Requires the department of health to publish a report on the incidence of tick-borne illnesses annually on the department's website, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1786
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  HINCHEY,  MAY,  ROLISON,  WEBB  -- read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Health
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring annual
   reports on tick-borne illnesses; and to require the superintendent  of
   financial  services  to review the status of health insurance coverage
   for the  treatment  of  Lyme  disease  and  other  tick-borne  related
   diseases
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 207-b to read as follows:
   § 207-B. TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES; REPORTS. 1. THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONJUNC-
 TION  WITH  THE TICK-BORNE DISEASE INSTITUTE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVI-
 RONMENTAL CONSERVATION, SHALL PUBLISH A REPORT ON ITS WEBSITE CONTAINING
 INFORMATION RELATED TO THE INCIDENCE  OF  TICK-BORNE  ILLNESSES  IN  THE
 STATE.  SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSED CASES OF TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES;
   (B) THE INCIDENCE OF TICK-BORNE ILLNESS IN EACH COUNTY; AND
   (C)  THE ESTIMATED TICK POPULATION IN THE STATE AND WHETHER SUCH POPU-
 LATION IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE, DECREASE,  OR  REMAIN  CONSTANT  AT  THE
 STATE AND COUNTY LEVEL.
   2.  ON  OR BEFORE APRIL FIRST ANNUALLY, THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONJUNCTION
 WITH THE TICK-BORNE DISEASE INSTITUTE AND  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ENVIRON-
 MENTAL  CONSERVATION,  SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPO-
 RARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE  MINORITY
 LEADER  OF  THE  SENATE  AND  THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY.  SUCH
 REPORT SHALL SUMMARIZE THE STATISTICS REQUIRED TO BE  REPORTED  PURSUANT
 TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND INCLUDE ANY
 OTHER INFORMATION DEEMED RELEVANT TO TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES FOR THE COMING
 YEAR.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05408-01-5
 S. 1786                             2
 
   §  2.  (a)  The  superintendent of financial services, in consultation
 with the commissioner of health,  shall  review  the  status  of  health
 insurance  coverage  for  the  treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-
 borne related diseases, and  make  recommendations  regarding  potential
 changes  to  insurance coverage requirements and parameters. Such review
 shall include, but not be limited to:
   (i) The current range of insurance coverage for the treatment of  Lyme
 and other tick-borne related diseases within New York state;
   (ii)  Reasons for insurer denial of coverage for the treatment of Lyme
 and other tick-borne related diseases;
   (iii) Insurance coverage required by other states for the treatment of
 symptoms related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases and  their  esti-
 mated costs and payment models; and
   (iv)  The  estimated  cost  of expanding coverage for the treatment of
 symptoms related to Lyme disease and other tick-borne related diseases.
   (b) Within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this  act,
 the  superintendent  of  financial services shall submit a report to the
 governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of  the
 assembly of the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the depart-
 ment of financial services.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.