BILL NUMBER: S4072
SPONSOR: BYNOE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to coverage of certain
procedures to detect breast cancer
 
PURPOSE:
This purpose of this bill is expand breast cancer screenings for covered
persons who have a prior history of breast cancer or who have a first
degree relative with a prior history of breast cancer, or have had any
sonogram or other diagnostic procedure used to detect breast cancer.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill would require a group or blanket policy insurer
to expand breast cancer screenings for covered persons who have a prior
history of breast cancer or who have a first degree relative with a
prior history of breast cancer, or have had any sonogram or other diag-
nostic procedure used to detect breast cancer.
Section 2 of this bill would require a medical expense indemnity corpo-
ration, a hospital service corporation or a health service corporation
that offers large group contracts to offer breast cancer screenings for
covered persons who have a prior history of breast cancer or who have a
first degree relative with a prior history of breast cancer, or have had
any sonogram or other diagnostic procedure used to detect breast cancer.
Section 3 of this bill would establish an effective date that shall take
effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter 424 of the
laws of 2024, takes effect.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New Yorkers are suffering from an increase in breast cancer. Breast
Cancer is the most diagnosed form of cancer among U.S. women. Each year,
about 30% of all newly diagnosed cancers in women are breast cancer.
According to the data from Breatcancer.org, approximately 13% (about one
in eight) of U.S. women are going to develop invasive breast cancer
during their life. This pattern is replicated in New York State. Accord-
ing to data from Department of Health, breast cancer is one of the most
common cancers among women. Specifically, each year approximately 16,700
women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and about 2,500 women die from
the disease.
On Long Island, incidents of breast cancer are thirteen to eighteen
percent higher than the statewide average, according to The Department
of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health National
Cancer Institute, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,
as released in the November 2004 "Report to the U.S. Congress: The Long
Island Breast Cancer Study Project."
Cancer is an insidious malignancy that thrives when hidden. Providing
additional viable detection options at an earlier age for diagnostic
testing, as determined appropriate by a patient's own physicians, will
lead to earlier diagnosis based upon each patient's unique situation.
New Yorkers should have a fighting chance against this malicious disease
by bringing more health information to light.
This bill would expand breast cancer screenings for covered persons who
have a prior history of breast cancer or who have a first degree rela-
tive with a prior history of breast cancer, or have had any sonogram or
other diagnostic procedure used to detect breast cancer.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as
chapter 424 of the laws of 2024, takes effect.

Statutes affected:
S4072: 3221 insurance law, 3221(l) insurance law, 4303 insurance law, 4303(p) insurance law