Bill Text: NY A02284 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Requires the state to pay medicare part A premiums for persons eligible for medicare part A and medical assistance and requires local commissioners of social services to appeal denial of medicare coverage before approving medical assistance coverage for long term care.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-04 - referred to health [A02284 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-A02284-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         2284
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                   January 14, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M. of A. SCHIMMINGER, GABRYSZAK -- Multi-Sponsored by --
         M. of A. HOOPER, J. RIVERA, N. RIVERA, TOWNS -- read once and referred
         to the Committee on Health
       AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation  to  requiring  the
         state  to  pay medicare part A premiums for persons eligible for medi-
         care part A and medical assistance and to require local  commissioners
         of  social  services  to  appeal  denial  of  medicare coverage before
         approving medical assistance coverage for long term care
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  Subdivisions  1  and  2  of  section  364-i of the social
    2  services law, as amended by chapter 693 of the laws of 1996, are amended
    3  to read as follows:
    4    1. An individual, upon application for medical  assistance,  shall  be
    5  presumed  eligible  for  such assistance for a period of sixty days from
    6  the date of transfer from a general  hospital,  as  defined  in  section
    7  twenty-eight  hundred  one  of the public health law to a certified home
    8  health agency [or long term home health care  program],  as  defined  in
    9  section thirty-six hundred two of the public health law, or to a hospice
   10  as  defined in section four thousand two of the public health law, or to
   11  a residential health care facility as defined  in  section  twenty-eight
   12  hundred  one of the public health law, if the local department of social
   13  services determines that the  applicant  meets  each  of  the  following
   14  criteria:  (a)  the  applicant is receiving acute care in such hospital;
   15  (b) a physician certifies that such applicant no longer  requires  acute
   16  hospital  care, but still requires medical care which can be provided by
   17  a certified home health agency, [long term home  health  care  program,]
   18  hospice or residential health care facility; (c) the applicant or his OR
   19  HER  representative  states  that  the applicant does not have insurance
   20  coverage for the required medical care and  that  such  care  cannot  be
   21  afforded;  (d)  it  reasonably  appears  that the applicant is otherwise
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD02537-01-1
       A. 2284                             2
    1  eligible to receive medical assistance; (e) it reasonably  appears  that
    2  the  amount expended by the state and the local social services district
    3  for medical assistance in a certified home  health  agency,  [long  term
    4  home  health care program,] hospice or residential health care facility,
    5  during the period of presumed eligibility, would be less than the amount
    6  the state and the  local  social  services  district  would  expend  for
    7  continued acute hospital care for such person; and (f) such other deter-
    8  minative  criteria  as  the  commissioner shall provide by rule or regu-
    9  lation. If a person has been determined to be presumptively eligible for
   10  medical assistance, pursuant to this subdivision,  and  is  subsequently
   11  determined  to  be  ineligible for such assistance, the commissioner, on
   12  behalf of the state and the local social services  district  shall  have
   13  the  authority  to recoup from the individual the sums expended for such
   14  assistance during the period of presumed eligibility.
   15    2. Payment for up to sixty days of care for  services  provided  under
   16  the  medical  assistance program shall be made for an applicant presumed
   17  eligible for medical assistance pursuant  to  subdivision  one  of  this
   18  section provided, however, that such payment shall not exceed sixty-five
   19  percent  of the rate payable under this title for services provided by a
   20  certified home health agency, [long  term  home  health  care  program,]
   21  hospice  or  residential health care facility. Notwithstanding any other
   22  provision of law, no federal financial participation  shall  be  claimed
   23  for  services  provided  to a person while presumed eligible for medical
   24  assistance under this program until such person has been  determined  to
   25  be  eligible  for  medical  assistance  by  the  local  social  services
   26  district. During the period of presumed medical assistance  eligibility,
   27  payment  for  services  provided  persons  presumed  eligible under this
   28  program shall be made from state funds. Upon the final determination  of
   29  eligibility by the local social services district, payment shall be made
   30  for  the  balance of the cost of such care and services provided to such
   31  applicant for such period of eligibility and  a  retroactive  adjustment
   32  shall  be made by the department to appropriately reflect federal finan-
   33  cial participation and  the  local  share  of  costs  for  the  services
   34  provided  during the period of presumptive eligibility. Such federal and
   35  local financial participation shall be the same as that which would have
   36  occurred if a final determination of eligibility for medical  assistance
   37  had been made prior to the provision of the services provided during the
   38  period  of presumptive eligibility. In instances where an individual who
   39  is presumed eligible for medical assistance is  subsequently  determined
   40  to  be  ineligible,  the  cost  for services provided to such individual
   41  shall be reimbursed in accordance with the provisions of  section  three
   42  hundred  sixty-eight-a  of  this [article] TITLE.  Provided, however, if
   43  upon audit the department determines that there are subsequent  determi-
   44  nations  of  ineligibility  for  medical  assistance in at least fifteen
   45  percent of the cases in which presumptive eligibility has  been  granted
   46  in  a  local social services district, payments for services provided to
   47  all persons presumed eligible and subsequently determined ineligible for
   48  medical assistance shall  be  divided  equally  by  the  state  and  the
   49  district.
