Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-Cicero) announced that a bill he sponsored was signed into law by the governor (Ch. 461 of 2015). The measure overturns an administrative decision made by the state Department of Financial Services and ensures that colleges and universities across New York can continue providing quality, affordable health insurance to their students, especially supplemental coverage for sports-related accidents.

“If not for this law, colleges and universities would have to pay much more to insure their students, especially student-athletes,” said Assemblyman Stirpe. “By keeping the cost of student medical insurance down, we can help keep the cost of college down and protect the health and safety of young people.”

The law also clarifies that colleges and universities are allowed to coordinate with athletic associations like the NCAA in order to provide better and less expensive coverage. While it is common practice for the NCAA to pay some amount of the health care expenses for athletes, the ban would have forced colleges to pay everything.

“Students at institutions across Central New York benefit from the practices this law protects,” Stirpe noted. “I’ll keep working to make college more affordable for all families in New York State.”