S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6596
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 6, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ROSENTHAL  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring  Medi-
   caid to cover gender-affirming care regardless of federal funding; and
   to  amend the executive law, in relation to prohibiting discriminatory
   practices by health care entities

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Subdivision 2 of section 365-a of the social services law
 is amended by adding a new paragraph (nn) to read as follows:
   (NN) ALL  MEDICALLY  NECESSARY  GENDER-AFFIRMING  CARE  REGARDLESS  OF
 WHETHER ANY FEDERAL FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SUCH COVERAGE.
   §  2.  The  executive  law is amended by adding a new section 296-e to
 read as follows:
   § 296-E. UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN RELATION TO HEALTH CARE.
 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS  SECTION,  THE  TERM  "HEALTH  CARE  ENTITY"
 MEANS:
   (A)  A HOSPITAL OR PROVIDER AS DEFINED BY SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED
 ONE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW;
   (B) A PROFESSIONAL LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE,  ONE
 HUNDRED  THIRTY-ONE-B, ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE-C, ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO,
 ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE, ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FOUR, ONE  HUNDRED  THIRTY-
 SIX,  ONE  HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN, ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN-A, ONE HUNDRED
 THIRTY-NINE, ONE HUNDRED  FORTY,  ONE  HUNDRED  FORTY-ONE,  ONE  HUNDRED
 FORTY-THREE,  ONE  HUNDRED  FORTY-FOUR,  ONE  HUNDRED  FIFTY-THREE,  ONE
 HUNDRED FIFTY-SEVEN, ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE, ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR, OR
 ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN OF THE EDUCATION LAW; OR
   (C) AN ISSUER OR PROVIDER OF COVERAGE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, AS DEFINED
 BY SECTION SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED FIVE OF THE INSURANCE LAW.
   2. IT SHALL BE AN UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE FOR ANY HEALTH CARE
 ENTITY TO REFUSE SERVICES  OR  TO  OTHERWISE  DISCRIMINATE  AGAINST  ANY
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09201-02-5
              

 A. 6596                             2
 
 PERSON  ON  THE BASIS OF SUCH PERSON'S AGE, RACE, CREED, COLOR, NATIONAL
 ORIGIN, CITIZENSHIP OR IMMIGRATION STATUS,  SEXUAL  ORIENTATION,  GENDER
 IDENTITY  OR  EXPRESSION, MILITARY STATUS, SEX, DISABILITY, PREDISPOSING
 GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS, FAMILIAL STATUS, MARITAL STATUS, OR STATUS AS A
 VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.