BILL NUMBER: S5955A
SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to health insurance
coverage for acupuncture services
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Subsection (i) of section 3216 of the insurance law is
amended by adding a new paragraph 39.
Section 2: Section 4343 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new
subsection (uu).
Section 3: This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it
shall have become a law and shall apply to policies and contracts
issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on or after such effective
date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The ACA ensured access of all New Yorkers to a basic level of health-
care, which included "essential health benefits" which are loosely
outlined by the Federal Government. States are permitted to expand these
"essential health benefits" in order to provide their citizens with
greater access to basic levels of care. Acupuncture is currently not
provided for as an essential health benefit in New York, and is not
covered by New York's basic health plan. This leaves many New Yorker's
without the ability to afford this important treatment.
Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating a number of
conditions, including chronic pain, nausea, headaches, anxiety,
depression, insomnia and infertility. Acupuncture is also a cost effec-
tive alternative to some other forms of treatment, often resulting in
permanent improvement for patients with chronic conditions. Acupuncture
has been shown to be effective in treating chronic pain as an alterna-
tive to opioids. This makes adding acupuncture as an essential health
benefit even more important given the opioid epidemic facing the state.
Ensuring that citizens have access to quality acupuncture as part of
their basic health insurance offered on the health exchange should be a
key part of New York's public health plan.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S6038
2021-22: S5071 - Referred to Insurance
2019-20: S.4560 - Referred to Insurance
2017-18: 5.7636 - Referred to Insurance
2015-2016: A.10322 (Kim), Referred to insurance
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The State may be liable for any difference in premiums paid in the event
that adding acupuncture as an essential health benefit creates an addi-
tional cost to plans. Given its relative cost effectiveness compared to
other means of treatment, it could result in no cost/premium increases,
or a reduction.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law and shall apply to policies and contracts issued, renewed,
modified, altered or amended on or after such effective date.

Statutes affected:
S5955: 3216 insurance law, 3216(i) insurance law, 4303 insurance law
S5955A: 3221 insurance law, 3221(l) insurance law, 4303 insurance law