The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4148
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 2, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
 
 AN  ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to reimbursement for
   medicare charges
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  167-a  of  the  civil service law, as amended by
 section 1 of part I of chapter 55 of the laws of  2012,  is  amended  to
 read as follows:
   § 167-a. Reimbursement  for medicare [premium] charges. Upon exclusion
 from the coverage of the health benefit plan  of  supplementary  medical
 insurance  benefits for which an active or retired employee or a depend-
 ent covered by the health benefit plan is or would be eligible under the
 federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance program,  an  amount
 equal  to  the  premium charge AND ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL CHARGES for such
 supplementary medical insurance benefits  for  such  active  or  retired
 employee  and his or her dependents, if any, shall be paid monthly or at
 other intervals to such active  or  retired  employee  from  the  health
 insurance  fund.  Where  appropriate,  such  amount may be deducted from
 contributions payable by the employee  or  retired  employee;  or  where
 appropriate  in  the  case  of a retired employee receiving a retirement
 allowance, such amount may be included  with  payments  of  his  or  her
 retirement allowance. All state employer, employee, retired employee and
 dependent contributions to the health insurance fund, including contrib-
 utions  from  public  authorities,  public benefit corporations or other
 quasi-public organizations of the state eligible  for  participation  in
 the  health benefit plan as authorized by subdivision two of section one
 hundred sixty-three of this article, shall be adjusted as  necessary  to
 cover  the cost of reimbursing federal old-age, survivors and disability
 insurance program premium charges under this section. This cost shall be
 included in the calculation  of  premium  or  subscription  charges  for
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD06696-01-1

 S. 4148                             2
 
 health  coverage  provided  to  employees  and  retired employees of the
 state, public authorities, public benefit corporations or  other  quasi-
 public  organizations of the state; provided, however, the state, public
 authorities, public benefit corporations or other quasi-public organiza-
 tions  of the state shall remain obligated to pay no less than its share
 of  such  increased  cost  consistent  with  its  share  of  premium  or
 subscription  charges  provided  for by this article. All other employer
 contributions to the health insurance fund shall be adjusted  as  neces-
 sary  to  provide  for such payments.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE
 TERM "HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN OF SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL  INSURANCE  BENEFITS"
 SHALL  MEAN  THE  HEALTH  BENEFIT PLAN PRESCRIBED BY SECTION ONE HUNDRED
 SIXTY-ONE OF THIS ARTICLE AND SHALL INCLUDE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND MEDI-
 CATIONS, GROUP HOSPITALIZATION, SURGICAL AND MEDICAL INSURANCE  PROVIDED
 PURSUANT TO SUCH SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.