A00673 Summary:

BILL NO    A00673 

SAME AS    No same as

SPONSOR    Cahill (MS)

COSPNSR    Clark, Ortiz

MLTSPNSR   Boyland, John, Lopez V, Pheffer, Robinson, Wright

Amd S369-ee, Soc Serv L

Makes victims of World Trade Center attack and family members eligible for
family health plus; except that employer does not receive additional subsidy.

A00673 Actions:

BILL NO    A00673 

01/07/2009 referred to social services
01/06/2010 referred to social services

A00673 Votes:

A00673 Memo:

 BILL NUMBER:  A673

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to providing the families of the world trade center victims with
health benefits

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :  This measure would provide victims
of the World Trade Center attacks and their family members with health
coverage under the New York State Family Health Plus program. This act
would apply to New York residents only, eliminating the income
requirement that currently exists, thus allowing eligible members to
buy-in to the health plan at the standard group rate.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :  A new subdivision 7 is added to
Section 369-ee of the Social Services Law that would apply to an
individual who meets the eligibility requirements of subparagraphs
(i), which state that an individual must reside in New York and be at
least 19 years old, but under 65 years old. Subparagraph (ii) states
that an individual cannot be eligible for Title 11 benefits and
Subparagraph (iii) mandates that a resident cannot have equivalent
health care insurance coverage. Section 369ee is amended by adding
that an individual receiving coverage must be a surviving victim
displaced without insurance, a spouse or dependent of such living
victim or a deceased victim of the September 11, 2001 World Trade
Center attacks.  This section adds a provision that does not allow the
insurance organization providing coverage to receive a state subsidy.

 JUSTIFICATION :  After the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World
Trade Center, thousands of individuals were left without employment or
health care coverage via COBRA due to the fact that many
contract-holders (i.e., the employer) have ceased to exist or ceased
to provide health coverage. The Department of Health took a number of
steps to ensure that the victims and family members were covered with
health insurance through discretionary group coverage being provided
voluntarily by companies such as HIP, Affinity and Oxford insurance.
However, these programs were deemed to expire after two years, leaving
many displaced families without coverage once again. This measure
would allow the remaining eligible victims and family members, needing
health insurance, to buy-into the Family Health Plus program at the
standard group rate, thus being provided with affordable health
coverage.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2007-2008 A605 referred to social services 2005-2006 A3935 referred to
social services
2003-2004 A9620 referred to social services

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : Not sure

 EFFECTIVE DATE :  This act shall take effect immediately and shall be
deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after March 1,
2003.