In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to establish privacy protections in insurance communications for survivors of domestic violence and others at risk of harm. This bill would require insurers to accommodate requests for confidential communication—such as sending explanation of benefits (EOBs), billing notices, or other sensitive materials to an alternate address, phone number, or email.

Survivors often remain covered under health insurance policies held by their abusers, creating serious safety risks when insurers send documents that inadvertently reveal counseling, medical visits, prescriptions, or shelter access.
Without guaranteed confidentiality, many survivors avoid seeking care or counseling altogether.

This legislation would:

• Allow covered individuals to request confidential communications without proof of abuse;
• Require insurers to accept alternate contact methods (mail, phone, email);
• Prohibit insurers from disclosing the request or the individual’s information to the primary policyholder; and
• Impose penalties for violations under the Unfair Insurance Practices Act.

Several states—including New York, California, and Washington—have already enacted similar protections to help survivors maintain privacy and access care safely.
I invite you to join me in co-sponsoring this important step toward empowering and protecting survivors of domestic violence in our Commonwealth.