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Senate Bill S7673

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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2023-S7673 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A7866
Law Section:
Retirement
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:
A4639

2023-S7673 (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 November 1, 2022.

2023-S7673 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S7673 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7673
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                            September 29, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  MATTERA,  CLEARE, WEBER -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 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

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