Res. No. 564

Resolution calling on the New York State Governor to sign S.8760-A/A.9369-A, an act to amend the elder law, in relation to the automatic identification and enrollment of elderly pharmaceutical insurance coverage program (EPIC) enrollees in the home energy assistance program (HEAP).

By Council Members Schulman, Yeger and Brewer

Whereas, The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), funded by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), and administered by the New York City (NYC) Human Resources Administration (HRA) helps low-income households meet the cost of heating their homes by providing a cash benefit for fuel, heating equipment, and repairs; and

Whereas, In some instances, HEAP can also provide a Cooling Assistance benefit for the purchase and installation of one air conditioner or a fan, and a Clean and Tune Benefit for the cleaning of primary heating equipment; and

Whereas, Individuals are eligible for HEAP based on income and household size, heating source, and the presence of a household member who is under age 6, age 60 or older, or permanently disabled; and

Whereas, HEAP can ensure that lower income New Yorkers can afford their utility bills and can keep their homes at appropriate temperatures, avoiding possible ill health effects or fatalities caused by extreme heat or cold; and

Whereas, In order to access HEAP, potential beneficiaries must apply during a limited application cycle, so knowledge of the program and ability to provide eligibility documents is necessary for beneficiaries to be able to enroll; and

Whereas, Under-enrollment in benefits programs is a particular problem facing older adults due to lack of awareness of programs, poor digital literacy, administrative burden associated with enrollment, or feelings of stigma associated with receiving certain benefits; and

Whereas, Older adults are also more vulnerable to the physical dangers associated with extreme heat and cold; and

Whereas, Columbia University’s 2019 report, “Increasing Senior Participation in New York's Home Energy Assistance Program,” noted that in 2017, only 39% of older adult households who were eligible for HEAP were enrolled in the program; and

Whereas, New York State’s older adult population has increased by 30% in the last 10 years, according to research from Center for an Urban Future, and NYC is home to the largest older adult population in the state; and

Whereas, The poverty rate of older adults across NYC boroughs are also some of the highest in the State, with the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens ranking first, fourth, seventh, and eighth respectively, out of all New York Counties; and

Whereas, According to a July 2024 report from Robin Hood and the Columbia University Center on Poverty and Social Policy, “The Prevalence and Persistence of Energy Insecurity in NYC,” in an average year, 20% of New Yorkers fall behind on utility payments, and 43% of New Yorkers living below the poverty line have had their utilities shut off due to nonpayment at least once in the last 5 years; and

Whereas, The report also notes that programs such as HEAP, which directly reduce electricity costs, are important solutions to energy insecurity but suffer from under-enrollment, especially by older adults; and

Whereas, Senate Bill S.8760-A, introduced by New York State Senator Cordell Cleare and passed the State Senate, and companion bill A.9369-A, introduced by New York State Assembly Member John McDonald and passed in the Assembly, would provide for automatic identification of participants in the elderly pharmaceutical insurance coverage (EPIC) program database for enrollment in HEAP; and

Whereas, S.8760-A/A.9369-A allows enrollees in the EPIC program to consent to their information being used to confirm eligibility for HEAP and automatically enroll those found eligible; and

Whereas, The EPIC program helps older adults aged 65 and over in New York State supplement their out-of-pocket Medicare Part D drug plan costs; and

Whereas, The eligible annual income for the EPIC program is below $75,000 for a single person and below $100,000 for a married person; and

Whereas, The current HEAP monthly income limit for a household of one is $3,035, or $36,420 annually and goes up to $9,532 monthly, or $114,384 annually for a household of 13, meaning that most older adults who are eligible for EPIC will also be eligible for HEAP; and

Whereas, S.8760-A/A.9369-A would streamline and automate the HEAP enrollment process, making it easier for NYC’s older adults to access this critical benefit; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Governor to Sign S.8760-A/A.9369-A, an act to amend the elder law, in relation to the automatic identification and enrollment of elderly pharmaceutical insurance coverage program enrollees in the home energy assistance program.

PR

LS # 17506

1:21 pm 8/20/2024