S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5476
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 12, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to coverage for eating
disorders
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 35 to read as follows:
(35) (A) EVERY POLICY WHICH PROVIDES MEDICAL COVERAGE THAT INCLUDES
COVERAGE FOR PHYSICIAN SERVICES IN A PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE AND EVERY POLICY
WHICH PROVIDES MAJOR MEDICAL OR SIMILAR COMPREHENSIVE-TYPE COVERAGE
SHALL INCLUDE COVERAGE FOR INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION, PARTIAL HOSPITALI-
ZATION, RESIDENTIAL CARE, INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT, FOLLOW UP
OUTPATIENT CARE AND COUNSELING FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH EATING
DISORDERS. SUCH COVERAGE SHALL BE PROVIDED UNDER THE TERMS AND CONDI-
TIONS OTHERWISE APPLICABLE UNDER THE POLICY, INCLUDING NETWORK LIMITA-
TIONS OR VARIATIONS, EXCLUSIONS, CO-PAYS, COINSURANCE, DEDUCTIBLES OR
OTHER SPECIFIC COST SHARING MECHANISMS. PROVIDED FURTHER, WHERE A POLICY
PROVIDES BOTH IN-NETWORK AND OUT-OF-NETWORK BENEFITS, THE OUT-OF-NETWORK
BENEFITS MAY HAVE DIFFERENT COINSURANCE, CO-PAYS, OR DEDUCTIBLES, THAN
THE IN-NETWORK BENEFITS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE POLICY IS WRITTEN
UNDER ONE LICENSE OR TWO LICENSES.
(B) COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF AN EATING DISORDER PROVIDED UNDER THIS
PARAGRAPH IS LIMITED TO MEDICALLY NECESSARY TREATMENT THAT IS PROVIDED
BY A LICENSED TREATING PHYSICIAN, PSYCHIATRIST, PSYCHOLOGIST, MENTAL
HEALTH COUNSELOR, CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, OR LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMI-
LY THERAPIST, IN ACCORDANCE WITH A TREATMENT PLAN. SUCH TREATMENT PLAN,
UPON REQUEST BY THE INSURER, SHALL INCLUDE ALL ELEMENTS NECESSARY FOR
SUCH INSURER TO PAY CLAIMS. SUCH ELEMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED
TO, A DIAGNOSIS, PROPOSED TREATMENT BY TYPE, FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF
TREATMENT, AND GOALS.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08518-02-9
A. 5476 2
(C) MEDICAL NECESSITY DETERMINATIONS AND CARE MANAGEMENT FOR THE
TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS SHALL CONSIDER THE OVERALL MEDICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WITH AN EATING DISORDER, SHALL NOT
BE BASED SOLELY ON WEIGHT, AND SHALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE MOST
RECENT PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH EATING
DISORDERS ADOPTED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION IN ADDITION TO
CURRENT STANDARDS BASED UPON THE MEDICAL LITERATURE GENERALLY RECOGNIZED
AS AUTHORITATIVE IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
(D) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TERM "EATING DISORDER" MEANS
PICA, RUMINATION DISORDER, AVOIDANT/RESTRICTIVE FOOD INTAKE DISORDER,
ANOREXIA NERVOSA, BULIMIA NERVOSA, BINGE EATING DISORDER, OTHER SPECI-
FIED FEEDING OR EATING DISORDER, AND ANY OTHER EATING DISORDER CONTAINED
IN THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF
MENTAL DISORDERS PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION.
§ 2. Subparagraph (B) of paragraph 5 of subsection (l) of section 3221
of the insurance law, as amended by chapter 502 of the laws of 2007, is
amended to read as follows:
(B) (i) Every insurer delivering a group or school blanket policy or
issuing a group or school blanket policy for delivery, in this state,
which provides coverage for inpatient hospital care or coverage for
physician services, shall provide comparable coverage for adults and
children with biologically based mental illness. Such group policies
issued or delivered in this state shall also provide such comparable
coverage for children with serious emotional disturbances. Such coverage
shall be provided under the terms and conditions otherwise applicable
under the policy, including network limitations or variations, exclu-
sions, co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles or other specific cost sharing
mechanisms. Provided further, where a policy provides both in-network
and out-of-network benefits, the out-of-network benefits may have
different coinsurance, co-pays, or deductibles, than the in-network
benefits, regardless of whether the policy is written under one license
or two licenses.
(ii) For purposes of this paragraph, the term "biologically based
mental illness" means a mental, nervous, or emotional condition that is
caused by a biological disorder of the brain and results in a clinically
significant, psychological syndrome or pattern that substantially limits
the functioning of the person with the illness. Such biologically based
mental illnesses are defined as schizophrenia/psychotic disorders, major
depression, bipolar disorder, delusional disorders, panic disorder,
obsessive compulsive disorders[, bulimia, and anorexia] OR AN EATING
DISORDER.
