What's happening
This bill requires New York employers to offer dental insurance coverage effective immediately upon an employee's start date.
Why it matters
Immediate access to dental coverage can help new employees avoid lapses in care. , reducing the risk of untreated dental issues that could impact overall health and productivity.
The change may make New York employers more competitive in attracting and retaining talent. , as immediate dental insurance coverage is often seen as a valuable benefit for job-seekers.
Employers will need to adjust administrative processes to ensure dental insurance begins on day one. , potentially increasing their onboarding workload and requiring coordination with insurance providers.
Employees starting new jobs may face fewer out-of-pocket dental expenses. , as they won’t have to wait through a probationary period or initial waiting period to use their dental benefits.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Dental Coverage Starts Day One
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to civil service and pensions
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to civil service and pensions
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1090
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. RAMOS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to requiring dental insurance coverage to be offered to employees that is effective immediately upon the starting date of employment
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 160 of the civil service law, as amended by chapter 414 of the laws of 1980, is amended to read as follows:
2. The president, in [his] the president's discretion, is hereby empowered to make, amend and rescind, from time to time, regulations establishing a dental insurance plan which shall be a part of the health insurance plan authorized by this article. Such regulations may provide for negotiating unit, employee and employer participation or nonparticipation, employee, dependent and retiree eligibility or noneligibility and such contribution rates as the president may determine even though such regulations establish standards which differ from those applicable by law to other parts of such health insurance plan; provided, however, that such regulations shall require employers to offer dental insurance coverage which is effective immediately upon the starting date of employment. The president is hereby authorized and directed to provide in such regulations for participation in the dental insurance plan by retirees; provided, however, that the claims experience for retirees shall be separately rated and premiums established separate from other participants in the plan and provided further that the full costs of participation in such plan, including all administrative costs, shall be borne by such retirees. Considering the dental insurance plan as a whole, no regulation enacted pursuant to this subdivision shall provide or permit a benefit structure inconsistent with the most efficient and economical administration of such plan.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03197-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to requiring dental insurance coverage to be offered to employees that is effective imme- diately upon the starting date of employment
Purpose
To require dental insurance coverage to take effect upon the starting date of employment
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends subdivision 2 of section 160 of the civil service law to include a provision requiring employers to offer dental insurance coverage which takes effect immediately upon the starting date of employment.
Section 2 sets the effective date.
Justification
Government employees who are eligible for dental insurance should not have to wait weeks after their starting date to utilize their dental benefits. Arbitrarily imposing any waiting period, whether it is a few days or a few months, inhibits enrollees from seeking the care they need when they need it. And, while waiting periods have been previously justified as a means to curb costs, creating obstacles for enrollees to access preventative treatment could ultimately result in higher costs in the long run, not to mention greater health risks associated with wait- ing. New York has an interest in ensuring the health and safety of its public servants. Therefore, just as these employees commit to serve the public on day one, employers should in turn commit to ensuring their dental health on day one, not weeks afterward.
Legislative history
2023-24: S1740 (Ramos) Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2021-22: S1174 (Ramos) Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2019-20: S4698 (Ramos) Referred to Civil Service and Pensions / A6833 (DenDekker) referred to governmental employees
Fiscal impact
TBD
Effective date
Immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.