Albany, NY - Legislation to provide mandatory health insurance coverage for acupuncture service in New York S5955B/A622C was passed by the Insurance Committee in the state senate yesterday March 11, 2026. The bill had previously passed by committee in the state assembly. The bill is now ready for consideration by the full senate as well as by the full assembly.

State senator Kevin Parker, prime sponsor of the legislation, stated, “Acupuncture has been an effective treatment for illness and ailments that too many New Yorkers have not been able to find relief for otherwise. My legislation will make acupuncture far more accessible and affordable for our communities who would not have been able to benefit from this important healthcare option.”

Assembly member Ron Kim, prime sponsor of the assembly bill, and state senator John Liu, a co-sponsor of the senate bill, jointly stated that “Acupuncture has been in practice around the world for millennia and is an increasingly common healthcare option for countless New Yorkers. Given this long history and increasing demand, it’s far past time that insurance companies provide full recognition of the many benefits acupuncture offers. Advancing this legislation past the senate committee is a critical step on the path toward not just gaining greater acknowledgement in the legislature, but achieving the ultimate goal of ensuring tha health insurance covers this time-honored, cost-effective healthcare option that can help patients manage a vast array of ailments, ranging from chronic pain to reducing dependency on opioids. Gaining broad coverage by insurance companies for acupuncture will open up more New Yorkers to a proven and safe healthcare option, and we look forward to working with our colleagues to pass this bill in the legislature.”

The bill comes alongside a number of other measures aimed at making acupuncture more widely available and affordable throughout New York State, including legislation that passed the Senate and Assembly last week that would require continuing education requirements for acupuncturists.