Establishes a notification of death hotline in the department of social services for purposes of timely ceasing public assistance payments

BILL NUMBER:S713

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law and the social services law, in relation to notification of death of persons receiving public assistance

Purpose

This bill would add a new section to the public health law 4148 and amend subdivision (i) of section 17 of the social service law to establish a notification of death hotline in the department of social services for the purpose of timely ceasing public assistance payments.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends section 4148 of the public health law is amended to provide for instructions on notification of death procedures for public assistance recipients. Subsection 1 of this section to define the terms "competent person acquainted with the facts of such death" to include funeral directors undertakers and persons given charge of a body when death occurs without medical attention as well as attending physicians or a hospital when death occurs with medical Subsection 2 of this section requires that upon the death of any person the department of Social Services shall be notified within 24 hours. This subsection provides for a hotline and website notification method established by the commissioner of social services. Section 2 amends the social service law to provide for the hotline and website for reporting purposes with the Department of Social Services. This section limits the access to this hotline by password, code or other secure means. Requires the Department of social Services to terminate payment of public assistance upon the notification of death of a recipient. Section 2 of this bill states; that this act shall take effect on the 30th day after it has become a law.

Justification

In recent years several instances of public assistance fraud have dealt with deceased recipients who were never reported as dead and were still issued public assistance checks. This bill establishes a method by which the Department of Social Services will be informed immediately upon the death of a public assistance recipient so that the public assistance can be ended. This legislation will help the State by reducing public assistance fraud and lowering the cost of these benefits.

Prior legislative history

2008 Referred to Health 2009 Referred to Health 2010 Referred to Health

Fiscal implications

Minimal.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.