What's happening
This bill prohibits reducing skilled nursing care benefits for public retirees when they become eligible for Medicare coverage.
Why it matters
Protects retirees from losing skilled nursing care benefits. when they become eligible for Medicare, ensuring their coverage does not diminish at a critical time when healthcare needs are often increasing.
Closes a gap in retiree health security. by preventing state and local governments from cutting back skilled nursing care just because Medicare coverage begins, addressing a common concern for those transitioning to Medicare.
Allows for coordination of benefits. by permitting health plans to act as secondary to Medicare, which means retirees can still receive supplemental coverage without facing a total loss of benefits—potentially reducing out-of-pocket costs.
Provides greater predictability and peace of mind. for public sector retirees, who can now plan for retirement knowing their skilled nursing care coverage will be stable even as their insurance status changes.
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Who cares
Retired public employees
The bill would prohibit reducing their skilled nursing care benefits under the health benefit plan when they become eligible for Medicare.
Covered dependents of public retirees
They would receive the same protection against reductions in skilled nursing care benefits upon becoming eligible for Medicare.
Administrators of public retiree health plans
They would have to preserve those benefits but could coordinate coverage with Medicare and treat the retiree plan as secondary insurance.
Headline styles
Keep Retiree Health Benefits Equal
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 108
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 7722a
- Amend (t) and recommit to governmental employees
- Referred to governmental employees
- 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.
Protect Retiree Health Benefits
In Senate Committee · Civil Service And Pensions · Sponsor Neil D. Breslin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7722--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 17, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Employees -- recommitted to the Committee on Governmental Employees in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to ensuring identical health benefits for skilled nursing care for public retirees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 161 of the civil service law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. There shall be no reduction of benefits for skilled nursing care provided to retired employees or covered dependents under such health benefit plan at the time such person becomes eligible for medicare coverage; provided, however, retiree benefits under such health benefit plan may be coordinated with and treated as secondary insurance to medicare.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11738-03-0
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.