INSURANCE

Health Insurance Discrimination: A bill to prevent health insurers from rejecting or discriminating against applicants has passed both houses of the New York Legislature, and Gov. Mario Cuomo supports it. The bill would reform the way commercial health insurers do business in the state and boost the standing of financially troubled nonprofit health insurance plans. Vermont, Minnesota, Oregon and Florida have also passed comprehensive health plans in recent months. The New York measure requires commercial insurers to follow the same rules as nonprofit insurers by April 1, 1993. It would forbid them from turning down applicants and discriminating for reasons of age, gender or health.