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History
- Referred to social services
- Referred to social services
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A457
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing a medical assistance sponsor buy-in program
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to create a program which will allow indi- viduals who have agreed to act as the sponsor of a legal immigrant to purchase full medical assistance (Medicaid) for that immigrant to ensure that they have timely access to primary and preventative health care services.
Summary of specific provisions
The bill directs the Department of Health to create a Medical Assistance Sponsor Buy-in Program. The program would allow sponsors to purchase full medical assistance for legal immigrants who are currently only eligible for emergency medical assistance. Cost for the program would be based on a sliding-scale dependent on the sponsor's income. The income and resources of an individual who purchases medical assistance through the Sponsor Buy-in Program would not be deemed to be available for the sponsored immigrant for the purpose of determining eligibility for medical assistance.
Effects of present law which this bill would alter
Amends Section 366 of the Social Services Law by adding new subdivision 13 while also amending subdivisions 1 and 5 of Section 122 of the Social Services Law. 12 of
Justification
The federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, (P.L. 104-193) eliminated federal financial participation for Medicaid for all but emergency care for legal immi- grants (with the exception of refugees) who arrived in the United States after August 22, 1996 or who are persons Permanently Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOLs). The Welfare Reform Act of 1997 (Chapter 436 of the Laws of 1997) restricted eligibility for medical assistance (Medi- caid) to emergency situations for these immigrants.
This bill would create a new program, the Sponsor Buy-In Program, that would allow individuals who have agreed to be financially responsible or "sponsor" immigrants who have recently arrived in the United States to purchase full Medicaid for these immigrants. This program would ensure that new immigrants receive essential primary and preventive health care services that they would otherwise be unable to obtain.
Prior legislative history
2007-2008 A.2292 - referred to Social Services 2005-2006 A.988 - referred to Social Services 2003-2004 A.973 - referred to Social Services 2002 A.129 - referred to Social Services 1999 A.1000 - referred to Social Services, reported to Ways and Means
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None to State.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.