Bill Text: NY S05168 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes a veterans' dental insurance program through the department of civil service; appropriates funds.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [S05168 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S05168-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5168

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    February 23, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

        AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to  establishing
          a veterans' dental insurance coverage program; and making an appropri-
          ation therefor

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The veterans' services law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
     2  section 25-a to read as follows:
     3    §  25-a.  Veterans'  dental insurance coverage program. 1. The commis-
     4  sioner shall establish a veterans' dental insurance coverage program, in
     5  consultation with the commissioner of civil service,  within  the  state
     6  employee dental insurance plan. Such program shall provide comprehensive
     7  and  routine dental care services to New York state resident veterans as
     8  such term is defined in this article.
     9    2. Eligibility under this section shall not be granted to  any  person
    10  who at the time an application is made is receiving equivalent or better
    11  coverage  from any other public or private third party payment source or
    12  insurance plan than those benefits provided for under this section.
    13    3. The commissioner shall establish a  sliding  scale  for  copayments
    14  which  shall  be  based  on  income and disability level of the veteran.
    15  Veterans with a disability rating of between ten and fifty percent shall
    16  be subject to copayment amounts as set by the director based on  income.
    17  Veterans  with  a disability rating of fifty percent or higher shall not
    18  be subject to copayments for treatment or services under this program.
    19    4. Program regulations shall:
    20    (a) provide for a process of determining and re-determining  eligibil-
    21  ity   for   participation  in  this  program  including  provisions  for
    22  submission of proof of veteran  status,  residency,  income,  disability
    23  rating  and  information  on  existing  complete  or partial coverage of
    24  dental expenses under a third party assistance or insurance plan;

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07635-01-3
        S. 5168                             2

     1    (b) provide for a fair hearing process for individuals and participat-
     2  ing dentists to appeal determinations or actions of the contractors; and
     3    (c)  establish  procedures for the state to recover the value of bene-
     4  fits or payments made under this section, if any,  that  were  based  on
     5  applications  or  claims submitted in violation of any provision of this
     6  section.
     7    § 2. The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000), or so much  thereof
     8  as  may  be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of civil
     9  service out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general  fund  to
    10  the  credit of the local assistance account, not otherwise appropriated,
    11  and made immediately available, for the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the
    12  provisions  of  this  act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and
    13  warrant of the comptroller on vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the
    14  president of the department of civil service in the manner prescribed by
    15  law.
    16    § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    17  it  shall  have  become a law; provided that if part PP of chapter 56 of
    18  the laws of 2022 shall not yet have  taken  effect  on  or  before  such
    19  effective  date then this act shall take effect on the same date as such
    20  part PP takes effect. Effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment
    21  and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
    22  of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are  authorized  to be made and
    23  completed on or before such effective date.