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Assembly Bill A7866B

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Protects the health insurance benefits of retirees of public employers and contributions of retirees of public employers

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Archive: Last Bill Status - Stricken

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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2023-A7866 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S8388
Law Section:
Retirement
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:
A4639, S3607

2023-A7866 - Summary

Prohibits public employers from diminishing health insurance benefits provided to retirees and their dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and dependents by the public employer as of December 31, 2021.

2023-A7866 - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7866
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 7, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ZEBROWSKI, GUNTHER, BURDICK -- read once and
   referred to the Committee on Governmental Employees
 
 AN ACT in relation to protecting the health insurance benefits of  reti-
   rees  of  public  employers  and  contributions  of retirees of public
   employers

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. This act shall be known as the "Health Equity for Retirees
 Act" or "(HERA)".
   § 2. 1. On and after the effective date of this act, a public employer
 shall not diminish the health insurance benefits  provided  to  retirees
 and  their  dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such
 health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits  or  contrib-
 utions  made  on  behalf  of  such retirees and their dependents by such
 public employer as of November 1, 2022.
   2. For the purposes of this act:
   (a) "diminish" shall mean any change in health care offered that could
 potentially make it harder for retirees  residing  anywhere  within  the
 United  States,  including  its  territories  and possessions, to access
 their health care than before such change was made. These changes  shall
 include,  but  are  not  limited  to, increasing the cost of such health
 care, forcing retirees into Medicare Advantage Plans,  forcing  them  to
 use  health  care  providers only from pre-designated panels, or forcing
 them to wait for  pre-authorization  for  medical  procedures  that  are
 recommended by their health care providers;
   (b)  "public  employer"  shall  mean the following: (i) the state or a
 civil division thereof; (ii) a county, city, town or  village;  (iii)  a
 school  district,  board of cooperative educational services, vocational
 education and extension board or a  school  district  as  enumerated  in
 section  1  of  chapter  566  of  the laws of 1967, as amended; (iv) any
 governmental entity operating a college  or  university;  (v)  a  public

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11812-01-3

co-Sponsors

2023-A7866A - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S8388
Law Section:
Retirement
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:
A4639, S3607

2023-A7866A - Summary

Prohibits public employers from diminishing health insurance benefits provided to retirees and their dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and dependents by the public employer as of December 31, 2021.

2023-A7866A - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7866--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 7, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. ZEBROWSKI, GUNTHER, BURDICK, LAVINE, EPSTEIN,
   SHIMSKY, THIELE, NOVAKHOV, SIMONE, CARROLL, COLTON, SEAWRIGHT,  DeSTE-
   FANO,  LEVENBERG, REYES, SIMON, BENEDETTO, HEVESI, JACOBSON, SILLITTI,
   WILLIAMS, DURSO, MAHER, BRABENEC, PIROZZOLO, RA,  LUPARDO,  McDONOUGH,
   MCGOWAN,  STERN,  DICKENS, STECK, EACHUS, RIVERA, SHRESTHA, O'DONNELL,
   BURKE, SLATER, GALLAGHER,  KELLES,  BENDETT,  MIKULIN,  RAMOS,  VANEL,
   MAMDANI, ARDILA, BROOK-KRASNY -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee  on  Governmental  Employees  --  recommitted  to the Committee on
   Governmental Employees in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec.  2  --
   committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
   recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT in relation to protecting the health insurance benefits of  reti-
   rees  of  public  employers  and  contributions  of retirees of public
   employers
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. This act shall be known as the "Health Equity for Retirees
 Act" or "(HERA)".
   § 2. 1. On and after the effective date of this act, a public employer
 shall not diminish the health insurance benefits  provided  to  retirees
 and  their  dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such
 health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits  or  contrib-
 utions  made  on  behalf  of  such retirees and their dependents by such
 public employer as of November 1, 2022.
   2. For the purposes of this act:
   (a) "diminish" shall mean any change in health care offered that could
 potentially make it harder for retirees  residing  anywhere  within  the
 United  States,  including  its  territories  and possessions, to access
 their health care than before such change was made. These changes  shall
 include,  but  are  not  limited  to, increasing the cost of such health
 care, forcing retirees into Medicare Advantage Plans,  forcing  them  to
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11812-03-4

co-Sponsors

multi-Sponsors

2023-A7866B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S8388
Law Section:
Retirement
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:
A4639, S3607

2023-A7866B (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits public employers from diminishing health insurance benefits provided to retirees and their dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and dependents by the public employer as of December 31, 2021.

2023-A7866B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7866--B
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 7, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. ZEBROWSKI, GUNTHER, BURDICK, LAVINE, EPSTEIN,
   SHIMSKY, THIELE, NOVAKHOV, SIMONE, CARROLL, COLTON, SEAWRIGHT,  DeSTE-
   FANO,  LEVENBERG, REYES, SIMON, BENEDETTO, HEVESI, JACOBSON, SILLITTI,
   WILLIAMS, DURSO, MAHER, BRABENEC, PIROZZOLO, RA,  LUPARDO,  McDONOUGH,
   MCGOWAN,  STERN,  DICKENS, STECK, EACHUS, RIVERA, SHRESTHA, O'DONNELL,
   BURKE, SLATER, GALLAGHER,  KELLES,  BENDETT,  MIKULIN,  RAMOS,  VANEL,
   MAMDANI,  ARDILA,  BROOK-KRASNY, BERGER, ZINERMAN, K. BROWN, ANGELINO,
   SIMPSON, GANDOLFO,  BURGOS,  REILLY,  TANNOUSIS,  BLANKENBUSH,  LUCAS,
   PHEFFER AMATO,  SANTABARBARA,  TAGUE  -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Employees -- recommitted to the Committee on
   Governmental Employees in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec.  2  --
   committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
   recommitted to said committee -- again reported  from  said  committee
   with  amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said
   committee
 
 AN ACT in relation to protecting the health insurance benefits of  reti-
   rees  of  public  employers  and  contributions  of retirees of public
   employers

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. This act shall be known as the "Health Equity for Retirees
 Act" or "(HERA)".
   § 2. 1. On and after the effective date of this act, a public employer
 shall not diminish the health insurance benefits  provided  to  retirees
 and  their  dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such
 health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits  or  contrib-
 utions  made  on  behalf  of  such retirees and their dependents by such
 public employer as of December 31, 2021.
   2. For the purposes of this act:
   (a) "diminish" shall mean any change in health care offered that could
 potentially make it harder for retirees  residing  anywhere  within  the

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11812-04-4

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