New York S 8969: Requires health insurers to provide coverage for speech therapy for stuttering

Bill Text

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 Speaker Carl E. Heastie

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S08969 Summary:

BILL NOS08969B

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A10030-B

&nbsp

SPONSORBAILEY

&nbsp

COSPNSRADDABBO

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §§3221 & 4303, Ins L

&nbsp

Requires health insurers to provide coverage for speech therapy for stuttering.

Go to top S08969 Actions:

BILL NOS08969B

&nbsp

01/21/2026REFERRED TO INSURANCE

03/16/2026AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO INSURANCE

03/16/2026PRINT NUMBER 8969A

04/20/2026REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE

04/22/2026AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO FINANCE

04/22/2026PRINT NUMBER 8969B

05/28/2026COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

05/28/2026ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1389

06/04/2026SUBSTITUTED BY A10030B

&nbspA10030 AMEND=B Weprin

&nbsp01/30/2026referred to insurance

&nbsp03/09/2026amend and recommit to insurance

&nbsp03/09/2026print number 10030a

&nbsp03/18/2026reported 

&nbsp03/19/2026advanced to third reading cal.325

&nbsp04/16/2026amended on third reading 10030b

&nbsp05/12/2026passed assembly

&nbsp05/12/2026delivered to senate

&nbsp05/12/2026REFERRED TO INSURANCE

&nbsp06/04/2026SUBSTITUTED FOR S8969B

&nbsp06/04/20263RD READING CAL.1389

&nbsp06/04/2026PASSED SENATE

&nbsp06/04/2026RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

Go to topS08969 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS08969 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS08969 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 8969--B

 IN SENATE

 January 21, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance -- committee
 discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
 to said committee -- reported favorably from said committee and
 committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged, bill
 amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
 tee

 AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to requiring health
 insurers to provide coverage for speech therapy for stuttering

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Subsection (k) of section 3221 of the insurance law is
 2 amended by adding a new paragraph 24 to read as follows:
 3 (24) (A) Every large group policy delivered or issued for delivery in
 4 this state which provides medical, major medical, or similar comprehen-
 5 sive-type coverage shall, upon the referral of a physician, provide
 6 coverage for all costs for speech therapy for stuttering. Such speech
 7 therapy shall include, but not be limited to, habilitative speech thera-
 8 py treatment and rehabilitative speech therapy treatment for stuttering,
 9 provided such treatment is performed by a health care professional
 10 licensed pursuant to title eight of the education law. Such coverage
 11 shall not be subject to any durational benefit limitation or maximum for
 12 benefits, services, or visits provided under this paragraph.
 13 (B) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the
 14 medical management or utilization review of the services or prevent a
 15 policy from requiring that services be provided through a network of
 16 participating providers.
 17 (C) Coverage may be denied on the basis that such treatment is being
 18 provided to the insured pursuant to an individualized family service
 19 plan under section twenty-five hundred forty-five of the public health
 20 law or an individualized education plan under article eighty-nine of the
 21 education law. The provision of services pursuant to an individualized
 22 family service plan under section twenty-five hundred forty-five of the
 23 public health law or an individualized education plan under article

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD07423-09-6

 S. 8969--B 2

 1 eighty-nine of the education law shall not affect coverage under the
 2 policy for services provided on a supplemental basis outside of an
 3 educational setting if such services are provided upon the referral of a
 4 physician.
 5 § 2. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new
 6 subsection (yy) to read as follows:
 7 (yy) (A) Every large group contract issued by a medical expense indem-
 8 nity corporation,