Assemblyman Stirpe (D-Cicero) announced the Assembly passed legislation he sponsored to help ensure that educational institutions can continue providing students with quality affordable health insurance, including supplemental coverage for sports related accidents and injuries. This bill will allow colleges to offer students and student athletes the same health insurance policies that were allowed prior to changes in federal health care laws (A.7725-C).

“Without supplemental insurance, colleges and universities would face much higher expenses, especially in the event of a catastrophic student injury. And unfortunately, much of these costs would have been passed down to students,” said Assemblyman Stirpe. “By clarifying the law, this bill will ensure that students can access the vital health coverage they need, while keeping costs down.”

New York State’s Department of Financial Services recently ruled that certain health benefits, including dental, vision, and sports injury coverage do not constitute “essential health benefits,” and therefore fail to meet the standard of comprehensive care required under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Additionally, the state’s ruling prohibited any coordination between student health polices and athletics associations, like the NCAA. Prior to the ruling, colleges were responsible for paying the first $90,000 for student health care and the NCAA was liable for anything exceeding that amount. Prohibiting coordination between health plans would force universities to shoulder the entire cost of student injuries. As a result, student health insurance premiums could skyrocket as this cost is added in, especially at colleges like Syracuse University with large athletic programs.

Assemblyman Stirpe’s legislation clarifies that insurers may issue secondary insurance coverage to institutions of higher education to cover students and student athletes and enable schools to continue coordinating with athletics associations.

“Students and families across the state are already struggling to afford the rising costs of attending college,” said Assemblyman Stirpe. “With the passage of this legislation, we can ensure that necessary health coverage for our students and student athletes remains intact without placing an excessive financial burden on New York’s schools or families.”

New York State is one of the few states to interpret the federal Affordable Care Act in this manner. A number of New York State colleges and universities believed that this clarification was essential for them to continue providing fair, affordable coverage to all of their students.