NY lawmakers to push for health reform amid diabetes spike among Asian Americans

The push comes during AAPI Heritage Month and highlights the often-overlooked disparities in health care access and outcomes for Asian American communities.

Stock image. / istock

Alarmed by a 60 percent higher prevalence of diabetes among Asian Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites, State Senator John Liu and Assembly Member Ron Kim are urging the passage of bills S634B and A1206B.

Both of these bills would require health insurance policies in New York to fully cover diabetes and prediabetes screenings without any deductibles or co-pays and to recognize the need for screening Asian Americans at lower BMI thresholds.

The lawmakers and health professionals will gather on the steps of the Flushing Library on May 23 morning to call for urgent legislative action.

The proposed laws align with national guidelines from the CDC and American Diabetes Association.

The push comes during AAPI Heritage Month and highlights the often-overlooked disparities in health care access and outcomes for Asian American communities. A significant number of individuals go undiagnosed due to outdated screening guidelines that do not account for differences in body composition across ethnic groups.

The two bills propose amending the state insurance law to make diabetes screenings a mandatory benefit for all insurance plans that cover physician services. Insurers would be required to offer screenings without any cost-sharing, and the policies would need to follow national evidence-based guidelines.

The event is backed by several major health organizations including the Medical Society of the State of New York, Rendr, Association of Chinese American Physicians, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, the Korean American Physicians Association of NY, and the Coalition of Asian American Independent Practice Association.

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