Bill Text: NY S04181 | 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 (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-04 - REFERRED TO HEALTH [S04181 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-S04181-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         4181
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                    March 22, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  RANZENHOFER -- read twice and ordered printed, and
         when printed to be committed 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
   22  eligible to receive medical assistance; (e) it reasonably  appears  that
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD02537-01-1
       S. 4181                             2
    1  the  amount expended by the state and the local social services district
    2  for medical assistance in a certified home  health  agency,  [long  term
    3  home  health care program,] hospice or residential health care facility,
    4  during the period of presumed eligibility, would be less than the amount
    5  the  state  and  the  local  social  services  district would expend for
    6  continued acute hospital care for such person; and (f) such other deter-
    7  minative criteria as the commissioner shall provide  by  rule  or  regu-
    8  lation. If a person has been determined to be presumptively eligible for
    9  medical  assistance,  pursuant  to this subdivision, and is subsequently
   10  determined to be ineligible for such assistance,  the  commissioner,  on
   11  behalf  of  the  state and the local social services district shall have
   12  the authority to recoup from the individual the sums expended  for  such
   13  assistance during the period of presumed eligibility.
   14    2.  Payment  for  up to sixty days of care for services provided under
   15  the medical assistance program shall be made for an  applicant  presumed
   16  eligible  for  medical  assistance  pursuant  to subdivision one of this
   17  section provided, however, that such payment shall not exceed sixty-five
   18  percent of the rate payable under this title for services provided by  a
   19  certified  home  health  agency,  [long  term home health care program,]
   20  hospice or residential health care facility. Notwithstanding  any  other
   21  provision  of  law,  no federal financial participation shall be claimed
   22  for services provided to a person while presumed  eligible  for  medical
   23  assistance  under  this program until such person has been determined to
   24  be  eligible  for  medical  assistance  by  the  local  social  services
   25  district.  During the period of presumed medical assistance eligibility,
   26  payment for services  provided  persons  presumed  eligible  under  this
   27  program  shall be made from state funds. Upon the final determination of
   28  eligibility by the local social services district, payment shall be made
   29  for the balance of the cost of such care and services provided  to  such
   30  applicant  for  such  period of eligibility and a retroactive adjustment
   31  shall be made by the department to appropriately reflect federal  finan-
   32  cial  participation  and  the  local  share  of  costs  for the services
   33  provided during the period of presumptive eligibility. Such federal  and
   34  local financial participation shall be the same as that which would have
   35  occurred  if a final determination of eligibility for medical assistance
   36  had been made prior to the provision of the services provided during the
   37  period of presumptive eligibility. In instances where an individual  who
   38  is  presumed  eligible for medical assistance is subsequently determined
   39  to be ineligible, the cost for  services  provided  to  such  individual
   40  shall  be  reimbursed in accordance with the provisions of section three
   41  hundred sixty-eight-a of this [article] TITLE.   Provided,  however,  if
   42  upon  audit the department determines that there are subsequent determi-
   43  nations of ineligibility for medical  assistance  in  at  least  fifteen
   44  percent  of  the cases in which presumptive eligibility has been granted
   45  in a local social services district, payments for services  provided  to
   46  all persons presumed eligible and subsequently determined ineligible for
   47  medical  assistance  shall  be  divided  equally  by  the  state and the
   48  district.
