Provides expanded enrollment through New York state of health through tax returns, and allows for enrollment through the New York state of health at any time for first-time enrollees.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9378
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 19, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JENSEN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the tax law and the public health law, in relation to
providing expanded enrollment through New York state of health through
tax returns; and to amend the public health law, in relation to allow-
ing for enrollment through the New York state of health at any time
for first-time enrollees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 664 to read
2 as follows:
3 § 664. Health marketplace eligibility. The commissioner shall require
4 that all income tax returns allow the taxpayer to request, by checking a
5 box, to be included on the return, that the department of health review
6 relevant and necessary taxpayer data in order to provide the taxpayer
7 with information related to their eligibility for health marketplace
8 programs, plans, and available incentives. Adjacent to such box, there
9 shall be a statement in prominent type, "IF YOU CHECK THIS BOX, YOU
10 AFFIRM THAT YOU ARE UNINSURED, DO NOT HAVE EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE
11 AVAILABLE, AND ARE (1) REQUESTING THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
12 REVIEW NECESSARY PORTIONS OF YOUR TAX FILING, (2) USE SUCH DATA AS
13 NECESSARY TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS AS TO YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL
14 ASSISTANCE (MEDICAID), THE BASIC HEALTH PLAN (ESSENTIAL PLAN), OR PLANS
15 THROUGH THE NY STATE OF HEALTH AND AVAILABLE INCENTIVES, AND (3) CONTACT
16 YOU TO PROVIDE SUCH ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION."
17 § 2. Section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a new
18 subdivision 32 to read as follows:
19 32. The commissioner shall create a program within the department to
20 assist uninsured individuals without employer-sponsored coverage with
21 enrolling in health insurance coverage through state income tax filings.
22 This program shall:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14134-01-5
A. 9378 2
1 (a) review relevant and necessary taxpayer data authorized under the
2 tax law within thirty days of receiving such authorization;
3 (b) contact individuals who opt to have their tax filings reviewed
4 within thirty days of such review;
5 (c) determine whether an individual is eligible for medical assist-
6 ance, child health insurance plan, or basic health plan coverage;
7 (d) upon determining an individual is eligible for medical assistance,
8 child health insurance plan, or basic health plan coverage, offer such
9 individuals an invitation to select a plan, provided that the individual
10 does not have employer-sponsored coverage available; and
11 (e) in the case of individuals ineligible for medical assistance,
12 child health insurance plan, or basic health plan coverage, provide a
13 referral to a navigator certified under subdivision fifteen of section
14 two hundred sixty-eight-c of this article.
15 § 3. Subdivision 5 of section 268-c of the public health law, as added
16 by section 2 of part T of chapter 57 of the laws of 2019, is amended to
17 read as follows:
18 5. Maintain enrollment periods in the best interest of qualified indi-
19 viduals consistent with federal and state law. Such periods shall
20 include, but may not be limited to:
21 (a) allowing special enrollment at any time for currently uninsured
22 individuals enrolling in the Marketplace for the first time who do not
23 have employer-sponsored coverage available; and
24 (b) allowing special enrollment for uninsured individuals who do not
25 have employer-sponsored coverage available enrolling through the estab-
26 lished income tax return process.
27 § 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
28 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
