New York Proposes Health Equity Regulation Requiring Insurers to Collect Voluntarily Disclosed Demographic Data

The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) announced a proposed regulation that would require health insurers to request race, ethnicity, preferred language, sexual orientation and gender identity data. Policyholders would have the option to provide this information through a questionnaire administered separately from the application process. The demographic data will aid DFS and insurers in identifying and remediating systemic health inequities.