BILL NUMBER: S8683
SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law and the social services law, in
relation to establishing a medical cost-of-living adjustment and utility
bill relief for senior citizens based on documented medical necessity
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this legislation is to protect medically vulnerable
senior citizens from utility insecurity by modernizing cost-of-living
adjustment (COLA) calculations and providing targeted gas and electric
bill relief that accounts for documented, life-sustaining medical
expenses.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill establishes a new medical cost-of-living adjustment and utili-
ty bill relief program for residential utility customers aged sixty-five
and older who incur documented medical expenses necessary to maintain
life or basic bodily function.
Section 1: Legislative findings & Intent
S2: The public service law amended by adding a new section 66-x
S3: The Social service law amended by adding a new section 97-a
S4: Acts effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Senior citizens face disproportionately high and unavoidable medical
costs, particularly for prescription drugs, chronic disease management,
and life-sustaining treatments. These expenses significantly erode fixed
incomes and are not adequately captured by traditional COLA formulas,
leaving many seniors forced to choose between essential medical care and
basic utilities.
Utility insecurity among medically vulnerable seniors poses serious
public health risks and undermines the intent of existing consumer
protection laws such as the Home Energy Fair Practices Act. This legis-
lation addresses that gap by recognizing documented medical necessity as
a legitimate cost-of-living factor and by providing narrowly tailored,
medically justified relief.
By establishing a voluntary, documentation-based framework administered
through existing regulatory and social services structures, this bill
delivers targeted relief without creating a blanket subsidy or undermin-
ing existing affordability programs.
This bill establishes a new medical cost-of-living adjustment and utili-
ty bill relief program for residential utility customers aged sixty-five
and older who incur documented medical expenses necessary to maintain
life or basic bodily function.
Specifically, the bill:
1. Requires gas and electric corporations, in coordination with the
Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Office of Temporary and Disabil-
ity Assistance (OTDA), to establish a voluntary, opt-in medical COLA
program for eligible seniors.
2. Mandates written notice and enrollment materials be provided to util-
ity customers when an individual listed on the account attains the age
of sixty-five, with annual re-notification thereafter.
3. Allows eligible medical expenses certified by a licensed medical
professional to be incorporated into COLA calculations at graduated
discount rates ranging from fifteen percent up to twenty five percent,
based on documented medical necessity and duration of treatment.
4. Provides corresponding gas and electric utility bill discounts rang-
ing from fifteen percent up to twenty percent for qualifying households.
5. Ensures that benefits provided under this program are supplemental
and do not replace or reduce protections or assistance available under
HEFPA, the Energy Affordability Policy, LIHEAP, or successor programs.
6. Requires social services districts to assist eligible households in
accessing medical COLA and utility relief and to coordinate with utility
providers in administering the program.
7. Directs the PSC to promulgate regulations governing medical documen-
tation standards, escalation thresholds, consumer protections, annual
notice requirements, and compliance.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Any fiscal impact is expected to be minimal and manageable, as partic-
ipation is voluntary, eligibility is limited to documented medical
necessity, and discounts are capped. Administrative costs will be
absorbed within existing regulatory and programmatic frameworks at the
Public Service Commission, OTDA, and local social services districts.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one hundred eighty days after it becomes law.
Regulatory actions necessary for implementation are authorized to be
undertaken immediately.