![New York Senate approves bill requiring health insurers to cover eating disorders](https://www.jurist.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/05/Washington_in_Albany-new-york-state-capitol.jpg)
The New York state Senate on Monday approved a bill closing a gap in healthcare coverage for people with eating disorders by a vote of 53-8. It requires health insurers in the state to “provide coverage for inpatient hospital care and physician services for eating disorders.”
The bill defines eating disorder as: “pica, rumination disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder,” or any other eating disorder described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). The DSM is used by mental health professionals to aid in the recognition and diagnosis of mental disorders.
The bill also covers “schizophrenia/psychotic disorders, major depression, bipolar disorder, delusional disorders, panic disorder, [and] obsessive compulsive disorders.”
The bill awaits the signature of the governor and will become effective 90 days after it becomes law.