NY State Senate Bill 2015-S2319A

Senate Bill S2319A

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Requires certain health insurance policies and contracts to provide coverage for human leukocyte antigen testing for use in tissue typing for bone marrow testing

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Insurance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 19, 2016	print number 2319a
Jan 19, 2016	amend and recommit to insurance
Jan 06, 2016	referred to insurance
Jan 22, 2015	referred to insurance

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2015-S2319 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1540
Current Committee:: Senate Insurance
Law Section:: Insurance Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§3216, 3221 & 4303, Ins L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: A4988
2011-2012: S4350, A6459
2013-2014: S2058, A3031
2017-2018: S1956, S7380, A1769
2019-2020: A3694
2021-2022: A1793
2023-2024: A4798

2015-S2319 - Summary

Requires certain health insurance policies and contracts to provide coverage for human leukocyte antigen testing, also referred to as histocompatible locus antigen testing, for A, B, and DR antigens, for utilization in tissue typing for bone marrow testing.

2015-S2319 - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S2319

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to
requiring policies and contracts of insurance providing hospital,
surgical, or medical care coverage to include coverage for human
leukocyte antigen testing

PURPOSE:

Requires certain health insurance policies and contracts to provide
coverage for human leukocyte antigen testing for use in tissue typing
for bone marrow testing.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Amends the insurance law by adding a new paragraph 32 to subsection
(i)of section 3216, adding a new paragraph 19 to subsection (1) of
section 3221, and adding a new subsection (ii) to section 4303

EXISTING LAW:

This legislation will amend existing law to include this new
provision.

JUSTIFICATION:

Each year thousands of people require bone marrow transplants to treat
diseases such as lymphomas, leukemia's, anemia's, immune deficiency
disorders, multiple myeloma and solid tumors. Bone marrow transplants
replenish stem cells which are found in greatest concentrations within
the bone marrow.

The problem currently faced by patients in need of stem cells is that
of finding a proper match of human leukocyte antigens. In order to
facilitate the vast number of people who suffer from the life
threatening blood disease, a national registry has been set up which
records typing of antigens for potential donors. At the present time,
bone marrow donors are required to pay a fee up to $75 in order to
perform the test and have their name placed on the national donor
list. Certainly, people in New York are more likely to be members of
the registry if they do not have to pay a fee and if tissue typing is
more accessible.

This bill would require health insurance companies to cover the tissue
typing fee. The end result would be an increase in the number of bone
marrow donors in the registry and a greater likelihood to find
possible donor matches.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

A.9761 - 1999-2000
A.1186 - 2001-2002
A.777 - 2003-2004
A.3622 - 2005-2006
A.4084 - 2007-2008
A.4988 - 2009-2010
03/30/11 REFERRED TO INSURANCE


01/04/12 REFERRED TO INSURANCE
01/10/13 - 2014- S 2058-A LATIMER REFERRED TO INSURANCE
01/23/13 - 2014- A 3031-A Pretlow (MS) REFERRED TO INSURANCE

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to all
policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered, or amended
on or after such date; provided, however, that any rules or
regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date shall be promulgated, and any other means necessary for
the implementation of this act on its effective date shall be taken,
on or before such effective date.

2015-S2319 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  2319

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 22, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. LATIMER -- 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 requiring policies and
  contracts of insurance providing hospital, surgical, or  medical  care
  coverage to include coverage for human leukocyte antigen testing

