Statement from Senator Panepinto on Governor Signing S.5972 into Law

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Senator Marc Panepinto praised Governor Cuomo for signing his co-sponsored legislation S.5972 into law, clearing the way for pregnant women to access prenatal care at any time. A member of the Senate Insurance Committee, Senator Panepinto’s co-sponsored legislation eliminates insurance hurdles by permitting pregnant women to enroll in the state health insurance exchange at any time following the commencement of the pregnancy.

The co-sponsor of several pieces of women’s empowerment and welfare legislation, Senator Panepinto issued the following statement:

“To force women to wait for open enrollment in order to receive life-saving prenatal care is criminal. At such a crucial time in a woman’s life, the urgency of prenatal care services has never been higher. As the father of three daughters, I am proud to have co-sponsored legislation that will provide the necessary and timely care women deserve. I am grateful to Governor Cuomo for his part in helping to protect millions of women with this potentially life-saving piece of legislation and look forward to continuing to work to level the playing field for all women as we enter the next legislative session.” 

Senator Panepinto has sponsored the following pieces of legislation: 

S.3510

·  Strengthens early detection of breast cancer by closing loophole in well-intended 2012 law.

·  Increases the number of individuals covered by health insurance for follow-up ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures to detect breast cancer.

·  Prevents the costly surprise of discovering that follow-up visits for digital mammograms or ultrasound procedures are not covered by one’s health insurance.

·  Studies have shown that for women with dense breast tissue, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are more accurate tests for detecting breast cancers than a mammogram. Ultrasound and MRI technology can find breast cancers that cannot be seen on a mammogram.

·  An ambiguous mammogram will result in the recommendation of a further evaluation using ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by one's doctor. The issue with such further evaluation, which is necessary to detect cancer, is that it is often not covered by one's insurance.

S.3531

·Requires the state urban development corporation and subsidiaries to guarantee business enterprises owned and operated by women be given an equal opportunity to participate in the planning, construction and operation of projects of the corporation or its subsidiaries.

·  Provides that the UDC shall gather information and make written findings, if warranted, with respect to areas of the state where its projects are located, concerning the effects of past discrimination against women and business enterprises owned and operated by women.

·  Provides that the UDC shall adopt, in writing and implement such actions to achieve and maintain equal employment and business opportunity as it may reasonably deem necessary and appropriate.

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Senator Panepinto represents the 60th Senate District, which includes parts of the City of Buffalo as well as communities in both the Northtowns and the Southtowns of Western New York.