The goal of Bill N.Y. A00707 is to reimburse individuals who own medically necessary service animals. Assisting those who are visually impaired, providing hearing guidance for the deaf, calming clients who experience anxiety, or supporting those living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, service animals can reduce health care costs by preventing severe injuries and hospitalization. Owners can spend as much as $50,000 on their assistive companions due to the cost of adoption, training, and overall general care. This leaves minimal funds for other meaningful needs, such as occupational therapy (OT). Out-of-pocket expenses can be prohibitive since medical insurance carriers do not provide owners coverage for acquisition, training, certification, and veterinary care. 

Occupational therapists treat many clients who require a service animal. Occupational therapy has been shown to improve a client’s quality of life by assisting with activities of daily living, addressing psychosocial concerns, improving balance, strength, and range of motion, working on fine and gross motor skills, recognizing coping strategies, providing education, and identifying available resources. However, covering the annual expenses can leave patients with little remaining funds for OT and other basic necessities.

New York State Assembly Bill A00707 is an act to amend the insurance law (§§3216, 3221 & 4303). This amendment requires medical insurance carriers to provide financial coverage for owners of service animals. This bill proposes that insurance carriers that provide “medical, major medical or similar comprehensive-type coverage must provide coverage for the acquisition, training, certification and veterinary care of a service animal, as defined in subdivision one of section 242.00 of the penal law when such animal is deemed medically necessary by a licensed physician” (Bronson, 2019).

Please sign this petition to urge legislators to pass Bill N.Y. A00707. Thank you!

(Photo courtesy of: vetsupportnet.org/barking-angels)