What's happening
This bill allows municipalities in New York to join county self-funded or self-insured health plans under certain conditions.
Why it matters
Expands access to potentially more affordable health coverage. for local governments and public entities, which may help municipalities manage rising health insurance costs by joining larger county plans with more negotiating power and risk pooling.
Sets financial safeguards for county health plans. by requiring minimum reserve funds and stop-loss insurance, aiming to ensure stability and prevent insolvency as more municipalities join.
Requires annual oversight and certification. by the county and state superintendent of financial services, creating ongoing accountability and protection for both county and municipal participants.
Includes a broad definition of “municipality”. (cities, towns, school districts, public authorities, etc.), significantly widening eligibility and potentially affecting a large number of public employees and retirees across New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Towns Share Health Plans
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
25 Multi-sponsors
- Carmen E. Arroyo
- Didi Barrett
- Michael Blake
- Anthony Brindisi
- David Buchwald
- Steven Englebright
- Patricia Fahy
- Sandy Galef
- Joseph Giglio
- Richard Gottfried
- Aileen Gunther
- Stephen Hawley
- Andrew Hevesi
- Earlene Hooper
- Ellen C. Jaffee
- Barbara Lifton
- Donna Lupardo
- Michael Montesano
- Walter T. Mosley
- Crystal Peoples-Stokes
- Andrew Raia
- Albert A. Stirpe
- Mary Beth Walsh
- Carrie Woerner
- Kenneth Zebrowski
History
- Print number 2578a
- Amend and recommit to insurance
- Referred to insurance
- Referred to insurance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Let Towns Join County Health
In Assembly Committee · Insurance · Sponsor Joseph A. Griffo
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2578--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 20, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. STECK, SKOUFIS, SOLAGES, BENEDETTO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ARROYO, BARRETT, BLAKE, BRINDISI, BUCHWALD, ENGLEBRIGHT, FAHY, GALEF, GIGLIO, GOTTFRIED, GUNTHER, HAWLEY, HEVESI, HOOPER, JAFFEE, LIFTON, LUPARDO, MONTESANO, MOSLEY, PEOPLES-STOKES, RAIA, STIRPE, WALSH, WOERNER, ZEBROWSKI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Insurance -- recommitted to the Committee on Insurance in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT authorizing municipalities to join a county self-funded or selfinsured health plan
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding articles 44 or 47 of the insurance law or any other provision of law to the contrary, and subject to the requirements set forth in this section, a municipality is permitted, with the consent of the county and the governing body of such municipality, to join a county self-funded or self-insured health plan in any county in which such municipality is located in whole or in part. Municipality is defined as any city, town, village or any other municipal corporation, a school district or any governmental entity operating a public school, college or university, a public improvement or special district, a public authority, commission, or public benefit corporation, or any other public corporation, agency or instrumentality or unit of government which exercises governmental powers under the laws of the state but is not a part of, nor a department of, nor an agency of the state. In order for a municipality to join the county self-funded or self-insured health plan, the county shall file with the superintendent of financial services certification that, with inclusion of the lives to be covered in the plan following admission of the municipality, the county self-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07657-02-8
A. 2578--A 2
funded or self-insured health plan meets the following four requirements:
(a) That it maintain a reserve fund, calculated as a percentage of total annual incurred claims, of a minimum of 13% and a maximum of 15% of medical claims and a minimum of 4% of prescription claims.
(b) It has in effect a specific stop loss per individual claim only, no aggregate, and with a minimum deductible of $200,000 to $250,000.
(c) It has a minimum of 1,000 covered lives including retirees, but not including dependents.
(d) The plan has in effect an agreement between itself and any municipalities that have joined the plan such that the plan satisfies the contingent liability provisions set forth in section 4708 of the insurance law.
The superintendent of financial services shall have the authority to review such certification to determine that the four aforementioned requirements have been met; provided, however, that in the absence of a finding of the superintendent to the contrary within a six-month period following the filing of such certification, the admission of the municipality to the county self-funded or self-insured health plan shall take effect. In January of every year following the initial filing of such certification, the county shall file a subsequent certification that the four aforementioned requirements remain in full force and effect.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.