S 9523: Provides for coverage for treatments to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9523  IN SENATE March 19, 2026 ___________ Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance AN ACT to amend the insurance law and the social services law, in relation to coverage for treatments to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 3216 of the insurance law is 2 amended by adding a new paragraph 11-d to read as follows: 3 (11-d) Every policy which provides medical, major medical, or similar 4 comprehensive-type coverage shall provide coverage for all medically 5 necessary diagnostic testing and United States food and drug administra- 6 tion-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the progres- 7 sion of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, in accordance with the 8 United States food and drug administration label, as determined by a 9 physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches. Coverage of 10 United States food and drug administration-approved treatments or medi- 11 cations prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease or 12 another related dementia pursuant to this paragraph shall not be subject 13 to step therapy. 14 § 2. Subsection (l) of section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by 15 adding a new paragraph 11-d to read as follows: 16 (11-d) Every insurer delivering a group or blanket policy or issuing a 17 group or blanket policy for delivery in this state that provides cover- 18 age for medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive-type coverage 19 shall provide coverage for all medically necessary diagnostic testing 20 and United States food and drug administration-approved treatments or 21 medications prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease 22 and other dementia, in accordance with the United States food and drug 23 administration label, as determined by a physician licensed to practice 24 medicine in all its branches. Coverage of United States food and drug 25 administration-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the 26 progression of Alzheimer's disease or another related dementia pursuant 27 to this paragraph shall not be subject to step therapy. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD15298-01-6 
 S. 9523 2 1 § 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new 2 subsection (p-2) to read as follows: 3 (p-2) A medical expense indemnity corporation, a hospital service 4 corporation or a health service corporation that provides coverage for 5 medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive-type coverage shall 6 provide coverage for all medically necessary diagnostic testing and 7 United States food and drug administration-approved treatments or medi- 8 cations prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and 9 other dementia, in accordance with the United States food and drug 10 administration label, as determined by a physician licensed to practice 11 medicine in all its branches. Coverage of United States food and drug 12 administration-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the 13 progression of Alzheimer's disease or another related dementia pursuant 14 to this subsection shall not be subject to step therapy. 15 § 4. Subdivision 2 of section 365-a of the social services law is 16 amended by adding a new paragraph (mm-1) to read as follows: 17 (mm-1) all medically necessary diagnostic testing and United States 18 food and drug administration-approved treatments or medications 19 prescribed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other 20 dementia, in accordance with the United States food and drug adminis- 21 tration label, as determined by a physician licensed to practice medi- 22 cine in all its branches. Coverage of United States food and drug admin- 23 istration-approved treatments or medications prescribed to slow the 24 progression of Alzheimer's disease or another related dementia pursuant 25 to this paragraph shall not be subject to step therapy. 26 § 5. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed- 27 ing the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to all 28 policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered or amended on 29 or after such date.