A 7944: Ensures continuity of care for cancer patients during insurance contract negotiations by requiring insurance coverage and treatment continue until the conclusion of care.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7944 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY April 16, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Insurance AN ACT to amend the insurance law and the public health law, in relation to ensuring continuity of care for cancer patients during insurance contract negotiations The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Continuity 2 of Cancer Care Act" or the "COCCA". 3 § 2. Section 3216 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new 4 subsection (n) to read as follows: 5 (n) An insurer shall, where an insured is receiving treatment for 6 cancer at a hospital that specializes in oncology treatment which such 7 insurer was covering in whole or in part and such insurer and such 8 hospital company cannot come to an agreement during contract negoti- 9 ations, continue to cover such treatments for such insured until the 10 conclusion of such insured's care. 11 § 3. Section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new 12 subsection (v) to read as follows: 13 (v) An insurer shall, where an insured is receiving treatment for 14 cancer at a hospital that specializes in oncology treatment which such 15 insurer was covering in whole or in part and such insurer and such 16 hospital company cannot come to an agreement during contract negoti- 17 ations, continue to cover such treatments for such insured until the 18 conclusion of such insured's care. 19 § 4. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new 20 subsection (i) to read as follows: 21 (i) An insurer shall, where an insured is receiving treatment for 22 cancer at a hospital that specializes in oncology treatment which such 23 insurer was covering in whole or in part and such insurer and such 24 hospital company cannot come to an agreement during contract negoti- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD10785-01-5 
 A. 7944 2 1 ations, continue to cover such treatments for such insured until the 2 conclusion of such insured's care. 3 § 5. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2404-e 4 to read as follows: 5 § 2404-e. Cancer; duty to continue treatment. Where a person is 6 receiving treatment for cancer at a hospital that specializes in oncolo- 7 gy treatment which is covered by such person's insurance company and 8 such hospital and such person's insurance company cannot come to an 9 agreement during contract negotiations, such person shall remain under 10 continuous care of such hospital and such person's insurance shall 11 continue to provide such coverage for such treatments until the conclu- 12 sion of such person's care. 13 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.