   50    S  2.  Paragraph  (d)  of subdivision 2 of section 365-f of the social
   51  services law, as added by chapter 81 of the laws of 1995, is amended  to
   52  read as follows:
   53    (d)  meets  such  other criteria, as may be established by the commis-
   54  sioner, which are necessary to effectively implement the  objectives  of
   55  this  section.  SUCH  CRITERIA  SHALL  INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, A
   56  REQUIREMENT THAT ANY PERSON WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR, OR  REASONABLY  APPEARS
       A. 2284                             3
    1  TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR, BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII
    2  OF  THE  FEDERAL  SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR AND
    3  FULLY UTILIZE SUCH BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS  CHAPTER  TO  DEFRAY
    4  THE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM. IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENEFITS UNDER
    5  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII  OF  THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S
    6  APPLICATION THEREFOR IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH  DENIAL  OR
    7  PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
    8  IF  SUCH  PERSON  RECEIVES  SUCH  BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE
    9  FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S CONTINUING RECEIPT THEREOF
   10  IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION  OR  PERMIT  THE
   11  LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   12    S  3.  Subparagraph 1 of paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 366
   13  of the social services law, as amended by chapter 638  of  the  laws  of
   14  1993  and  designated  by chapter 170 of the laws of 1994, is amended to
   15  read as follows:
   16    (1) In establishing standards  for  determining  eligibility  for  and
   17  amount  of  such assistance, the department shall take into account only
   18  such income and resources, in accordance with federal  requirements,  as
   19  are available to the applicant or recipient and as would not be required
   20  to  be  disregarded  or set aside for future needs, and there shall be a
   21  reasonable evaluation of any such income or  resources.  The  department
   22  shall  not  consider  the  availability  of an option for an accelerated
   23  payment of death benefits or special surrender value pursuant  to  para-
   24  graph one of subsection (a) of section one thousand one hundred thirteen
   25  of  the  insurance law, or an option to enter into a viatical settlement
   26  pursuant to the provisions of article  seventy-eight  of  the  insurance
   27  law,  as  an available resource in determining eligibility for an amount
   28  of such assistance, provided, however, that the payment of such benefits
   29  shall be considered in determining eligibility for and  amount  of  such
   30  assistance.  There  shall  not be taken into consideration the financial
   31  responsibility of any individual  for  any  applicant  or  recipient  of
   32  assistance  under  this title unless such applicant or recipient is such
   33  individual's spouse or such individual's child who is  under  twenty-one
   34  years of age. In determining the eligibility of a child who is categori-
   35  cally  eligible  as  blind  or disabled, as determined under regulations
   36  prescribed by the social security act for medical assistance, the income
   37  and resources of parents or spouses of parents are not considered avail-
   38  able to that child if [she/he] HE OR SHE does not  regularly  share  the
   39  common  household  even if the child returns to the common household for
   40  periodic visits. In the application of  standards  of  eligibility  with
   41  respect  to income, costs incurred for medical care, whether in the form
   42  of insurance premiums or otherwise, shall be  taken  into  account.  Any
   43  person  who  is eligible for, or reasonably appears to meet the criteria
   44  of eligibility for, benefits  under  [title]  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII  of  the
   45  federal  social  security  act  shall be required to apply for and fully
   46  utilize such benefits in accordance with this chapter. IN THE CASE OF  A
   47  PERSON  WHO  IS  RECEIVING  OR  SEEKING  LONG  TERM CARE, BENEFITS UNDER
