, bedding, and furniture and shall consist of items
2 including, but not limited to, protective underwear, cloths, wipes,
3 bedding protection, cleaners, creams, lotions, bedpans, and urinals.
4 (B) To qualify for coverage under this paragraph, a person shall:
5 (i) be a resident of the state of New York; and
6 (ii) obtain a note from a physician indicating a need for an item in
7 accordance with subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
8 (C) Coverage provided under this paragraph shall be subject to a cap
9 on allowances granted of eighty dollars, every three months, per eligi-
10 ble person.
11 § 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new
12 subsection (ss) to read as follows:
13 (ss)(1) Every contract issued by a hospital service company or health
14 service corporation which provides major medical or similar comprehen-
15 sive-type coverage shall include coverage for incontinence supplies.
16 Such program shall provide incontinence supplies to persons that meet
17 the program eligibility requirements established in paragraph two of
18 this subsection. For purposes of this section, "incontinence supplies"
19 shall mean products designed to help manage urinary or bowel output.
20 Such products shall be intended to protect clothing, bedding, and furni-
21 ture and shall consist of items including, but not limited to, protec-
22 tive underwear, cloths, wipes, bedding protection, cleaners, creams,
23 lotions, bedpans, and urinals.
24 (2) To qualify for coverage under this subsection, a person shall:
25 (i) be a resident of the state of New York; and
26 (ii) obtain a note from a physician indicating a need for an item in
27 accordance with paragraph one of this subsection.
28 (3) Coverage provided under this subsection shall be subject to a cap
29 on allowances granted of eighty dollars, every three months, per eligi-
30 ble person.
31 § 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
32 have become a law and shall apply to policies and contracts issued,
33 renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after such effective date.