A 9378: Provides expanded enrollment through New York state of health through tax returns, and allows for enrollment through the New York state of health at any time for first-time enrollees.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9378 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY December 19, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JENSEN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means AN ACT to amend the tax law and the public health law, in relation to providing expanded enrollment through New York state of health through tax returns; and to amend the public health law, in relation to allow- ing for enrollment through the New York state of health at any time for first-time enrollees The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 664 to read 2 as follows: 3 § 664. Health marketplace eligibility. The commissioner shall require 4 that all income tax returns allow the taxpayer to request, by checking a 5 box, to be included on the return, that the department of health review 6 relevant and necessary taxpayer data in order to provide the taxpayer 7 with information related to their eligibility for health marketplace 8 programs, plans, and available incentives. Adjacent to such box, there 9 shall be a statement in prominent type, "IF YOU CHECK THIS BOX, YOU 10 AFFIRM THAT YOU ARE UNINSURED, DO NOT HAVE EMPLOYER-SPONSORED COVERAGE 11 AVAILABLE, AND ARE (1) REQUESTING THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 12 REVIEW NECESSARY PORTIONS OF YOUR TAX FILING, (2) USE SUCH DATA AS 13 NECESSARY TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS AS TO YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL 14 ASSISTANCE (MEDICAID), THE BASIC HEALTH PLAN (ESSENTIAL PLAN), OR PLANS 15 THROUGH THE NY STATE OF HEALTH AND AVAILABLE INCENTIVES, AND (3) CONTACT 16 YOU TO PROVIDE SUCH ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION." 17 § 2. Section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a new 18 subdivision 32 to read as follows: 19 32. The commissioner shall create a program within the department to 20 assist uninsured individuals without employer-sponsored coverage with 21 enrolling in health insurance coverage through state income tax filings. 22 This program shall: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD14134-01-5 
 A. 9378 2 1 (a) review relevant and necessary taxpayer data authorized under the 2 tax law within thirty days of receiving such authorization; 3 (b) contact individuals who opt to have their tax filings reviewed 4 within thirty days of such review; 5 (c) determine whether an individual is eligible for medical assist- 6 ance, child health insurance plan, or basic health plan coverage; 7 (d) upon determining an individual is eligible for medical assistance, 8 child health insurance plan, or basic health plan coverage, offer such 9 individuals an invitation to select a plan, provided that the individual 10 does not have employer-sponsored coverage available; and 11 (e) in the case of individuals ineligible for medical assistance, 12 child health insurance plan, or basic health plan coverage, provide a 13 referral to a navigator certified under subdivision fifteen of section 14 two hundred sixty-eight-c of this article. 15 § 3. Subdivision 5 of section 268-c of the public health law, as added 16 by section 2 of part T of chapter 57 of the laws of 2019, is amended to 17 read as follows: 18 5. Maintain enrollment periods in the best interest of qualified indi- 19 viduals consistent with federal and state law. Such periods shall 20 include, but may not be limited to: 21 (a) allowing special enrollment at any time for currently uninsured 22 individuals enrolling in the Marketplace for the first time who do not 23 have employer-sponsored coverage available; and 24 (b) allowing special enrollment for uninsured individuals who do not 25 have employer-sponsored coverage available enrolling through the estab- 26 lished income tax return process. 27 § 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed- 28 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.