Safety, Crime, Reentry & Legal Help · Surprise rank #52
After a Sexual Assault, the State Can Pay for the Hospital Exam Instead of You
A sexual assault survivor in New York can choose not to use private insurance for the forensic rape examination and have the medical provider seek direct reimbursement from the Office of Victim Services instead.
Who
Sexual assault survivors receiving a qualifying forensic rape examination from an eligible New York provider.
What to do
Start here: Tell the hospital or forensic examiner that you want the New York OVS Forensic Rape Examination Direct Reimbursement option rather than billing private insurance.
Eligibility: The survivor must elect the OVS direct-reimbursement route or lack access to private insurance, and the provider must submit the OVS FRE claim.
What you get
OVS directly reimburses eligible medical providers for the forensic rape examination when the survivor lacks private insurance or chooses not to use it.
Benefit: The forensic rape examination can be billed to OVS instead of the survivor's private insurance or the survivor personally.
Possible value: Varies with the exam and related covered services; the survivor avoids the covered forensic-exam charge.
Good to know
Important: Reporting the assault to police is not required for the forensic exam. The direct-reimbursement route covers the forensic examination program; unrelated medical treatment may follow separate billing rules.
Availability: Active; OVS updated its reimbursement rules and fee schedule in 2026
Why people miss it: Survivors may assume an insurance claim is unavoidable and worry that an explanation of benefits will disclose the assault.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026