BILL NUMBER: S180

SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to increasing the
amount certain individuals are eligible for when receiving enhanced
residential care

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would increase the SSI enhanced residential care monthly rate
by ten percent or approximately five dollars per day.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one amends paragraph 3 of subdivision 2 of section 209 of the
social services law by increasing the monthly enhanced residential care
rate from $1,608 to $1,768.

Section two provides for an immediate effective date.

              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Many low-income, older and disabled New Yorkers reside in adult care
facilities (ACFs) paid through Supplemental Security Income (SSI).  ACFs
provide vital services to older and disabled New Yorkers who do not
require constant care, but nevertheless are unable to live on their own.
Without ACFs, these residents would be forced into more acute institu-
tional settings, even though they maintain the independence and direc-
tion of action necessary to remain in the community. ACFs provide such
residents with room, board, housekeeping and personal care services in a
low-cost environment that respects their independence.

Over the past several decades, ACFs have had only one rate increase
which brought them to the current $42.00 per day. There has been no
state COLA during this period and costs to these facilities of providing
housing, care and services have continued to go up. The stagnant rate,
coupled with rising costs has resulted in closures of SSI facilities.
For every displaced SSI recipient who ends up in a nursing home, the
daily cost of housing and care raises from $42/day to $150-$250/day in
Medicaid costs depending upon the area of the state.

The ten percent rate increase proposed by this legislation would help
keep adult care facilities operational, low-income seniors in the commu-
nity, and avoid higher Medicaid costs which result when residents are
displaced.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: S8767 Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.