Senate Bill S5553B

                                BILL NUMBER:S5553

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct the commissioner of health and the superintendent of
financial services to study and report upon the impact of requiring that
certain health insurance plans provide coverage for treatment of mito-
chondrial disease

PURPOSE:

To gain further knowledge of what the impact would be to require health
insurance plans to provide coverage for the treatment of mitochondrial
disease.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. The commissioner of health and the superintendent of finan-
cial services shall cause a study to be performed on the impact of
requiring that certain health insurance plans provide coverage for
treatment of mitochondrial disease. Such study shall include an assess-
ment of the impact of such a requirement on costs to insurance provid-
ers, the cost of insurance premiums, and the fiscal impact to the state.

Section 2. On or before November 30, 2015, the commissioner of health
and the superintendent of financial services shall complete the study
              

conducted pursuant to section one of this act and shall thereafter
deliver a copy of the findings of the study and any legislative recom-
mendations he or she deems to be necessary to the governor, the tempo-
rary president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly.

Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately

JUSTIFICATION:

Mitochondria are tiny parts of almost every cell in the human body and
are the 'power house' of the cells. Their job is to synthesize sugar and
oxygen into energy which allows the cells to operate normally.  Patients
with mitochondria! disease (mito-disease) have mitochondria that cannot
efficiently turn sugar and oxygen into energy. The disease presents
itself differently in each patient. Some patients have had success in
mitigating symptoms of the disease through the use of certain vitamins
and supplements (referred to as 'mito-cockail'). Mito-cocktails are not
currently covered by insurance companies. Depending on what combination
is in a patient's mito-cocktail, it can cost anywhere from $300 to $600
per month per patient. The United Mitochondria! Disease Foundation esti-
mates that 1,000 to 4,000 children are born with mitochondrial disease
every year. This legislation would help understand the fiscal impacts of
requiring this disease be covered by insurance providers in New York.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S5553A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to direct the commissioner of health and the
superintendent of financial services to study and report upon the
impact of requiring that certain health insurance plans provide
coverage for treatment of mitochondrial disease

 PURPOSE :  To gain further knowledge of what the impact would be to
require health insurance plans to provide coverage for the treatment
of mitochondrial disease.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1. The commissioner of health and the superintendent of
financial services shall cause a study to be performed on the impact
of requiring that certain health insurance plans provide coverage for
treatment of mitochondrial disease. Such study shall include an
assessment of the impact of such a requirement on costs to insurance
providers, the cost of insurance premiums, and the fiscal impact to
the state.

Section 2. On or before November 30, 2016, the commissioner of health
and the superintendent of financial services shall complete the study
conducted pursuant to section one of this act and shall thereafter
deliver a copy of the findings of the study and any legislative
recommendations he or she deems to be necessary to the governor, the
              

temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly.

Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately

 JUSTIFICATION :  Mitochondria are tiny parts of almost every cell in
the human body and are the 'power house' of the cells. Their job is to
synthesize sugar and oxygen into energy which allows the cells to
operate normally.  Patients with mitochondria! disease (mito-disease)
have mitochondria that cannot efficiently turn sugar and oxygen into
energy. The disease presents itself differently in each patient. Some
patients have had success in mitigating symptoms of the disease
through the use of certain vitamins and supplements (referred to as
`mito-cockail'). Mito-cocktails are not currently covered by insurance
companies. Depending on what combination is in a patient's
mito-cocktail, it can cost anywhere from $300 to $600 per month per
patient. The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation estimates that
1,000 to 4,000 children are born with mitochondrial disease every
year. This legislation would help understand the fiscal impacts of
requiring this disease be covered by insurance providers in New York.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY : New Bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None

 EFFECTIVE DATE :  This act shall take effect immediately.