Provides continuous coverage at the same rate to spouse or dependents of public employees who are injured in the performance of duty or taken ill as a result of a performance of duty until such time as the member has returned to active service, has separated from service or retires.

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S5098-2011 Actions

• Jun 21, 2011: SUBSTITUTED BY A4954
• Jun 21, 2011: ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1434
• Jun 21, 2011: COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
• May 3, 2011: REFERRED TO CIVIL SERVICE AND PENSIONS

S5098-2011 Meetings

Rules: Jun 24, 2011

S5098-2011 Calendars

Floor Calendar: Jun 21, 2011

S5098-2011 Votes

S5098-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S5098

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the civil service law, in relation to providing continuing
coverage to spouse or dependents of public employees who are injured in
the performance of duty or taken ill as a result of a performance of
duty

PURPOSE: Provides continuous health insurance
coverage to the spouse or dependents of public employees who are injured
in the performance of duty or taken ill as a result of duty.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Amends the civil service law
by adding a new section 159-d to provide for the continuation of health
insurance coverage for spouses and dependents of public employees who
are injured or become ill as a result of the performance of duty.
Coverage shall be at the same rate and in the same manner as active
employees in the same bargaining unit. Coverage ceases one the employee
separates from service or retires.

EXISTING LAW: Typically, spouses and dependents can
obtain health care coverage through family plans offered to active
employees. In some cases this coverage is suspended when an otherwise
active public employee is injured or becomes ill in the performance of
duty.

JUSTIFICATION: In some cases when a public employee
is injured or becomes ill in the performance of duty, the employer may
suspend their health care coverage. Often this employee has alternative
coverage that is linked to the injury or illness. The problem arises for
the employee's covered spouse or dependent whose coverage is put in
jeopardy. Other affordable health care programs such as Family Health
Plus and Child Health Plus are not available to these dependents since
those covered by public employer plans are not permitted to participate
in these plans.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2009 Session: New Legislation;
2010 - A8602

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None. This bill only maintains
current coverage; it does not provide coverage to any one not already
coverage by a family plan of a public employee.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately

S5098-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    5098

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 May 3, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen.  GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions

  AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to providing continu-
    ing coverage to spouse or  dependents  of  public  employees  who  are
    injured  in  the  performance  of  duty  or taken ill as a result of a
    performance of duty

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section  1.  The  civil service law is amended by adding a new section
  159-d to read as follows:

    S 159-D. HEALTH INSURANCE FOR SPOUSE AND DEPENDENTS OF PUBLIC  EMPLOY-
  EES INJURED OR ILL.  HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS FOR SPOUSE AND DEPENDENTS
  OF  PUBLIC EMPLOYEES WHO ARE INJURED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY OR TAKEN
  ILL AS A RESULT OF THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY, SHALL CONTINUE  COVERAGE  AT
  THE SAME RATE AND IN THE SAME MANNER AS ACTIVE EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE SAME
  COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE MEMBER HAS RETURNED TO
  ACTIVE SERVICE, HAS SEPARATED FROM SERVICE OR RETIRES.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.





   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD05697-01-1