Bill > A07177

This bill authorizes health insurers and health maintenance organizations to provide financial incentives to enrollees who participate in qualified wellness programs, subject to approval by the superintendent of financial services. A qualified wellness program is defined as a systematic approach to promoting physical and mental health that can include education about healthy lifestyles, health screening information, behavioral change encouragement, and progress monitoring. The key provisions allow insurers to offer reduced premium rates, benefits, or other enhancements for participation in these programs, with the important stipulation that insurers cannot require specific health outcomes from participants. The wellness programs must demonstrate through actuarial analysis that they encourage overall good health and well-being of the covered population. The bill amends several sections of New York's insurance law and public health law to enable these wellness program incentives, covering individual and group health insurance policies, and specifying that potential rewards can include things like health club membership reimbursements, reduced copayments, gift cards, and wellness tracking device subsidies. The goal is to create positive financial incentives for individuals to engage in health-promoting activities without penalizing them for not achieving specific health metrics.

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https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A7177