US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

 
    § 1069   Access  to public insurance coverage information. a. Pursuant
  to  the  provisions  of  this  section,  each  agency  designated  as  a
  participating   agency  under  the  provisions  of  this  section  shall
  implement and administer a program of distribution of the public  health
  insurance program options pamphlet published by the department of health
  and mental hygiene pursuant to section 17-183 of the administrative code
  of  the city of New York. The following offices are hereby designated as
  participating agencies: the administration for children's services,  the
  board  of education, the city clerk, the commission on human rights, the
  department for the aging, the department of correction,  the  department
  of  employment,  the  department of homeless services, the department of
  housing  preservation  and  development,  the  department  of   juvenile
  justice,  the department of health and mental hygiene, the department of
  probation,   the   department   of   social   services/human   resources
  administration,  the  taxi  and  limousine commission, the department of
  youth and community development, the office to combat domestic violence,
  and the  office  of  immigrant  affairs;  provided,  however,  that  the
  department  of  health  and mental hygiene, as it deems appropriate, may
  designate additional agencies to be participating agencies.
    b. Participating agencies shall be required to:  (i)  distribute  such
  public   health  insurance  program  options  pamphlet  to  all  persons
  requesting   a   written   application   for   services,   renewal    or
  recertification  of services or request for a change of address relating
  to the provision of services by such  agency;  provided,  however,  that
  this  section  shall  not  apply  to  services  that must be provided to
  prevent actual or potential danger to the life, health or safety of  any
  individual  or  to  the  public;  (ii) include a public health insurance
  program options pamphlet with any agency communication sent through  the
  United  States  mail  for  the purpose of supplying an individual with a
  written application for services, renewal or recertification of services
  or with a request for a change of address form relating to the provision
  of services by such agency; and (iii)  provide  an  opportunity  for  an
  individual  requesting  a  written  application for services, renewal or
  recertification for services or change of address form relating  to  the
  provision  of  services  by  such  agency  via the Internet to request a
  public health insurance  program  options  pamphlet,  and  provide  such
  pamphlet,  by  United  States  mail  or  an  Internet address where such
  pamphlet may be viewed or downloaded, to any person  who  indicates  via
  the Internet that they wish to be sent a public health insurance program
  options  pamphlet;  provided,  however,  that  the  taxi  and  limousine
  commission shall only  be  required  to  distribute  the  public  health
  insurance  program  options  pamphlet  to  those persons applying for or
  renewing a driver's license  or  vehicle  license  as  those  terms  are
  defined  in  section 19-502 of this code; and provided further, that the
  board of education shall be required only  to  ensure  that  the  public
  health  insurance  program  options  pamphlet  is  distributed  to those
  individuals who appear in person to  register  a  child  in  the  public
  school system.
    c.  Participating  agencies  shall  ensure  that the employees of such
  agency do not make any statement to an applicant for services or  client
  or  take  any  action  the  purpose  or  effect  of which is to lead the
  applicant or client to believe that a decision to request public  health
  insurance  or a public health insurance program options pamphlet has any
  bearing on their eligibility to receive or the availability of  services
  or benefits provided by such agency.
    d. Each participating agency shall request that any contractor of such
  agency  operating  pursuant  to a contract which (i) is in excess of two
  hundred and fifty thousand dollars and (ii) requires such contractor  to

  supply individuals with a written application for, or written renewal or
  recertification  of  services,  or request for change of address form in
  the  daily  administration  of  their  contractual  obligation  to  such
  participating  agency, fulfill the obligations of participating agencies
  under this section.
    e. Each participating agency may establish  procedures  as  they  deem
  necessary  to  implement  the  local  law  that  added this section. The
  commissioner or head of a participating agency, with the concurrence  of
  the  commissioner  of  the  department of health and mental hygiene, may
  exclude a program in whole or in part  from  the  requirements  of  this
  section  upon determining that the inclusion of such a program would not
  substantially further the purpose of  the  local  law  that  added  this
  section.  The  commissioner  or  head  of each participating agency that
  administers programs receiving funds under the workforce investment  act
  of  1998,  as  codified  at  29  U.S.C.  § 2801 et seq., shall, with the
  concurrence of the commissioner of the department of health  and  mental
  hygiene,  determine  which  workforce  investment  act offices providing
  workforce development services, including core and intensive services or
  substantive training funded in whole or in part by the city's  share  of
  funds provided under such workforce investment act, shall be required to
  fulfill  the  obligations  of participating agencies under this section;
  such determination shall be based upon whether  the  inclusion  of  such
  offices  would  substantially  further the purpose of the local law that
  added this section. A copy of each determination made pursuant  to  this
  subdivision  shall  be  forwarded  to  the  council and the mayor within
  thirty days of such determination.