Bills affecting Medicaid / public insurance in New York (2026 session)

Requires Medicaid to cover gender-affirming care regardless of federal funding; prohibits discriminatory practices by health care entities including hospitals, certain professionals, and insurers; requires insurance coverage for services or treatments for gender dysphoria or gender incongruence.

Defines "mental health clubhouse"; provides that the department of health, in consultation with the office of mental health, shall authorize Medicaid reimbursement for services provided by mental health clubhouses.

Establishes a program for specific individuals to become complex care assistants and provide private duty nursing services to certain Medicaid enrollees.

Relates to coverage and billing procedures in the Medicaid program for complex rehabilitation technology for patients with complex medical needs.

Requires the Medicaid inspector general to comply with standards relating to the audit and review of medical assistance program funds.

Removes certain restrictions on eligibility for personal and home care services under medicaid.

Provides that the submission of claims for services provided by home care agencies shall be done on forms approved by the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services.

Authorizes a prenatal and postpartum informational mobile application for individuals who are eligible for Medicaid.

Repeals the state Medicaid spending cap and related processes.

Requires Medicaid to provide comprehensive coverage for the treatment of obesity including coverage for intensive behavioral therapy, bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved anti-obesity medication.

Expands Medicaid coverage to include neuropsychological exams for dyslexia.

Requires a valid government issued photo identification card be presented when casting a ballot; provides for persons eligible for Medicaid to receive identification cards.

Relates to automatic Medicaid eligibility for striking workers.

Ensures that temporary protected status beneficiaries continue to receive Medicaid benefits if the federal government ends the program.

Authorizes licensed creative arts therapists to bill Medicaid directly for their services.

Reimburses counties who have purchased or will purchase Medicaid fraud detection software.

Establishes the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program to provide funding to providers whose primary function is to facilitate access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services and information for low-income, uninsured and underinsured individuals and provide support to providers to facilitate access to care, fund uncompensated care, and support community awareness of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services across New York state.

Requires health insurance policies and Medicaid to cover patient navigation services.

Provides for automatic voter registration and pre-registration for persons applying for certain department of motor vehicles documentation, and for persons applying for or re-enrolling in Medicaid; allows individuals to decline such automatic registration and pre-registration.

Requires the commissioner of health to annually make the system of episodic payments, including all pricing mechanisms, available to all Medicaid managed care plans, all child health insurance plans and all essential plans, and to notify all such managed care plans of their responsibilities for ensuring that their enrolled members have access to certified home health agency services.