Position Statement – 2012

S.1031B / A.3387B
Allow Victims of Domestic Violence to Utilize Alternate Contact
Information for Health Insurance-Related Correspondence

Support

New York has previously enacted insurance-related address confidentiality and disclosure protections for victims of intimate partner abuse and violence.  While such legislation has provided critical relief to certain families, it has not adequately addressed concerns related to insurance-related correspondence.  If passed, this bill would bridge that safety gap.

By amending subsection (e) and adding a new subsection (h) to Section 2612 of the Insurance Law, this bill will require insurers and health maintenance organizations to allow victims of domestic violence to utilize an alternate mailing address, telephone number or other contact information for receipt of claim information or billing if they are the insured, a subscriber, or merely a covered person.  By providing this relief, victims of abuse could more safely receive communications related to their own or their children’s health-related coverage.

If passed, this bill would join the growing number of confidentiality and privacy-related protections enacted on behalf of domestic violence victims and their children in New York.

WBASNY thanks the Senate for passing this bill on February 7, 2012.  We ask the Assembly do the same.