BILL NUMBER: S498
SPONSOR: STEC
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the insurance law and the social services law, in
relation to requiring insurance and Medicaid coverage for inpatient and
outpatient substance abuse treatment for a period of not less than
forty-five days
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would allow patients who need detoxification and rehabili-
tation services to be covered for said services for up to a forty-five
day period.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Sections 1 through 8 of this legislation provides inpatient and outpa-
tient coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of substance use disor-
der, including detoxification and rehabilitation services, for a period
of not less than forty-five days.
Section 9 contains the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Patients who need diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorder
often time do not get the proper treatment because they cannot afford to
stay in treatment and are not covered. During the short amount of time
in which patients are covered now, they are not properly rehabilitated,
thus making them fall back into the same cycle. This legislation would
provide longer coverage in order to keep patients in rehabilitation
services longer and to receive the proper rehabilitation services that
they need in order to recover.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022/2021: S5347 referred to Insurance; A902 referred to Insurance
2020/2019: S2529 referred to Insurance; A3041 referred to Insurance
2018/2017: S6052 referred to Insurance; A7585 referred to Insurance
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all policies
and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after
such date.

Statutes affected:
S498: 3216 insurance law, 3216(i) insurance law, 4303 insurance law, 4303(k) insurance law, 4303(l) insurance law