New York DFS Reaffirms Long-Standing Policy Requiring Insurers to Cover Costs of Covid Immunizations
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The New York State Department of Financial Service (DFS) issued a Circular Letter this week reminding health insurers of their responsibility to cover the costs of all immunizations including the COVID-19 vaccination. The move comes in the wake of shifting national policy on immunizations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The purpose of this Circular Letter is to remind insurers authorized to write accident and health insurance in New York, Article 43 corporations, health maintenance organizations, student health plans, municipal cooperative health benefit plans, and prepaid health services plans of requirements and expectations related to coverage of immunizations and their administration under health insurance policies and contracts.
Specifically, the Circular Letter noted that “Given that public health officials have confirmed the importance of immunizations in maintaining the health of the public and in preventing diseases that add to health insurance costs, the Department strongly encourages all issuers to continue to cover the immunizations at no cost-sharing as recommended by ACIP as of the date of this Circular Letter for children and adults after the last day of the policy or contract year, even if the immunizations no longer have in effect a recommendation from ACIP as well as that issuers must cover COVID-19 immunizations for children through the attainment of 19 years of age without cost-sharing.
Also noteworthy is that the DFS Circular Letter sets forth that Plan sponsors should be made aware of the New York State Department of Health’s guidance, and issuers should encourage plan sponsors to follow the provisions of this Circular Letter for self-funded health benefit coverage in New York.