   48  SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL  SOCIAL  SECURITY  ACT  SHALL  BE  FULLY
   49  UTILIZED  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF SUCH
   50  LONG TERM CARE. IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENEFITS UNDER  SUBCHAP-
   51  TER  XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S APPLICA-
   52  TION THEREFOR IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH DENIAL  OR  PERMIT
   53  THE  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.  IF
   54  SUCH PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL
   55  SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH  PERSON'S  CONTINUING  RECEIPT  THEREOF  IS
       A. 2284                             4
    1  TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE LOCAL
    2  SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
    3    S 4. Subparagraph (v) of paragraph b of subdivision 6-a of section 366
    4  of  the  social  services  law, as amended by chapter 627 of the laws of
    5  2004, is amended to read as follows:
    6    (v) meet such other criteria as may be established by the commissioner
    7  of health as may be necessary to administer the provision of this subdi-
    8  vision in an equitable manner. SUCH CRITERIA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT  NOT  BE
    9  LIMITED  TO,  A  REQUIREMENT  THAT  ANY  PERSON  WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR, OR
   10  REASONABLY APPEARS TO MEET THE CRITERIA  OF  ELIGIBILITY  FOR,  BENEFITS
   11  UNDER  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII  OF  THE  FEDERAL  SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL BE
   12  REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR AND FULLY UTILIZE SUCH BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
   13  THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM.  IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES
   14  FOR SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL  SECURITY
   15  ACT  AND  SUCH PERSON'S APPLICATION THEREFOR IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST
   16  APPEAL SUCH DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO
   17  ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.   IF SUCH  PERSON  RECEIVES  SUCH  BENEFITS  UNDER
   18  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII  OF  THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S
   19  CONTINUING RECEIPT THEREOF IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST  APPEAL  SUCH
   20  TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS
   21  OR HER BEHALF.
   22    S  5.  Subparagraph  (viii) of paragraph b of subdivision 9 of section
   23  366 of the social services law, as added by chapter 170 of the  laws  of
   24  1994, is amended to read as follows:
   25    (viii)  meet  such other criteria as may be established by the commis-
   26  sioner of mental health, in conjunction with the commissioner, as may be
   27  necessary to administer the provisions of this subdivision in an equita-
   28  ble manner, including those criteria established pursuant to paragraph e
   29  of this subdivision. SUCH CRITERIA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
   30  A REQUIREMENT THAT ANY PERSON WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR, OR REASONABLY APPEARS
   31  TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR, BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII
   32  OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO  APPLY  FOR  AND
   33  FULLY  UTILIZE  SUCH  BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY
   34  THE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM. IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENEFITS UNDER
   35  SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT  AND  SUCH  PERSON'S
   36  APPLICATION  THEREFOR  IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH DENIAL OR
   37  PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   38  IF SUCH PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENEFITS  UNDER  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII  OF  THE
   39  FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S CONTINUING RECEIPT THEREOF
   40  IS  TERMINATED,  SUCH  PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE
   41  LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   42    S 6. The social services law is amended by adding a new section  366-j
   43  to read as follows:
