BILL NUMBER: S7747

SPONSOR: BROUK
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law and the public health law, in
relation to ensuring continuity of public health insurance coverage to
children under six years of age

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Provides public health insurance coverage for children who are eligible
for such coverage under the age of six to continue until they reach the
age of six.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends social services law section 366 subdivision 4 subpara-
graph 3 to amend the period of time for which a child is eligible for
receiving medical assistance from birth to age six.

Section 2 amends public health law section 2511 subdivision 2 to stipu-
              

late that a parent may enroll a child who is eligible for the medical
assistance under title eleven of article five of the social services law
if the child becomes eligible for it before age six.

Section 3 stipulates that the commissioner of health can submit the
appropriate waivers to secure federal financial participation.

Section 4 sets forth the effective date, which is on the sixtieth day
after it becomes law. It also stipulates that effective immediately, the
commissioner of health is authorized and directed to add, amend, and/or
repeal any rule or regulation and to take other actions reasonably
necessary to implement this act on such an effective date, including the
actions required under section three of this act.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of children would be disen-
rolled from healthcare coverage due to administrative issues or a change
in their family's income. During the height of the pandemic, the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services (H HS) responded by declaring a feder-
al Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 under Section 319 of the
Public Health Service (PHS) Act, which allowed for automatic continuous
enrollment in healthcare. The declaration expired on May 11, 2023 but
the benefits of automatic enrollment for children was clear.

Several states have submitted 1115 waiver applications asking for the
federal government to allow children who qualify for Medicaid and Child
Health Plus to stay enrolled until the age of six. Oregon has been
approved to do this. Washington and New Mexico are awaiting approval for
this. Of the almost 90 million people on Medicaid and the Children's
Health Insurance Program (CHIP) over 40 million are children. According
to Joan Alker, the executive director of Georgetown University Center
for Children and Families in "the fourth quarter of 20202 through the
first quarter of 222, the share of uninsured children in the U.S fell
from 6.7% to 3.7% as a result of the national declaration. The Common-
wealth Fund has found that gaps in coverage can also create financial
hardship. Even if just one family member is uninsured, the whole family
is exposed to incurring medical debt, placing their economic security at
risk. Additionally, providing children with continuous coverage leads to
greater coverage rates which are associated with better health, reduced
school absenteeism, and higher academic achievement for children and,
potentially, fewer lost work days and lower medical debt for their
parents.

This legislation would allow New York State to provide children with
health care from birth to age six on a continuous basis regardless of
changes in their household's income and provides flexibility to do so
via Medicaid or CHIP.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMMENTS:

None determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law. Effective immediately, the commissioner of health is
authorized and directed to add, amend, and/or repeal any rule or regu-
lation and to take other actions reasonably necessary to implement this
act on such an effective date, including the actions required under
section three of this act.