   49    S 2. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 2 of section  365-f  of  the  social
   50  services  law, as added by chapter 81 of the laws of 1995, is amended to
   51  read as follows:
   52    (d) meets such other criteria, as may be established  by  the  commis-
   53  sioner,  which  are necessary to effectively implement the objectives of
   54  this section. SUCH CRITERIA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED  TO,  A
   55  REQUIREMENT  THAT  ANY PERSON WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR, OR REASONABLY APPEARS
   56  TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR, BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII
       S. 4181                             3
    1  OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO  APPLY  FOR  AND
    2  FULLY  UTILIZE  SUCH  BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY
    3  THE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM. IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENEFITS UNDER
    4  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII  OF  THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S
    5  APPLICATION THEREFOR IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH  DENIAL  OR
    6  PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
    7  IF  SUCH  PERSON  RECEIVES  SUCH  BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE
    8  FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S CONTINUING RECEIPT THEREOF
    9  IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION  OR  PERMIT  THE
   10  LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   11    S  3.  Subparagraph 1 of paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 366
   12  of the social services law, as amended by chapter 638  of  the  laws  of
   13  1993  and  designated  by chapter 170 of the laws of 1994, is amended to
   14  read as follows:
   15    (1) In establishing standards  for  determining  eligibility  for  and
   16  amount  of  such assistance, the department shall take into account only
   17  such income and resources, in accordance with federal  requirements,  as
   18  are available to the applicant or recipient and as would not be required
   19  to  be  disregarded  or set aside for future needs, and there shall be a
   20  reasonable evaluation of any such income or  resources.  The  department
   21  shall  not  consider  the  availability  of an option for an accelerated
   22  payment of death benefits or special surrender value pursuant  to  para-
   23  graph one of subsection (a) of section one thousand one hundred thirteen
   24  of  the  insurance law, or an option to enter into a viatical settlement
   25  pursuant to the provisions of article  seventy-eight  of  the  insurance
   26  law,  as  an available resource in determining eligibility for an amount
   27  of such assistance, provided, however, that the payment of such benefits
   28  shall be considered in determining eligibility for and  amount  of  such
   29  assistance.  There  shall  not be taken into consideration the financial
   30  responsibility of any individual  for  any  applicant  or  recipient  of
   31  assistance  under  this title unless such applicant or recipient is such
   32  individual's spouse or such individual's child who is  under  twenty-one
   33  years of age. In determining the eligibility of a child who is categori-
   34  cally  eligible  as  blind  or disabled, as determined under regulations
   35  prescribed by the social security act for medical assistance, the income
   36  and resources of parents or spouses of parents are not considered avail-
   37  able to that child if [she/he] HE OR SHE does not  regularly  share  the
   38  common  household  even if the child returns to the common household for
   39  periodic visits. In the application of  standards  of  eligibility  with
   40  respect  to income, costs incurred for medical care, whether in the form
   41  of insurance premiums or otherwise, shall be  taken  into  account.  Any
   42  person  who  is eligible for, or reasonably appears to meet the criteria
   43  of eligibility for, benefits  under  [title]  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII  of  the
   44  federal  social  security  act  shall be required to apply for and fully
   45  utilize such benefits in accordance with this chapter. IN THE CASE OF  A
   46  PERSON  WHO  IS  RECEIVING  OR  SEEKING  LONG  TERM CARE, BENEFITS UNDER
   47  SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL  SOCIAL  SECURITY  ACT  SHALL  BE  FULLY
   48  UTILIZED  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF SUCH
   49  LONG TERM CARE. IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENEFITS UNDER  SUBCHAP-
   50  TER  XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S APPLICA-
   51  TION THEREFOR IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH DENIAL  OR  PERMIT
   52  THE  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.  IF
   53  SUCH PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL
   54  SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH  PERSON'S  CONTINUING  RECEIPT  THEREOF  IS
   55  TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE LOCAL
   56  SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
       S. 4181                             4
    1    S 4. Subparagraph (v) of paragraph b of subdivision 6-a of section 366
    2  of  the  social  services  law, as amended by chapter 627 of the laws of
    3  2004, is amended to read as follows:
    4    (v) meet such other criteria as may be established by the commissioner
    5  of health as may be necessary to administer the provision of this subdi-
    6  vision  in  an equitable manner. SUCH CRITERIA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
    7  LIMITED TO, A REQUIREMENT THAT  ANY  PERSON  WHO  IS  ELIGIBLE  FOR,  OR
    8  REASONABLY  APPEARS  TO  MEET  THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR, BENEFITS
    9  UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE  FEDERAL  SOCIAL  SECURITY  ACT  SHALL  BE
   10  REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR AND FULLY UTILIZE SUCH BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
