Governor George E. Pataki signed legislation to enact Timothy’s Law, which will require insurance companies to provide health insurance coverage for individuals with mental illnesses. The new law is named after Timothy O’Clair, a 12-year old boy from Schenectady County who had an emotional disorder, but was unable to obtain mental health services under his parent’s health insurance coverage. Timothy completed suicide in March 2001.
Under this new law, which takes effect January 1, 2007, health insurance providers are required to provide comparable insurance coverage for mental illnesses (“parity”) as the policies provide for other medical care.
This will allow adults and children with biologically-based mental illnesses to receive the same health care coverage benefits as those provided for other physical ailments.