New York S 3607: Protects the health insurance benefits of retirees of public employers and contributions of Medicare-eligible retirees of public employers

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S03607 Summary:

BILL NOS03607 

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SAME ASSAME AS A04639

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SPONSORHARCKHAM

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COSPNSRADDABBO, ASHBY, BORRELLO, BROUK, CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK, CHAN, CLEARE, COMRIE, COONEY, FAHY,
 FERNANDEZ, GALLIVAN, GONZALEZ, HELMING, HINCHEY, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, JACKSON, KRUEGER, LANZA, LIU,
 MARTINEZ, MARTINS, MATTERA, MAY, MAYER, MURRAY, OBERACKER, PALUMBO, PARKER, RAMOS, RHOADS, RIVERA,
 ROLISON, RYAN C, RYAN S, SALAZAR, SCARCELLA-SPANTON, SEPULVEDA, SERRANO, SKOUFIS, STAVISKY, STEC,
 TEDISCO, WEBB, WEBER, WEIK

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MLTSPNSR

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Prohibits public employers from diminishing health insurance benefits provided to Medicare-eligible retirees and their Medicare-eligible 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.

Go to top S03607 Actions:

BILL NOS03607 

&nbsp

01/28/2025REFERRED TO CIVIL SERVICE AND PENSIONS

04/22/2025RECOMMIT, ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN

Go to topS03607 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS03607 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS03607 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 3607

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 28, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. HARCKHAM, ADDABBO, ASHBY, BORRELLO, BROUK, CANZONER-
 I-FITZPATRICK, CLEARE, COMRIE, COONEY, FERNANDEZ, GALLIVAN, GONZALEZ,
 HELMING, HINCHEY, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, JACKSON, KRUEGER, LANZA, LIU, MARTI-
 NEZ, MARTINS, MATTERA, MAY, MAYER, MURRAY, OBERACKER, PALUMBO, PARKER,
 RHOADS, RIVERA, ROLISON, S. RYAN, SALAZAR, SCARCELLA-SPANTON, SEPULVE-
 DA, SERRANO, SKOUFIS, STAVISKY, STEC, TEDISCO, WEBB, WEBER, WEIK --
 read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
 the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions

 AN ACT in relation to protecting the health insurance benefits of reti-
 rees of public employers and contributions of retirees of Medicare-el-
 igible public employers

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

 1 Section 1. This act shall be known as the "Health Equity for Retirees
 2 Act" or "(HERA)".
 3 § 2. 1. On and after the effective date of this act, a public employer
 4 shall not diminish the health insurance benefits provided to retirees
 5 and their Medicare-eligible dependents or the contributions such employ-
 6 er makes for such health insurance coverage below the level of such
 7 benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and their
 8 dependents by such public employer as of December 31, 2021. Nothing in
 9 this subdivision shall be construed to impair the ability of any employ-
 10 ee organization to negotiate the terms and conditions of employment for
 11 their employee members.
 12 2. For the purposes of this act:
 13 (a) "diminish" shall mean any change in health care offered that could
 14 potentially make it harder for retirees residing anywhere within the
 15 United States, including its territories and possessions, to access
 16 their health care than before such change was made. These changes shall
 17 include, but are not limited to, increasing the cost of such health care
 18 (including with respect to premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD07760-02-5

 S. 3607 2

 1 copayments), reducing contributions made by a public employer, forcing
 2 retirees into Medicare Advantage Plans, forcing them to use health care
 3 providers only from pre-designated panels, or forcing them to wait for
 4 pre-authorization for medical procedures that are recommended by their
 5 health care providers;
 6 (b) "health care benefits" shall mean any and all aspects of health
 7 care coverage offered to retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents
 8 by public employers, including, but not limited to: (i) costs: this
 9 includes the amount of money (on either an absolute or proportional
 10 basis) retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents are charged for
 11 premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments associated with an