BILL NUMBER: S8487

SPONSOR: HELMING
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to eligibility for
medical assistance

 
PURPOSE:

This bill will revise eligibility requirements for Medicaid Assistance
for Children to prevent potential lapses in care during the federally
mandated Medicaid eligibility redetermination process.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 366 of the social services law to prevent chil-
dren from being disenrolled from Medicaid assistance during the Medicaid
redetermination eligibility period beginning July two thousand and twen-
ty-three through July two thousand twenty-four.  Children shall remain
eligible for medical assistance for an additional six months beginning
with the month ineligibility for such assistance was determined.
              

Section 2 amends section 366 of the social services law by requiring
that a child born to a woman eligible for medical assistance on the date
of childbirth and for children under the age of nineteen shall remain
eligible for medical assistance until the end of the redetermination of
eligibility period.

Section 3 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

For the past three years during the national COVID-19 Public Health
Emergency those New Yorker's eligible for Medicaid assistance were
granted twelve months of continuous eligibility and were able to contin-
ue receiving Medicaid benefits without confirming eligibility.  This
policy allowed families to continue their care without the uncertainty
of changing health insurance plans or going uninsured during a national
pandemic.

Beginning this July 2023, New York began the process of Medicaid rede-
termination following federal guidelines to renew benefits and disenroll
those ineligible for Medicaid public health insurance.  While it is
important to preserve the safety net for those truly in need, this rede-
termination process is leading to vulnerable populations, such as chil-
dren, being disenrolled and going uninsured through no fault of their
own.

This bill would provide continuity of care for all children, including
the those suffering from mental health disorders or serious health
issues by establishing measures to prevent disenrollment from Medicaid
by implementing a grace period policy of six months following the deter-
mination a child is ineligible for Medicaid. In addition, this bill
would fully delay disenrollment for all families with children until the
end of the redetermination unwinding period at the end of July, 2024.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.