NY State Senate Bill 2021-S2974

Senate Bill S2974

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Mandates commercial insurance coverage of peer support services as part of treatment for substance use disorder

download bill text pdf

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 05, 2022	referred to insurance
Jan 26, 2021	referred to insurance

2021-S2974 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Insurance
Law Section:: Insurance Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§3216, 3221 & 4303, Ins L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S5426
2023-2024: S1177, S3519

2021-S2974 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Mandates commercial insurance coverage of peer support services as part of treatment for substance use disorder.

2021-S2974 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S2974

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to mandating commercial
insurance coverage of peer support services as part of treatment for
substance use disorder

 
PURPOSE:

This bill will mandate that commercial insurance coverage include peer
support services as part of substance use disorder.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends paragraph 31 of subsection (i) of section 3216 of the
insurance law, as added by chapter 41 of the laws of 2014.

Section 2 amends paragraph 31 of subsection (i) of section 3216 of the
insurance law, as amended by section 6 of subpart A of part BB of chap-

ter 57 of the laws of 2019.

Section 3 amends subparagraph 7 of subsection (1) of section 3221 of the
insurance law, as amended by chapter 41 of the laws of 2014.

Section 4 amends subparagraph (A) of paragraph 7 of subsection (1) of
section 3221 of the insurance law, as amended by section 16 of subpart A
of part BB of chapter 57 of the laws of 2019.

Section 5 amends subsection (1) of section 4303 of the insurance law, as
amended by chapter 41 of the laws of 2014.

Section 6 amends paragraph 1 of subsection (1) of section 4303 of the
insurance law, as amended by section 27 of subpart A of part BB of chap-
ter 57 of the laws of 2019.

Section 7 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Peer support services have proven effective in the treatment of
substance use disorder and insurance companies need to recognize the
pivotal role that these services can play in treatment programs. Peer to
peer counseling allows those dealing with substance use disorder to
connect and speak to individuals who have lived through similar experi-
ences.

This legislation would mandate that insurance companies include peer
support services for the treatment of substance use disorder, therefore
providing a resource that could help countless people in their battle
with substance use.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019-20: S5426 referred to Insurance; same as A7566 (Rosenthal L)
referred to Insurance

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become law.

2021-S2974 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2974
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 26, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- 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  mandating  commercial
   insurance  coverage  of peer support services as part of treatment for
   substance use disorder

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.    Subparagraph  (A)  of paragraph 31 of subsection (i) of
 section 3216 of the insurance law, as amended by section 6 of subpart  A
 of  part  BB  of  chapter  57 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as
 follows:
   (A) Every policy that  provides  medical,  major  medical  or  similar
 comprehensive-type  coverage  shall  provide outpatient coverage for the
 diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorder, including detoxifica-
 tion and rehabilitation services AND ALSO INCLUDING PEERS  CERTIFIED  BY
 THE  OFFICE  OF  MENTAL  HEALTH  AND PEER SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED BY A
 CERTIFIED RECOVERY PEER ADVOCATE AS DEFINED BY THE OFFICE  OF  ADDICTION
 SERVICES  AND SUPPORTS. Such coverage shall not apply financial require-
 ments or treatment limitations  to  outpatient  substance  use  disorder
 benefits  that  are  more  restrictive  than  the  predominant financial
 requirements and treatment  limitations  applied  to  substantially  all
 medical and surgical benefits covered by the policy.
   § 2. Subparagraph (A) of paragraph 7 of subsection (l) of section 3221
 of  the  insurance law, as amended by section 16 of subpart A of part BB
 of chapter 57 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   (A) Every policy that  provides  medical,  major  medical  or  similar
 comprehensive-type  coverage  shall  provide outpatient coverage for the
 diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorder, including detoxifica-
 tion and rehabilitation services AND ALSO INCLUDING PEERS  CERTIFIED  BY
 THE  OFFICE  OF  MENTAL  HEALTH  AND PEER SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED BY A
 CERTIFIED RECOVERY PEER ADVOCATE AS DEFINED BY THE OFFICE  OF  ADDICTION
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD00897-02-1

 S. 2974                             2
 
 SERVICES  AND SUPPORTS. Such coverage shall not apply financial require-
 ments or treatment limitations  to  outpatient  substance  use  disorder
 benefits  that  are  more  restrictive  than  the  predominant financial
 requirements  and  treatment  limitations  applied  to substantially all
 medical and surgical benefits covered by the policy.
   § 3. Paragraph 1 of subsection (l) of section 4303  of  the  insurance
 law,  as  amended by section 27 of subpart A of part BB of chapter 57 of
 the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   (1) Every contract that provides medical,  major  medical  or  similar
 comprehensive-type  coverage  shall  provide outpatient coverage for the
 diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorder, including detoxifica-
 tion and rehabilitation services AND ALSO INCLUDING PEERS  CERTIFIED  BY
 THE  OFFICE  OF  MENTAL  HEALTH  AND PEER SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED BY A
 CERTIFIED RECOVERY PEER ADVOCATE AS DEFINED BY THE OFFICE  OF  ADDICTION
 SERVICES  AND SUPPORTS. Such coverage shall not apply financial require-
 ments or treatment limitations  to  outpatient  substance  use  disorder
 benefits  that  are  more  restrictive  than  the  predominant financial
 requirements and treatment  limitations  applied  to  substantially  all
 medical and surgical benefits covered by the contract.
   §  4.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

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