What's happening
This bill expands New York's Basic Health Program to cover residents ineligible for federal funding due to immigration status.
Why it matters
Expands access to affordable health coverage for low-income New Yorkers who are currently excluded from federal programs solely due to their immigration status. This could reduce uninsured rates and financial barriers to care for thousands of residents.
Limits eligibility to individuals with household incomes below 200% of the federal poverty line. , targeting coverage to those who are most economically vulnerable and often lack other health insurance options.
Requires eligible individuals to pay any applicable premiums to maintain coverage,. introducing a personal responsibility element while still providing a public safety net for those who comply.
Empowers the state, rather than relying on federal funds, to invest in public health by ensuring broader coverage regardless of federal immigration policy,. potentially reducing uncompensated care costs and supporting overall community health.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Health Coverage for Immigrants
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
20 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to health
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.
Expand Immigrant Health Coverage
In Senate Committee · Health · Sponsor Gustavo Rivera
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5974
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GOTTFRIED -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to coverage for health care services under the basic health program for individuals whose immigration status renders him or her ineligible for federal financial participation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 369-gg of the social services law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3-a to read as follows:
3-a. Alternate eligibility. A person shall also be eligible to receive coverage for health care services under this title, without regard to federal financial participation, if he or she is a resident of New York state, has household income below two hundred percent of the federal poverty line as defined and annually revised by the United States department of health and human services for a household of the same size, and is ineligible for federal financial participation in the basic health program under 42 U.S.C. section 18051 on the basis of immigration status, but otherwise meets the eligibility requirements in paragraphs (b) and (c) of subdivision three of this section. An applicant who fails to make an applicable premium payment shall lose eligibility to receive coverage for health care services in accordance with time frames and procedures determined by the commissioner.
§ 2. The title heading of title 11-D of article 5 of the social services law, as added by chapter 1 of the laws of 1999, is amended to read as follows:
[FAMILY HEALTH PLUS PROGRAM] BASIC HEALTH PROGRAM
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the commissioner of health shall make regulations and take other actions reasonably necessary to implement this act on that date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09899-03-9
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.