NY State Senate Bill 2015-S1542

Senate Bill S1542

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Directs department of health to contract with community organizations for distribution of information on health care services and benefits available to immigrants

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to health
Jan 13, 2015	referred to health

2015-S1542 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §201, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S2449
2011-2012: S1158
2013-2014: S3187
2017-2018: S3467
2019-2020: S5088
2021-2022: S5638
2023-2024: S7281

2015-S1542 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the department of health to contract with community-based organizations and not-for-profit corporations for the provision of outreach, information and educational services to immigrants on the availability of health care services, medical assistance, emergency medical assistance, the family health plus program and the child health insurance plan.

2015-S1542 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S1542

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to directing the
department of health to contract with community-based and
not-for-profit organizations for the provision of information on
health care services and benefits available to immigrants

PURPOSE:

To provide information on the health care-related programs and
services available to immigrants.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section One creates a new paragraph (w) to subdivision 1 of section
201 of the Public Health Law, providing for creation of outreach
services for immigrants related to their eligibility for health care
services. Section Two enacts the legislation 180 days after enactment.

JUSTIFICATION:

Changes in the immigration and welfare laws have created a chilling
effect on immigrant access to health care services. There is
widespread confusion and fear in immigrant communities concerning

accessing any government funded health care services. Immigrants who
are eligible for Medicaid are not applying due to unfounded fears of
potential immigration consequences and many immigrants are unaware of
their eligibility for emergency Medicaid services. In addition, nearly
half of all immigrants in New York lack health care insurance and
therefore do not participate in preventative care.

As a result, immigrants too often rely on emergency rooms for the
treatment of serious conditions that can be prevented through
accessing primary care services. Furthermore, increasing rates of
tuberculosis in immigrant communities, and a rubella outbreak in
immigrant communities in Westchester and Rockland counties are
indicators that the public's health can be jeopardized if immigrants
do not receive necessary care.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2011-2012: S.1158 Referred to Health
2009-2010: S.2449/A.5144 - Referred to Health / Passed Assembly
2008:  S.8413/A.5932 Referred to Rules / Passed Assembly

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

New York State is eligible for over $35 million in enhanced 90%
federal funding for activities, including outreach related to the
delinking of Medicaid from welfare. As of September 1999, New York had
spent only 3% of available funds. Consequently, a $500,000 state
appropriation would result in a $5 million program and fund at least
50 community groups and a newspaper and radio media campaign.

EFFECTIVE DATE:


One hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law, with
provisions.

2015-S1542 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  1542

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 13, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  directing  the
  department of health to contract with community-based and not-for-pro-
  fit  organizations  for  the  provision  of information on health care
  services and benefits available to immigrants

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Paragraphs (u) and (v) of subdivision 1 of section 201 of
the public health law, paragraph (u) as added by chapter 939 of the laws
of 1976 and paragraph (v) as added by chapter 474 of the laws  of  1996,
are amended and a new paragraph (w) is added to read as follows:
  (u)    engage  in  research  into the causes of rocky mountain spotted
fever and the prevention thereof and develop programs for the control of
ticks, insects and [anthropods]  ARTHROPODS  which  act  as  vectors  of
disease affecting man, within funds made available for such purposes[.];
  (v) act as the single state agency for medical assistance, pursuant to
section  three  hundred  sixty-three-a  of  the social services law, [as
amended by this chapter,] with responsibility to supervise the plan  for
medical  assistance as required by title XIX of the federal Social Secu-
rity act, or its successor, and to adopt regulations as may be necessary
to implement this plan[.]; AND
  (W)(I) WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, CONTRACT WITH  COMMUNITY-
BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF
OUTREACH,  INFORMATION  AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO NATURALIZED CITIZENS
AND ALIENS ON HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND BENEFITS WHICH ARE  AVAILABLE  TO
SUCH PERSONS. SUCH OUTREACH, INFORMATION AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES SHALL:
  (A) DESIGNATE WHICH HEALTH CARE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO SUCH PERSONS
IN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY RESIDE;
  (B) INCLUDE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06840-01-5

S. 1542                             2

  (1)  MEDICAL  ASSISTANCE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, PURSUANT TO
TITLE ELEVEN OF ARTICLE FIVE OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW,
  (2)  FAMILY HEALTH PLUS, PURSUANT TO TITLE ELEVEN-D OF ARTICLE FIVE OF
THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW,
  (3) CHILD HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, PURSUANT TO TITLE  ONE-A  OF  ARTICLE
TWENTY-FIVE OF THIS CHAPTER, AND
  (4)  ANY OTHER HEALTH BENEFIT PROGRAM THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS APPROPRI-
ATE;
  (C) PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE MANNER  IN  WHICH  TO  APPLY  FOR  SUCH
PROGRAMS; AND
  (D) BE PROVIDED IN A MANNER AND THE LANGUAGE WHICH IS MOST APPROPRIATE
FOR  THE  COMMUNITY  TO  WHICH THE OUTREACH, INFORMATION AND EDUCATIONAL
SERVICES ARE TO BE PROVIDED.
  (II) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS  NECES-
SARY  TO  IMPLEMENT  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS PARAGRAPH. IN ADDITION, THE
DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE ALL EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS NECESSARY  TO  IMPLE-
MENT  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  PARAGRAPH  AND  SHALL  PAY THE COSTS OF
DISTRIBUTING SUCH MATERIALS.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided, however, that any  actions  neces-
sary  for the implementation of the provisions of this act on its effec-
tive date are authorized and directed to be  taken  on  or  before  such
date.

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