(III) (I) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE TERM "EATING DISORDER"
MEANS PICA, RUMINATION DISORDER, AVOIDANT/RESTRICTIVE FOOD INTAKE DISOR-
DER, ANOREXIA NERVOSA, BULIMIA NERVOSA, BINGE EATING DISORDER, OTHER
SPECIFIED FEEDING OR EATING DISORDER, AND ANY OTHER EATING DISORDER
CONTAINED IN THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL
MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCI-
ATION.
(II) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION TO THE CONTRARY,
COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF AN EATING DISORDER PROVIDED UNDER THIS
SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION, PARTIAL HOSPITALIZA-
TION, RESIDENTIAL CARE, INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT, FOLLOW UP OUTPA-
TIENT CARE AND COUNSELING, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, SUCH TREATMENT IS LIMITED
TO MEDICALLY NECESSARY TREATMENT THAT IS PROVIDED BY A LICENSED TREATING
PHYSICIAN, PSYCHIATRIST, PSYCHOLOGIST, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, CLINICAL
SOCIAL WORKER, OR LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST, IN ACCORDANCE
A. 5476 3
WITH A TREATMENT PLAN. SUCH TREATMENT PLAN, UPON REQUEST BY THE MEDICAL
EXPENSE INDEMNITY CORPORATION OR HEALTH SERVICE CORPORATION, SHALL
INCLUDE ALL ELEMENTS NECESSARY FOR SUCH CORPORATION TO PAY CLAIMS. SUCH
ELEMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, A DIAGNOSIS, PROPOSED TREAT-
MENT BY TYPE, FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF TREATMENT, AND GOALS.
(III) MEDICAL NECESSITY DETERMINATIONS AND CARE MANAGEMENT FOR THE
TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS SHALL CONSIDER THE OVERALL MEDICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WITH AN EATING DISORDER, SHALL NOT
BE BASED SOLELY ON WEIGHT, AND SHALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE MOST
RECENT PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH EATING
DISORDERS ADOPTED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION IN ADDITION TO
CURRENT STANDARDS BASED UPON THE MEDICAL LITERATURE GENERALLY RECOGNIZED
AS AUTHORITATIVE IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
§ 3. Paragraph 2 of subsection (g) of section 4303 of the insurance
law, as amended by chapter 502 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read
as follows:
(2) (A) A hospital service corporation or a health service corpo-
ration, which provides group, group remittance or school blanket cover-
age for inpatient hospital care, shall provide comparable coverage for
adults and children with biologically based mental illness. Such hospi-
tal service corporation or health service corporation shall also provide
such comparable coverage for children with serious emotional disturb-
ances. Such coverage shall be provided under the terms and conditions
otherwise applicable under the contract, including network limitations
or variations, exclusions, co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles or other
specific cost sharing mechanisms. Provided further, where a contract
provides both in-network and out-of-network benefits, the out-of-network
benefits may have different coinsurance, co-pays, or deductibles, than
the in-network benefits, regardless of whether the contract is written
under one license or two licenses.
(B) For purposes of this subsection, the term "biologically based
mental illness" means a mental, nervous, or emotional condition that is
caused by a biological disorder of the brain and results in a clinically
significant, psychological syndrome or pattern that substantially limits
the functioning of the person with the illness. Such biologically based
mental illnesses are defined as schizophrenia/psychotic disorders, major
depression, bipolar disorder, delusional disorders, panic disorder,
obsessive compulsive disorders[, anorexia, and bulimia] OR AN EATING
DISORDER.
(C) (I) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE TERM "EATING DISORDER"
MEANS PICA, RUMINATION DISORDER, AVOIDANT/RESTRICTIVE FOOD INTAKE DISOR-
DER, ANOREXIA NERVOSA, BULIMIA NERVOSA, BINGE EATING DISORDER, OTHER
SPECIFIED FEEDING OR EATING DISORDER, AND ANY OTHER EATING DISORDER
CONTAINED IN THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL
MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCI-
ATION.
(II) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION TO THE CONTRARY,
COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF AN EATING DISORDER PROVIDED UNDER THIS
SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION, PARTIAL HOSPITALIZA-
TION, RESIDENTIAL CARE, INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT, FOLLOW UP OUTPA-
TIENT CARE AND COUNSELING, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, SUCH TREATMENT IS LIMITED
TO MEDICALLY NECESSARY TREATMENT THAT IS PROVIDED BY A LICENSED TREATING
PHYSICIAN, PSYCHIATRIST, PSYCHOLOGIST, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, CLINICAL
SOCIAL WORKER, OR LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST, IN ACCORDANCE
WITH A TREATMENT PLAN. SUCH TREATMENT PLAN, UPON REQUEST BY THE MEDICAL
EXPENSE INDEMNITY CORPORATION OR HEALTH SERVICE CORPORATION, SHALL
A. 5476 4
INCLUDE ALL ELEMENTS NECESSARY FOR SUCH CORPORATION TO PAY CLAIMS. SUCH
ELEMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, A DIAGNOSIS, PROPOSED TREAT-
MENT BY TYPE, FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF TREATMENT, AND GOALS.
