Senator John Liu hails signing of legislation to protect privacy of domestic violence survivors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Contact: Soojin Choi |347-556-6335| press@johnliusenate.com

SENATOR JOHN LIU HAILS SIGNING OF LEGISLATION TO PROTECT PRIVACY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS

New York, NY – New York State Senator John Liu today joined Governor Kathy Hochul for the signing of his bill, 7263A, to require health insurers to provide victims of domestic violence with the ability to provide alternative contact information for billing and claims. 

The legislation allows victims of domestic violence to seek medical and mental health services and to utilize their health insurance to pay for those services without fear that insurance claims, forms, or billing correspondence will be sent to the address of the policyholder, which may be the same address as the abuser. Instead, the bill will give victims the opportunity to designate alternative contact information so they can receive insurance correspondence related to their care or process other insurance claims in a safe location of their own choosing, such as the home of a friend or family member, a post office box, or a shelter.   

Protecting the confidentiality of survivors will also increase the likelihood that survivors will seek resources, support services and treatment in their community to keep themselves and their families safe. The bill also applies to the dependent children of domestic violence.

Senator John Liu stated, “Domestic violence survivors often require extreme discretion when seeking assistance from service providers in order to protect their privacy and safety. This common sense bill provides greater security to domestic violence survivors by requiring health insurers to provide them with the help they need while protecting their privacy and safety from their abusers. Many thanks to Governor Hochul and my colleagues in the legislature for securing new protections for victims of domestic violence.”

Assemblymember Steven Cymbrowitz said, "The legislation I sponsored (A.2519) will help protect the privacy and safety of domestic abuse victims, allowing them to access important medical or mental health services without fear that their claim or billing correspondence will reveal their location or sensitive information to their abuser. Similarly, individuals still living in abusive situations will be more likely to seek necessary treatment if their privacy can be assured — and that this treatment may help them connect with resources in their communities that help victims of domestic violence."  

Kristen Chi, Executive Director of Garden of Hope stated, “The pandemic has caused a massive increase in domestic violence cases; unemployment also causes tension at home, leading to more child abuse cases. Moreover, families with mental health patients are deeply affected as well. They struggle to help a family member who does not have access to care or may not want assistance. Our Garden of Hope bilingual team understands the Chinese immigrant experience, culture, and heritage, and is trained in cultural competency. All services are free, and we encourage families to reach out at 877-990-8595. Thank you to Governor Hochul, Senator Liu and their legislative colleagues for their work to help domestic violence survivors. 

Jeehae Lee Fischer, Executive Director of Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC) stated, “Organizations like the Korean American Family Service Center are the lifelines for these immigrant survivors. We believe this is the first step in an ongoing investment in our communities and New York’s commitment to being accountable to immigrant survivors of gender-based violence. We want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator John Liu along with other elected officials for their support for immigrant survivors of gender-based violence deserve to feel safe.”

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