To all our members:
As you know, we are waiting to hear that Governor Cuomo has signed the Ostomy Supplies Coverage Bill into law and we are reasonably confident that he will do so in the next several weeks. As we mentioned in our previous emails regarding this issue, the Bill covers all commercial insurances but not those that are state-sponsored.
The situation with regard to coverage by state-sponsored programs is as follows:
- MEDICAID
Traditional Medicaid covers ostomy supplies, albeit at relatively low reimbursement fee levels. However, on a progressive basis, beneficiaries are being moved into Managed Medicaid policies and we have heard that some of them may not cover ostomy supplies. If any of you or you know of Medicaid beneficiaries who have an ostomy but do not have coverage for their ostomy supplies please let us know.
- CHILD HEALTH PLUS
Surprisingly, this program for children whose families are of very limited means, does not cover ostomy supplies and never has. Although a last minute Bill requiring coverage was introduced at the end of the recent legislative session, it was not passed. We need examples of problems that this has caused to support asking the Governor to add coverage in his budget.
- HEALTHY NEW YORK
We now understand that this program is to continue but will only be available to small employers and not the self-employed. We have heard, however that it has extremely low utilization limits for ostomy.
If you or you know someone who had problems with adequacy of ostomy supplies coverage by any of the above programs, please let us know as soon as possible and with as much detail as possible. We have an opportunity to try to influence the people who are responsible for these programs and for a time have the services of a specialist in this field and there is unlikely to be another occasion when we have such a chance to improve coverage.
As a reminder, if you live in New York, and did not sign the petition yet, please do it now, it takes less than a minute and it gives a boost for the campaign.
Even though you might not have an Ostomy B’H, but there so many others out there suffering of Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis who are going through with that struggle, let’s try to help them!
Sign it here Petitioning Governor Cuomo to sign into law NY Ostomy Supplies Coverage Bill and send it to others to sign it as well.
Please help us clear the last hurdle, and many thanks for all your help so far; contact me if you have any questions.
