BILL NUMBER: S796
SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the elder law, in relation to information regarding the
home energy assistance program for participants in the elderly pharma-
ceutical insurance coverage program
 
PURPOSE:
This chapter amendment clarifies the provisions of L.2024, c.633,
regarding the dissemination of information about the Home Energy Assist-
ance Program for participants in the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance
Coverage Program
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This legislation amends the underlying chapter regarding the dissem-
ination of information about the Home Energy Assistance Program for
participants in the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Program.
This legislation eliminates the automatic identification and enrollment
in the HEAP program for participants in the Elderly Pharmaceutical
Insurance Coverage Program. Instead, the chapter amendment emphasizes
enhanced interagency information sharing to more effectively enroll
eligible individuals in HEAP.
Subsection 2 amends the underlying chapter requiring the Department of
Health (DOH) to notify program participants and provide information on
HEAP eligibility and application procedures with each application
distributed, as well as annually to all program participants.
Subsection 3 amends the underlying legislation requiring the DOH to
consult with the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)
and the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) when developing a
process to notify EPIC program participants about HEAP eligibility and
application procedures.
Subsection 4 amends the underlying chapter by transferring the responsi-
bility of providing written notifications and information to households
that apply for and are enrolled in HEAP to the relevant local social
services districts. The notifications and information must comply with
OTDA regulations.
Subsection 5 amends the underlying chapter to allow OTDA and DOH to
collaborate in establishing any necessary rules and regulations for
implementing the provisions of this legislation.
 
EXISTING LAW:
None.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation is a negotiated change to the underlying chapter.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Chapter amendment to Chapter 633 of the Laws of 2024. S.8760-A passed
the Senate in June 2024 and A.9369-A passed the Assembly in May 2024.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a
chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the Elder Law relating to the auto-
matic identification and enrollment of Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance
Coverage Program enrollees in the Home Energy Assistance Program, as
proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 8760-A and A. 9369-A, takes
effect.