NY S04934

Expands Medicaid coverage for asthma self-management training services to include parents of persons diagnosed with asthma, and adds coverage for proper use of devices such as spacers, valved holding chambers, and masks, along with environmental trigger education.

Requires health insurance policies providing medical or comprehensive coverage to include coverage for rescue inhalers, nebulizers, spacers, valved holding chambers, and masks for asthma treatment.

Requires the Department of Health to establish and periodically update a list of additional asthma equipment and supplies that are medically necessary and must be covered by insurance policies.

Mandates coverage for asthma self-management education for persons with asthma and parents of children with asthma, including education on device use and environmental triggers, with coverage limited to medically necessary visits upon diagnosis, significant symptom changes, or when refresher education is required.

Allows coverage to include home visits when medically necessary and permits education to be provided by physicians, licensed health care providers, or certified asthma nurse educators, subject to annual deductibles and coinsurance as deemed appropriate.

Takes effect January 1 following enactment and applies to all policies issued, renewed, altered, or modified on or after that date.