   11  THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM.  IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES
   12  FOR  SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY
   13  ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S APPLICATION THEREFOR IS DENIED, SUCH  PERSON  MUST
   14  APPEAL SUCH DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO
   15  ON  HIS  OR  HER  BEHALF.    IF SUCH PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENEFITS UNDER
   16  SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT  AND  SUCH  PERSON'S
   17  CONTINUING  RECEIPT  THEREOF IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH
   18  TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS
   19  OR HER BEHALF.
   20    S 5. Subparagraph (viii) of paragraph b of subdivision  9  of  section
   21  366  of  the social services law, as added by chapter 170 of the laws of
   22  1994, is amended to read as follows:
   23    (viii) meet such other criteria as may be established by  the  commis-
   24  sioner of mental health, in conjunction with the commissioner, as may be
   25  necessary to administer the provisions of this subdivision in an equita-
   26  ble manner, including those criteria established pursuant to paragraph e
   27  of this subdivision. SUCH CRITERIA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
   28  A REQUIREMENT THAT ANY PERSON WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR, OR REASONABLY APPEARS
   29  TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR, BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII
   30  OF  THE  FEDERAL  SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR AND
   31  FULLY UTILIZE SUCH BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS  CHAPTER  TO  DEFRAY
   32  THE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM. IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENEFITS UNDER
   33  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII  OF  THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S
   34  APPLICATION THEREFOR IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH  DENIAL  OR
   35  PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   36  IF  SUCH  PERSON  RECEIVES  SUCH  BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE
   37  FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S CONTINUING RECEIPT THEREOF
   38  IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION  OR  PERMIT  THE
   39  LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   40    S  6. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 366-j
   41  to read as follows:
