NEW YORK (WKBW) — Following reports that nurses have been denied life insurance coverage due to carrying opioid overdose reversal medication, such as naloxone or narcan, Governor Andrew Cuomo has called on the New York State Department of Financial Services to investigate.
"Nurses are on the front line of our state's fight to combat the opioid epidemic, and it is unacceptable that life insurance providers would deny these hard-working health professionals coverage for common sense precautions they take to help save lives," said Governor Cuomo. "New York State will always stand up for our nurses and do all we can to support their work to keep New Yorkers healthy and safe, and today I am calling on the Department of Financial Services to launch an investigation and take appropriate steps to ensure no nurse in New York State is being unfairly denied the life insurance coverage that they deserve."
The governor says any nurses that have been denied coverage should contact the Department of Financial Services consumer complaint website or phone line, find more information here.
Nurses obtain naloxone without patient-specific prescriptions due to possible encounters with drug users and patients outside of a medical setting.
A bill passed in the New York State Senate Monday which prohibits this discrimination by insurers.
