NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7364
SPONSOR: Paulin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to automated iden-
tification of eligible participants for the Medicare savings program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of the bill is to increase enrollment in the MSP through
data matching with eligible SNAP enrollees.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends the social services law to add a new section 131-sss
to require the Office of Temporary Disability (OTDA) to update the SNAP
application to allow program participants to consent to the exchange of
the participant's information to verify such enrollee's eligibility for
MSP enrollment. OTDA shall coordinate with the Department of Health
(DOH) to facilitate the secure transmission of data through OTDA infor-
mation technology infrastructure. Upon automatic enrollment in MSP, the
OTDA shall provide written notification to the SNAP program participant
of their enrollment in such program and shall provide information
regarding the program's benefit.
Section 2: establishes the effective date
JUSTIFICATION:
Medicare Savings Programs help Medicare beneficiaries by paying the Part
B premium ($164.90 per month in 2023). MSP enrollees also automatically
receive the federally funded Part D Low Income Subsidy (LIS), or Extra
Help program, which helps pay prescription drug costs. On average, Extra
Help saves beneficiaries $5,300 per year. This makes the combined bene-
fit of an MSP and Extra Help approximately $7,300 per year. The Quali-
fied Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program also pays Medicare cost-sharing
for enrollees (e.g., deductibles and coinsurances), producing additional
savings.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) issues electronic
benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food. SNAP helps low-in-
come working people, older persons, persons with disabilities and others
feed their families. Eligibility and benefit levels are based on house-
hold size, income and other factors.
It is likely that a large proportion of people with SNAP who are Medi-
care eligible are also likely eligible for the Medicare Savings Program
(MSP). MSP income eligibility is up to 186% of the FPL and SNAP income
eligibility is up to 200% of the FPL. The MSP is underenrolled and it is
known that people are often unaware of the MSP and that it can save an
older adult or person with a disability money on their health care. The
MSP does not have an asset test, and the eligibility information
collected for SNAP aligns with the necessary eligible information
required for the MSP.
This legislation will undoubtedly help low-income older New Yorkers
access the benefits they are eligible for through simple data matching
among state agency programs that have similar eligibility requirements.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New legislation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
N/A
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.