(III) MEDICAL NECESSITY DETERMINATIONS AND CARE MANAGEMENT FOR THE
TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS SHALL CONSIDER THE OVERALL MEDICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WITH AN EATING DISORDER, SHALL NOT
BE BASED SOLELY ON WEIGHT, AND SHALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE MOST
RECENT PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH EATING
DISORDERS ADOPTED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION IN ADDITION TO
CURRENT STANDARDS BASED UPON THE MEDICAL LITERATURE GENERALLY RECOGNIZED
AS AUTHORITATIVE IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
§ 4. Paragraph 2 of subsection (h) of section 4303 of the insurance
law, as amended by chapter 502 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read
as follows:
(2) (A) A medical expense indemnity corporation or a health service
corporation, which provides group, group remittance or school blanket
coverage for physician services, shall provide comparable coverage for
adults and children with biologically based mental illness. Such medical
expense indemnity corporation or health service corporation shall also
provide such comparable coverage for children with serious emotional
disturbances. Such coverage shall be provided under the terms and condi-
tions otherwise applicable under the contract, including network limita-
tions or variations, exclusions, co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles or
other specific cost sharing mechanisms. Provided further, where a
contract provides both in-network and out-of-network benefits, the out-
of-network benefits may have different coinsurance, co-pays, or deduct-
ibles, than the in-network benefits, regardless of whether the contract
is written under one license or two licenses.
(B) For purposes of this subsection, the term "biologically based
mental illness" means a mental, nervous, or emotional condition that is
caused by a biological disorder of the brain and results in a clinically
significant, psychological syndrome or pattern that substantially limits
the functioning of the person with the illness. Such biologically based
mental illnesses are defined as schizophrenia/psychotic disorders, major
depression, bipolar disorder, delusional disorders, panic disorder,
obsessive compulsive disorder[, anorexia, and bulimia] OR AN EATING
DISORDER.
(C) (I) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE TERM "EATING DISORDER"
MEANS PICA, RUMINATION DISORDER, AVOIDANT/RESTRICTIVE FOOD INTAKE DISOR-
DER, ANOREXIA NERVOSA, BULIMIA NERVOSA, BINGE EATING DISORDER, OTHER
SPECIFIED FEEDING OR EATING DISORDER, AND ANY OTHER EATING DISORDER
CONTAINED IN THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL
MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCI-
ATION.
(II) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION TO THE CONTRARY,
COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF AN EATING DISORDER PROVIDED UNDER THIS
SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION, PARTIAL HOSPITALIZA-
TION, RESIDENTIAL CARE, INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT, FOLLOW UP OUTPA-
TIENT CARE AND COUNSELING, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, SUCH TREATMENT IS LIMITED
TO MEDICALLY NECESSARY TREATMENT THAT IS PROVIDED BY A LICENSED TREATING
PHYSICIAN, PSYCHIATRIST, PSYCHOLOGIST, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, CLINICAL
SOCIAL WORKER, OR LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST, IN ACCORDANCE
WITH A TREATMENT PLAN. SUCH TREATMENT PLAN, UPON REQUEST BY THE MEDICAL
EXPENSE INDEMNITY CORPORATION OR HEALTH SERVICE CORPORATION, SHALL
INCLUDE ALL ELEMENTS NECESSARY FOR SUCH CORPORATION TO PAY CLAIMS. SUCH
A. 5476 5
ELEMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, A DIAGNOSIS, PROPOSED TREAT-
MENT BY TYPE, FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF TREATMENT, AND GOALS.
(III) MEDICAL NECESSITY DETERMINATIONS AND CARE MANAGEMENT FOR THE
TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS SHALL CONSIDER THE OVERALL MEDICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WITH AN EATING DISORDER, SHALL NOT
BE BASED SOLELY ON WEIGHT, AND SHALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE MOST
RECENT PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH EATING
DISORDERS ADOPTED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION IN ADDITION TO
CURRENT STANDARDS BASED UPON THE MEDICAL LITERATURE GENERALLY RECOGNIZED
AS AUTHORITATIVE IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
§ 5. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law; provided, however, that the provisions of this act
shall apply to policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered
or amended on or after such effective date.