   44    S  366-J.  LONG  TERM  CARE; OTHER CASES.   IN ALL CASES NOT OTHERWISE
   45  PROVIDED FOR IN THIS TITLE OF A PERSON WHO IS RECEIVING OR SEEKING  LONG
   46  TERM CARE, BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURI-
   47  TY ACT SHALL BE FULLY UTILIZED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY
   48  THE COSTS OF SUCH LONG TERM CARE.  IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENE-
   49  FITS  UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH
   50  PERSON'S APPLICATION THEREFOR IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON  MUST  APPEAL  SUCH
   51  DENIAL  OR  PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR
   52  HER BEHALF.   IF SUCH PERSON RECEIVES  SUCH  BENEFITS  UNDER  SUBCHAPTER
   53  XVIII  OF  THE  FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S CONTINUING
   54  RECEIPT THEREOF IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH  TERMINATION
   55  OR  PERMIT  THE  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER
   56  BEHALF.
       A. 2284                             5
    1    S 7. Subdivision 3 of section 367-a of  the  social  services  law  is
    2  amended by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
    3    (E)  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY INCONSISTENT PROVISION OF THIS SECTION OR OF
    4  ANY OTHER LAW, FOR ANY PERSON WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND
    5  FOR MEDICARE UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY  ACT,
    6  THE COST OF THE PREMIUM FOR MEDICARE PART A SHALL BE BORNE BY THE STATE.
    7    S  8.  Subdivision  7  of section 367-c of the social services law, as
    8  added by chapter 895 of the laws of 1977 and renumbered by  chapter  854
    9  of the laws of 1987, is amended to read as follows:
   10    7. No social services district shall make payments pursuant to [title]
   11  SUBCHAPTER XIX of the federal Social Security Act for benefits available
   12  under  [title]  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII of such act without documentation that
   13  [title] SUBCHAPTER XVIII claims have been filed and  denied.  UPON  SUCH
   14  DENIAL,  SUCH  PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL
   15  SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF. IF SUCH PERSON RECEIVES
   16  SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY  ACT
   17  AND  SUCH PERSON'S CONTINUING RECEIPT THEREOF IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON
   18  MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL  SERVICES  OFFI-
   19  CIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   20    S  9.  Subdivision  3  of section 367-e of the social services law, as
   21  added by chapter 622 of the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows:
   22    3. The commissioner shall apply for any waivers,  including  home  and
   23  community  based  services  waivers pursuant to section nineteen hundred
   24  fifteen-c of the social security act, necessary to implement  AIDS  home
   25  care  programs.  Notwithstanding  any  inconsistent provision of law but
   26  subject to expenditure limitations of this  section,  the  commissioner,
   27  subject to the approval of the state director of the budget, may author-
   28  ize  the  utilization  of  medical  assistance funds to pay for services
   29  provided by AIDS home  care  programs  in  addition  to  those  services
   30  included  in  the medical assistance program under section three hundred
   31  sixty-five-a of this [chapter]  TITLE,  so  long  as  federal  financial
   32  participation  is  available for such services.  Expenditures made under
   33  this subdivision shall be deemed payments  for  medical  assistance  for
   34  needy  persons  and  shall  be  subject to reimbursement by the state in
   35  accordance with the provisions of section three hundred sixty-eight-a of
   36  this [chapter] TITLE.  ANY PERSON WHO IS  ELIGIBLE  FOR,  OR  REASONABLY
   37  APPEARS TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR, BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAP-
   38  TER  XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO APPLY
   39  FOR AND FULLY UTILIZE SUCH BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS  CHAPTER  TO
   40  DEFRAY  THE  COSTS OF THE PROGRAM. IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENE-
   41  FITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND  SUCH
   42  PERSON'S  APPLICATION  THEREFOR  IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH
   43  DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON  HIS  OR
   44  HER  BEHALF.    IF  SUCH  PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER
   45  XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND  SUCH  PERSON'S  CONTINUING
   46  RECEIPT  THEREOF IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION
   47  OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO  SO  ON  HIS  OR  HER
   48  BEHALF.
   49    S  10.  Subdivision  2 of section 367-f of the social services law, as
   50  added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
   51    2. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this chapter  or  any
   52  other  law  to  the contrary, the partnership for long term care program
   53  shall provide Medicaid extended coverage to a person receiving long term
   54  care services if there is federal participation pursuant to such  treat-
   55  ment  and  such  person: (a) is or was covered by an insurance policy or
   56  certificate providing coverage for long term care which meets the appli-
       A. 2284                             6
    1  cable minimum benefit standards of the superintendent of  insurance  and
    2  other requirements for approval of participation under the program; and,
    3  (b)  has exhausted the coverage and benefits as required by the program.
    4  ANY  SUCH PERSON WHO IS RECEIVING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND WHO IS ELIGIBLE
    5  FOR, OR REASONABLY APPEARS TO MEET  THE  CRITERIA  OF  ELIGIBILITY  FOR,
    6  BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL
    7  BE  REQUIRED  TO APPLY FOR AND FULLY UTILIZE SUCH BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE
    8  WITH THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF THE  PROGRAM.  IF  SUCH  PERSON
    9  APPLIES  FOR  SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL
   10  SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S  APPLICATION  THEREFOR  IS  DENIED,  SUCH
   11  PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFI-
   12  CIAL  TO  DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF. IF SUCH PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENE-
   13  FITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND  SUCH
   14  PERSON'S  CONTINUING  RECEIPT  THEREOF  IS  TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST
   15  APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL  TO
   16  DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   17    S  11.  This  act  shall  take effect on the one hundred twentieth day
   18  after it shall have become a law;  provided  that  the  commissioner  of
   19  health is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and
   20  take any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective
   21  date on or before such date.
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