The Amputee Coalition is excited to announce that the director of New York’s health insurance exchange has ordered the elimination of the restriction of “one limb per lifetime” in the New York state health insurance exchange, effective for the 2016 plan year!
As a result of collaboration between the Amputee Coalition, the National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP), New York prosthetists, patients and others, individuals will no longer be subject to this unfair provision on prosthetic devices in New York. We saw over 15,000 supporters sign the online petition in support of removing this restriction, and with lead advocates on the ground meeting with legislators and raising awareness, we’ve seen a huge victory for amputees in New York.
The Amputee Coalition would like to recognize Dan Bastian, CPO and amputee, who spearheaded the efforts in New York State, as well as the NAAOP, who provided guidance and coordination throughout the process.
The New York provision was struck down because of recognition by the director of the New York health insurance exchange because of a recent federal regulation requiring coverage for rehabilitative and habilitative devices. This is an important precedent that provides the amputee community an opportunity to target restrictions in other states like Alaska and Utah, where prosthetics have been excluded from coverage, or limited in other states like Pennsylvania ($2,500 per year) and Nevada ($10,000 per lifetime) as well.
Additionally, legislation is currently being considered in New York that would ensure that insurance companies in New York cover prosthetic devices in their insurance plans in accordance with requirements from the Affordable Care Act.Determinations for coverage levels would likely be set by an administrator, but the Amputee Coalition is confident that the intent is to provide adequate coverage for prosthetic devices. This is another step forward in New York, and we look forward to moving legislation forward in other states and in Washington, D.C.
Check back in each issue of our e-newsletter for more updates on this and other legislative issues, and visit amptuee-coalition.org to find out more ways to get involved. If you’re going to the Amputee Coalition National Conference, sessions are available to show you how you can get involved and be a better advocate for yourself and for the limb loss community.