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 3216  of  the  insurance  law  is
amended by adding a new paragraph 32 to read as follows:
  (32)  EVERY  POLICY WHICH PROVIDES HOSPITAL, SURGICAL, OR MEDICAL CARE
COVERAGE OR PROVIDES REIMBURSEMENT FOR LABORATORY TESTS OR REIMBURSEMENT
FOR DIAGNOSTIC X-RAY SERVICES SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR HUMAN LEUKOCYTE
ANTIGEN TESTING, ALSO REFERRED TO AS HISTOCOMPATIBLE LOCUS ANTIGEN TEST-
ING, FOR A, B, AND DR ANTIGENS FOR UTILIZATION IN TISSUE TYPING FOR BONE
MARROW TESTING.
  S 2. Subsection (1) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by
adding a new paragraph 19 to read as follows:
  (19) EVERY GROUP OR BLANKET POLICY DELIVERED OR ISSUED FOR DELIVERY IN
THIS STATE WHICH PROVIDES HOSPITAL, SURGICAL, OR MEDICAL  CARE  COVERAGE
SHALL  PROVIDE  COVERAGE  FOR  HUMAN  LEUKOCYTE  ANTIGEN  TESTING,  ALSO
REFERRED TO AS HISTOCOMPATIBLE LOCUS ANTIGEN TESTING, FOR A, B,  AND  DR
ANTIGENS  FOR  UTILIZATION  IN  TISSUE  TYPING  FOR BONE MARROW TESTING,
EXCEPT THAT THIS PROVISION SHALL NOT APPLY  TO  A  POLICY  WHICH  COVERS
PERSONS  EMPLOYED  IN  MORE  THAN  ONE STATE OR THE BENEFIT STRUCTURE OF
WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AFFECTING PERSONS WHO ARE
EMPLOYED IN MORE THAN ONE STATE.
  S 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
subsection (pp) to read as follows:
  (PP)  A  MEDICAL  EXPENSE  INDEMNITY  CORPORATION,  A HOSPITAL SERVICE
CORPORATION OR A HEALTH SERVICE CORPORATION WHICH PROVIDES COVERAGE  FOR
HOSPITAL,  SURGICAL,  OR  MEDICAL  CARE SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR HUMAN

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05529-02-5

S. 2319                             2

LEUKOCYTE ANTIGEN TESTING, ALSO REFERRED  TO  AS  HISTOCOMPATIBLE  LOCUS
ANTIGEN  TESTING,  FOR  A,  B, AND DR ANTIGENS FOR UTILIZATION IN TISSUE
TYPING FOR BONE MARROW TESTING, EXCEPT THAT  THIS  PROVISION  SHALL  NOT
APPLY TO A CONTRACT WHICH COVERS PERSONS EMPLOYED IN MORE THAN ONE STATE
OR THE BENEFIT STRUCTURE OF WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAIN-
ING AFFECTING PERSONS WHO ARE EMPLOYED IN MORE THAN ONE STATE.
  S 4.  This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
ing  the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to all
policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered, or amended on
or after such effective date. Effective immediately any rules  or  regu-
lations  necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective
date shall be promulgated, and any  other  measures  necessary  for  the
implementation  of  this act on its effective date shall be taken, on or
before such effective date.

2015-S2319A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1540
Current Committee:: Senate Insurance
Law Section:: Insurance Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§3216, 3221 & 4303, Ins L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: A4988
2011-2012: S4350, A6459
2013-2014: S2058, A3031
2017-2018: S1956, S7380, A1769
2019-2020: A3694
2021-2022: A1793
2023-2024: A4798

2015-S2319A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S2319A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S2319A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to
requiring policies and contracts of insurance providing hospital,
surgical, or medical care coverage to include coverage for human
leukocyte antigen testing

 PURPOSE : Requires certain health insurance policies and contracts to
provide coverage for human leukocyte antigen testing for use in tissue
typing for bone marrow testing.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS : Amends the insurance law by adding a new
paragraph 33 to subsection (i) of section 3216, adding a new paragraph
19 to subsection (1) of section 3221, and adding a new subsection (qq)
to section 4303

 EXISTING LAW : This legislation will amend existing law to include
this new provision.

 JUSTIFICATION : Each year thousands of people require bone marrow
transplants to treat diseases such as lymphomas, leukemia's, anemia's,
immune deficiency disorders, multiple myeloma and solid tumors. Bone
marrow transplants replenish stem cells which are found in greatest
concentrations within the bone marrow.

The problem currently faced by patients in need of stem cells is that

of finding a proper match of human leukocyte antigens. In order to
facilitate the vast number of people who suffer from the life
threatening blood disease, a national registry has been set up which
records typing of antigens for potential donors. At the present time,
bone marrow donors are required to pay a fee up to $75 in order to
perform the test and have their name placed on the national donor
list. Certainly, people in New York are more likely to be members of
the registry if they do not have to pay a fee and if tissue typing is
more accessible.

