This bill requires health insurers in New York to cover speech therapy for stuttering, directly affecting people with stuttering who need this treatment. Insurers must cover all costs for therapy (including both habilitative and rehabilitative treatment) when recommended by a physician, with no limits on the number of visits or duration. Coverage may be denied only if therapy is already provided through school-based education plans (like IEPs), but insurers must still cover supplemental therapy outside of school settings when a physician refers the patient. The law applies to all individual, group, and health service corporation insurance policies issued or renewed after its effective date.
Prohibits insurance carriers and employers from withholding certain benefits from injured workers based on a claim that such workers have voluntarily withdrawn from the labor market by not seeking alternate employment that their injury or illness does not preclude them from performing.
Provides liability protections for health care providers who issue vaccines so long as such vaccination does not arise out of willful misconduct or gross negligence.
Relates to the distribution of educational materials regarding the misuse of and addiction to prescription drugs in counties with the most prevalent prescription substance use disorder.
Directs the commissioner of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services to establish a program for individuals to receive free drug test strips to detect the presence of medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants; directs the commissioner of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, in cooperation with the commissioner of the department of health, to develop and conduct a public awareness and educational campaign on the dangers of medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants.
Relates to authorization of treatment under workers' compensation for care and treatment of injured employees by podiatrists, chiropractors and psychologists; repeals certain provisions.
Requires Medicaid to cover a wearable medical device that uses low-intensity, alternating electric fields delivered to the tumor site to treat glioblastoma and other cancers as recommended by medical and scientific evidence.
Establishes a program for specific individuals to become complex care assistants and provide private duty nursing services to certain Medicaid enrollees.
This bill requires health insurance plans in New York to cover postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy as part of mandatory maternity care. It directly affects new mothers by ensuring their health insurance must include this specific therapy to aid recovery after childbirth. The bill amends existing insurance law to add "postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy" to the list of required benefits, alongside services like breastfeeding support and newborn assessments. The policy change applies to all insurance contracts issued or renewed on or after its effective date.
Establishes the rural suicide prevention council to identify barriers to mental health and substance use treatment and prevention services and other policies, practices, resources, services, and potential legislation that aim to reduce death by suicide and suicide attempts and acknowledge the demographic and cultural differences in rural communities; makes related provisions.