ALBANY, N.Y. — A new year means new laws in New York State, including several that aim to make medical treatment more affordable.
Minimum wage increase
Employees across the state who make minimum wage can expect to earn 50 cents more per hour starting on New Year’s Day.
For most of the state, including the Rochester area, the state minimum wage will increase to $16 per hour. That translates to $640 of earnings a week and about $33,000 a year. For New York City, Westchester County, and Long Island, the minimum wage will increase to $17 per hour.
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The state agreed to raise the minimum wage as part of the budget that lawmakers passed for the 2024 fiscal year. The minimum wage rose to $15 per hour in Upstate New York in 2024, followed by a 50-cent increase this year. For the New York City area, the minimum wage rose to $16 per hour in 2024.
In 2027, the minimum wage increase will depend on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the Northeast Region. The state says that’s the best regional measure of inflation.
Styrofoam cooler ban
The sale, creation, and distribution of coolers made of polystyrene, a substance sold as Styrofoam in coolers, is now banned in 2026, according to reports.
This comes after the state regulates the substance due to the long absorption timeframe. It takes hundreds of years to decompose in the environment.
Since it takes years to disintegrate, pieces of Styrofoam end up in lakes, rivers, and oceans.
“There are direct benefits to New York waterways and some indirect benefits for people who are living near production facilities of polystyrene,” said Judith Enck, a member of the Beyond Plastics advocacy group.
Expanding organ donations beyond family
Close friends of a deceased person are now allowed to give consent to have their late friend’s body be used for organ and tissue donation.
Before, only some healthcare officials, spouses, adult children, and parents of deceased loved ones would be allowed to authorize donations.
“Close friends often serve as caregivers, decision-makers, and are the people who know an individual’s values more than anyone else. It’s only right that they be trusted with this responsibility when no family member is available,” said Assemblymember Amy Paulin, who sponsored the bill.
A different law allows people to be asked if they want to be added to the organ donation registry when they sign an insurance policy.
EpiPen coverage
The new law aims to expand access to EpiPens, used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions caused by insect stings, foods, medications, and environmental exposures. The state says the cost of the EpiPen has far outpaced the rate of inflation, with some reports citing a 600% increase in price since 2007. While EpiPens once cost $60 per device, they can now sell for upwards of $600 for a pack of two pens.
EpiPens typically expire after 12 months, meaning people with allergies still need to buy new ones even if their current EpiPen hasn’t been used. The new EpiPen coverage law applies to all insurers in individual and group markets, including non-profit insurers and HMOs.
Breast cancer screening coverage
The new law requires individual, group, and non-profit (including HMO) health insurance plans to cover breast cancer screening and diagnostic imaging. This coverage applies if a doctor recommends screening based on nationally recognized clinical guidelines.
The screenings include diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and MRIs. The new law also clarifies that cost-sharing won’t apply to these screenings, except to the extent it would result in health savings account ineligibility under IRS guidelines.
Each year, at least 17,000 women in New York State are diagnosed with breast cancer and nearly 2,400 women die from the disease. It’s estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer during their life.
Scalp cooling systems coverage
The new law requires health insurers in the large group market to cover scalp cooling systems used to reduce hair loss during chemotherapy treatment. As part of the treatment, patients wear a cooling cap before, during, and after each chemotherapy session. That reduces the amount of chemotherapy drugs that reach the hair follicles, which helps to preserve hair.
Scalp cooling is covered by Medicaid and Medicare and three different cooling systems have been approved by the FDA. Without insurance coverage, patients must pay out of pocket for cooling, which ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 per round of chemotherapy.
Styrofoam coolers, EpiPens, minimum wage, and more: Guide to NY State laws now in effect WHEC.com.
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