   42    S 366-J. LONG TERM CARE; OTHER CASES.   IN  ALL  CASES  NOT  OTHERWISE
   43  PROVIDED  FOR IN THIS TITLE OF A PERSON WHO IS RECEIVING OR SEEKING LONG
   44  TERM CARE, BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURI-
   45  TY ACT SHALL BE FULLY UTILIZED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY
   46  THE COSTS OF SUCH LONG TERM CARE.  IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENE-
   47  FITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND  SUCH
   48  PERSON'S  APPLICATION  THEREFOR  IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH
   49  DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON  HIS  OR
   50  HER  BEHALF.    IF  SUCH  PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER
   51  XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND  SUCH  PERSON'S  CONTINUING
   52  RECEIPT  THEREOF IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION
   53  OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO  SO  ON  HIS  OR  HER
   54  BEHALF.
   55    S  7.  Subdivision  3  of  section 367-a of the social services law is
   56  amended by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
       S. 4181                             5
    1    (E) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY INCONSISTENT PROVISION OF THIS SECTION  OR  OF
    2  ANY OTHER LAW, FOR ANY PERSON WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND
    3  FOR  MEDICARE UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT,
    4  THE COST OF THE PREMIUM FOR MEDICARE PART A SHALL BE BORNE BY THE STATE.
    5    S  8.  Subdivision  7  of section 367-c of the social services law, as
    6  added by chapter 895 of the laws of 1977 and renumbered by  chapter  854
    7  of the laws of 1987, is amended to read as follows:
    8    7. No social services district shall make payments pursuant to [title]
    9  SUBCHAPTER XIX of the federal Social Security Act for benefits available
   10  under  [title]  SUBCHAPTER  XVIII of such act without documentation that
   11  [title] SUBCHAPTER XVIII claims have been filed and  denied.  UPON  SUCH
   12  DENIAL,  SUCH  PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL
   13  SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF. IF SUCH PERSON RECEIVES
   14  SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY  ACT
   15  AND  SUCH PERSON'S CONTINUING RECEIPT THEREOF IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON
   16  MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL  SERVICES  OFFI-
   17  CIAL TO DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   18    S  9.  Subdivision  3  of section 367-e of the social services law, as
   19  added by chapter 622 of the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows:
   20    3. The commissioner shall apply for any waivers,  including  home  and
   21  community  based  services  waivers pursuant to section nineteen hundred
   22  fifteen-c of the social security act, necessary to implement  AIDS  home
   23  care  programs.  Notwithstanding  any  inconsistent provision of law but
   24  subject to expenditure limitations of this  section,  the  commissioner,
   25  subject to the approval of the state director of the budget, may author-
   26  ize  the  utilization  of  medical  assistance funds to pay for services
   27  provided by AIDS home  care  programs  in  addition  to  those  services
   28  included  in  the medical assistance program under section three hundred
   29  sixty-five-a of this [chapter]  TITLE,  so  long  as  federal  financial
   30  participation  is  available for such services.  Expenditures made under
   31  this subdivision shall be deemed payments  for  medical  assistance  for
   32  needy  persons  and  shall  be  subject to reimbursement by the state in
   33  accordance with the provisions of section three hundred sixty-eight-a of
   34  this [chapter] TITLE.  ANY PERSON WHO IS  ELIGIBLE  FOR,  OR  REASONABLY
   35  APPEARS TO MEET THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR, BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAP-
   36  TER  XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO APPLY
   37  FOR AND FULLY UTILIZE SUCH BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS  CHAPTER  TO
   38  DEFRAY  THE  COSTS OF THE PROGRAM. IF SUCH PERSON APPLIES FOR SUCH BENE-
   39  FITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND  SUCH
   40  PERSON'S  APPLICATION  THEREFOR  IS DENIED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH
   41  DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO SO ON  HIS  OR
   42  HER  BEHALF.    IF  SUCH  PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER
   43  XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND  SUCH  PERSON'S  CONTINUING
   44  RECEIPT  THEREOF IS TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION
   45  OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO DO  SO  ON  HIS  OR  HER
   46  BEHALF.
   47    S  10.  Subdivision  2 of section 367-f of the social services law, as
   48  added by chapter 659 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
   49    2. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this chapter  or  any
   50  other  law  to  the contrary, the partnership for long term care program
   51  shall provide Medicaid extended coverage to a person receiving long term
   52  care services if there is federal participation pursuant to such  treat-
   53  ment  and  such  person: (a) is or was covered by an insurance policy or
   54  certificate providing coverage for long term care which meets the appli-
   55  cable minimum benefit standards of the superintendent of  insurance  and
   56  other requirements for approval of participation under the program; and,
       S. 4181                             6
    1  (b)  has exhausted the coverage and benefits as required by the program.
    2  ANY SUCH PERSON WHO IS RECEIVING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND WHO IS  ELIGIBLE
    3  FOR,  OR  REASONABLY  APPEARS  TO  MEET THE CRITERIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR,
    4  BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT SHALL
    5  BE  REQUIRED  TO APPLY FOR AND FULLY UTILIZE SUCH BENEFITS IN ACCORDANCE
    6  WITH THIS CHAPTER TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF THE  PROGRAM.  IF  SUCH  PERSON
    7  APPLIES  FOR  SUCH BENEFITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL
    8  SECURITY ACT AND SUCH PERSON'S  APPLICATION  THEREFOR  IS  DENIED,  SUCH
    9  PERSON MUST APPEAL SUCH DENIAL OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFI-
   10  CIAL  TO  DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF. IF SUCH PERSON RECEIVES SUCH BENE-
   11  FITS UNDER SUBCHAPTER XVIII OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND  SUCH
   12  PERSON'S  CONTINUING  RECEIPT  THEREOF  IS  TERMINATED, SUCH PERSON MUST
   13  APPEAL SUCH TERMINATION OR PERMIT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL  TO
   14  DO SO ON HIS OR HER BEHALF.
   15    S  11.  This  act  shall  take effect on the one hundred twentieth day
   16  after it shall have become a law;  provided  that  the  commissioner  of
   17  health is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and
   18  take any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective
   19  date on or before such date.
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