NY State Senate Bill 2023-S3519

Senate Bill S3519

2023-2024 Legislative Session

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

download bill text pdf

Current 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 03, 2024	referred to insurance
Jan 31, 2023	referred to insurance

2023-S3519 (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
2021-2022: S2974

2023-S3519 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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

2023-S3519 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S3519

SPONSOR: FERNANDEZ
 
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 OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill mandates 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.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-2022: S2974

2019-2020: S5426

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state

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

2023-S3519 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3519
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 31, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- 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.
                                                            LBD01263-02-3

 S. 3519                             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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