Bill > A03149

This bill amends the New York insurance law to provide patients with a legal defense against health care providers seeking payment for outstanding medical bills. Specifically, if a health care provider initiates a lawsuit to recover payment from a patient, the patient can now use as an "affirmative defense" the fact that the provider failed to submit the insurance claim to the patient's insurance company in a timely manner. An affirmative defense is a legal strategy that, if proven, can reduce or eliminate the provider's ability to collect the bill. The bill will take effect 90 days after becoming law and will apply to civil actions filed on or after that date. This legislation aims to protect patients from being personally pursued for medical bills when the health care provider has not first attempted to seek reimbursement through the patient's insurance coverage, potentially helping patients avoid unexpected financial burdens.

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https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3149