What's happening
This bill expands reimbursement for Medicare charges for state employees and retirees to include additional costs and clarifies covered benefits.
Why it matters
Expands what Medicare-related costs are reimbursed. The bill broadens reimbursement beyond just Medicare premiums to include "any other additional charges," potentially reducing out-of-pocket expenses for state employees and retirees.
Clarifies covered benefits. It explicitly defines the "health benefit plan" to include not only hospitalization and medical insurance but also prescription drugs and medications, ensuring these are recognized as reimbursable under the law.
May impact state and employer contributions. By increasing the range of reimbursable expenses, the bill could lead to higher costs that state and participating employers must factor into their health insurance contributions, possibly affecting future budgeting and negotiations.
Could improve retiree health security. By increasing reimbursement and clarifying coverage, the bill may make health care more affordable and predictable for retired state employees, which could help attract and retain public sector workers.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Medicare Reimbursements
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Committed to governmental employees
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to governmental employees
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.
Cover All Medicare Costs
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Andrew Gounardes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3617
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ABBATE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Employees
AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to reimbursement for medicare charges
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 167-a of the civil service law, as amended by section 1 of part I of chapter 55 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
§ 167-a. Reimbursement for medicare [premium] charges. Upon exclusion from the coverage of the health benefit plan of supplementary medical insurance benefits for which an active or retired employee or a dependent covered by the health benefit plan is or would be eligible under the federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance program, an amount equal to the premium charge and any other additional charges for such supplementary medical insurance benefits for such active or retired employee and his or her dependents, if any, shall be paid monthly or at other intervals to such active or retired employee from the health insurance fund. Where appropriate, such amount may be deducted from contributions payable by the employee or retired employee; or where appropriate in the case of a retired employee receiving a retirement allowance, such amount may be included with payments of his or her retirement allowance. All state employer, employee, retired employee and dependent contributions to the health insurance fund, including contributions from public authorities, public benefit corporations or other quasi-public organizations of the state eligible for participation in the health benefit plan as authorized by subdivision two of section one hundred sixty-three of this article, shall be adjusted as necessary to cover the cost of reimbursing federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance program premium charges under this section. This cost shall be
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07912-01-9
A. 3617 2
included in the calculation of premium or subscription charges for health coverage provided to employees and retired employees of the state, public authorities, public benefit corporations or other quasipublic organizations of the state; provided, however, the state, public authorities, public benefit corporations or other quasi-public organizations of the state shall remain obligated to pay no less than its share of such increased cost consistent with its share of premium or subscription charges provided for by this article. All other employer contributions to the health insurance fund shall be adjusted as necessary to provide for such payments. For purposes of this section, the term "health benefit plan of supplementary medical insurance benefits" shall mean the health benefit plan prescribed by section one hundred sixty-one of this article and shall include prescription drugs and medications, group hospitalization, surgical and medical insurance provided pursuant to such section.
§ 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.