NY State Senate Bill 2019-S5088

Senate Bill S5088

2019-2020 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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 08, 2020	referred to health
Apr 09, 2019	referred to health

2019-S5088 (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
2015-2016: S1542
2017-2018: S3467
2021-2022: S5638
2023-2024: S7281

2019-S5088 (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.

2019-S5088 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S5088

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
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 immi-
gration consequences and many immigrants are unaware of their eligibil-
ity 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 treat-
ment 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:

2017-2018: S.3467 - REFERRED TO HEALTH
2015-2016:S.1542 - Referred to Health
2013-2014:S.3187 - Referred to Health
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.

2019-S5088 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5088
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 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.
                                                            LBD10634-01-9

 S. 5088                             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.
   § 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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