A 9258: Establishes a veterans' dental insurance program through the department of civil service; appropriates funds.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9258 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY November 21, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. DiPIETRO -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Veterans' Affairs AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to establishing a veterans' dental insurance coverage program; and making an appropri- ation therefor The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The veterans' services law is amended by adding a new 2 section 25-a to read as follows: 3 § 25-a. Veterans' dental insurance coverage program. 1. The commis- 4 sioner shall establish a veterans' dental insurance coverage program, in 5 consultation with the commissioner of civil service, within the state 6 employee dental insurance plan. Such program shall provide comprehensive 7 and routine dental care services to New York state resident veterans as 8 such term is defined in this article. 9 2. Eligibility under this section shall not be granted to any person 10 who at the time an application is made is receiving equivalent or better 11 coverage from any other public or private third party payment source or 12 insurance plan than those benefits provided for under this section. 13 3. The commissioner shall establish a sliding scale for copayments 14 which shall be based on income and disability level of the veteran. 15 Veterans with a disability rating of between ten and fifty percent shall 16 be subject to copayment amounts as set by the director based on income. 17 Veterans with a disability rating of fifty percent or higher shall not 18 be subject to copayments for treatment or services under this program. 19 4. Program regulations shall: 20 (a) provide for a process of determining and re-determining eligibil- 21 ity for participation in this program including provisions for 22 submission of proof of veteran status, residency, income, disability 23 rating and information on existing complete or partial coverage of 24 dental expenses under a third party assistance or insurance plan; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07059-01-5 
 A. 9258 2 1 (b) provide for a fair hearing process for individuals and participat- 2 ing dentists to appeal determinations or actions of the contractors; and 3 (c) establish procedures for the state to recover the value of bene- 4 fits or payments made under this section, if any, that were based on 5 applications or claims submitted in violation of any provision of this 6 section. 7 § 2. The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000), or so much thereof 8 as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of civil 9 service out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to 10 the credit of the local assistance account, not otherwise appropriated, 11 and made immediately available, for the purpose of carrying out the 12 provisions of this act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and 13 warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the 14 president of the department of civil service in the manner prescribed by 15 law. 16 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 17 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend- 18 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen- 19 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and 20 completed on or before such effective date.