This bill would require health insurance companies to cover the tissue
typing fee. The end result would be an increase in the number of bone
marrow donors in the registry and a greater likelihood to find
possible donor matches.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY : A.9761 - 1999-2000 A.1186 - 2001-2002 A.777 -
2003-2004 A.3622 - 2005-2006 A.4084 - 2007-2008 A.4988 - 2009-2010
03/30/11 REFERRED TO INSURANCE 01/04/12 REFERRED TO INSURANCE 01/10/13
REFERRED TO INSURANCE 04/22/13 REFERRED TO Health 01/08/14 REFERRED TO
INSURANCE, 2015-16 Latimer REFERRED TO INSURANCE, Pretlow Referred to
insurance

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None

 LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None

 EFFECTIVE DATE : This act shall take effect on the first of January
next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law and shall
apply to all policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified,
altered, or amended on or after such date; provided, however, that any
rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on
its effective date shall be promulgated, and any other means necessary
for the implementation of this act on its effective date shall be
taken, on or before such effective date.

2015-S2319A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 2319--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 22, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. LATIMER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance  --  recommitted
  to the Committee on Insurance in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8
  --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
  and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to requiring policies and
  contracts of insurance providing hospital, surgical, or  medical  care
  coverage to include coverage for human leukocyte antigen testing

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 3216  of  the  insurance  law  is
amended by adding a new paragraph 33 to read as follows:
  (33)  EVERY  POLICY WHICH PROVIDES HOSPITAL, SURGICAL, OR MEDICAL CARE
COVERAGE OR PROVIDES REIMBURSEMENT FOR LABORATORY TESTS OR REIMBURSEMENT
FOR DIAGNOSTIC X-RAY SERVICES SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR HUMAN LEUKOCYTE
ANTIGEN TESTING, ALSO REFERRED TO AS HISTOCOMPATIBLE LOCUS ANTIGEN TEST-
ING, FOR A, B, AND DR ANTIGENS FOR UTILIZATION IN TISSUE TYPING FOR BONE
MARROW TESTING.
  S 2. Subsection (1) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by
adding a new paragraph 19 to read as follows:
  (19) EVERY GROUP OR BLANKET POLICY DELIVERED OR ISSUED FOR DELIVERY IN
THIS STATE WHICH PROVIDES HOSPITAL, SURGICAL, OR MEDICAL  CARE  COVERAGE
SHALL  PROVIDE  COVERAGE  FOR  HUMAN  LEUKOCYTE  ANTIGEN  TESTING,  ALSO
REFERRED TO AS HISTOCOMPATIBLE LOCUS ANTIGEN TESTING, FOR A, B,  AND  DR
ANTIGENS  FOR  UTILIZATION  IN  TISSUE  TYPING  FOR BONE MARROW TESTING,
EXCEPT THAT THIS PROVISION SHALL NOT APPLY  TO  A  POLICY  WHICH  COVERS
PERSONS  EMPLOYED  IN  MORE  THAN  ONE STATE OR THE BENEFIT STRUCTURE OF
WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AFFECTING PERSONS WHO ARE
EMPLOYED IN MORE THAN ONE STATE.
  S 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
subsection (qq) to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05529-03-6

S. 2319--A                          2

  (QQ)  A  MEDICAL  EXPENSE  INDEMNITY  CORPORATION,  A HOSPITAL SERVICE
CORPORATION OR A HEALTH SERVICE CORPORATION WHICH PROVIDES COVERAGE  FOR
HOSPITAL,  SURGICAL,  OR  MEDICAL  CARE SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR HUMAN
LEUKOCYTE ANTIGEN TESTING, ALSO REFERRED  TO  AS  HISTOCOMPATIBLE  LOCUS
ANTIGEN  TESTING,  FOR  A,  B, AND DR ANTIGENS FOR UTILIZATION IN TISSUE
TYPING FOR BONE MARROW TESTING, EXCEPT THAT  THIS  PROVISION  SHALL  NOT
APPLY TO A CONTRACT WHICH COVERS PERSONS EMPLOYED IN MORE THAN ONE STATE
OR THE BENEFIT STRUCTURE OF WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAIN-
ING AFFECTING PERSONS WHO ARE EMPLOYED IN MORE THAN ONE STATE.
  S 4.  This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
ing  the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to all
policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered, or amended on
or after such effective date. Effective immediately any rules  or  regu-
lations  necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective
date shall be promulgated, and any  other  measures  necessary  for  the
implementation  of  this act on its effective date shall be taken, on or
before such effective date.

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