06/01/2026
he new law changes parts of the Insurance Law to require individual, group and nonprofit (including HMO) health-insurance plans to cover breast-cancer screening and diagnostic imaging. This coverage applies if a doctor recommends it based on nationally recognized clinical guidelines.
The screenings include diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and MRIs. The new law also clarifies that cost-sharing will not apply to these procedures except to the extent it would result in health savings account ineligibility under IRS guidelines, according to the governor’s office.
Covering cost of scalp-cooling systems
Scalp cooling is covered by Medicaid and Medicare, and three different cooling systems have already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Without insurance coverage, patients must pay out of pocket, which ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 per round of chemotherapy.
The new law requires health insurers in the large group market to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems that are used during chemotherapy treatment, Hochul’s office stated. As part of the treatment, patients wear a cooling cap before, during and after each chemotherapy session to reduce the amount of chemotherapy drugs that reach the hair follicles, which helps to preserve a person’s hair.