§ 4. Regional pilot projects for the uninsured. 1. The commissioner,\nin consultation with the subcommittee, is authorized to conduct regional\npilot projects, including one or more individual subsidy programs and\none or more employer incentive programs. The commissioner shall approve\nat least one of each program in accordance with subdivision five of this\nsection. In the absence of applications which meet the approval criteria\nfor any one model, the commissioner may approve additional programs in\nthe other program category.\n 2. (a) An individual subsidy program shall assist individuals and\nfamilies in purchasing health care coverage under insurance or\nequivalent coverage mechanisms. In order to be eligible for\nparticipation in the program, and subject to annual recertification of\neligibility, individuals and families shall meet the following criteria:\n (i) gross household income is at or below two hundred percent of the\nnon-farm federal poverty level; and\n (ii) not receiving medical assistance without taking into account\ncosts incurred for medical care under the provisions of section three\nhundred sixty-six of the social services law; and\n (iii) ineligible for medicare as defined in subchapter XVIII of the\nfederal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §1395 et seq., and\n (iv) do not have equivalent health care coverage under insurance or\nequivalent coverage mechanisms as defined by the commissioner, in\nconsultation with the superintendent. Individuals and families having\nhealth care coverage within the six month period prior to application\nshall not be eligible for the individual subsidy program. The limitation\nshall not apply to persons who become ineligible for medical assistance\nor whose insurance or equivalent coverage is terminated as a result of\nloss of employment within such period.\n (b) If individuals and families receiving benefits under the\nindividual subsidy program become eligible for medical assistance by\ntaking into account costs incurred for medical care, social services\ndistricts may pay all or part of the premium in accordance with\ndepartment of social services regulations. For the purpose of this\nparagraph, subsidy payments shall not be available to cover the costs of\nthe premium.\n (c) For the purposes of the individual subsidy program, subsidy\npayments shall be made, under subdivision eight of this section, to an\napproved organization for the purpose of reducing premium payments,\ndeductibles or copayments for participants in the program. The\ncommissioner may establish and adjust schedules of payments to be made\nunder this program. In determining such schedules, the costs to be borne\nby the individual or family shall take into account the household size\nand gross annual income of the household and such other factors as the\ncommissioner may deem appropriate.\n (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this\nsubdivision, an individual who meets the criteria as established in\nsubparagraphs (ii) through (iv) of such paragraph may be enrolled in the\nindividual subsidy program, provided however, that an approved\norganization shall not be eligible to receive a subsidy payment for\nproviding coverage to such an individual. Enrollment of such individuals\nshall not exceed twenty-five percent of the total enrollment for\nparticipants in the individual subsidy program.\n (e) Applications for enrollment in the individual subsidy program will\nnot be accepted on and after January first, two thousand one; provided,\nhowever, individuals and families who are otherwise eligible to receive\nbenefits under such program and are enrolled prior to January first, two\nthousand one, may remain enrolled in such program until March\nthirty-first, two thousand nine.\n 3. (a) An employer incentive program shall assist employers of twenty\nor fewer employees in purchasing health care coverage for all full-time\nemployees and such other employees determined to be qualified for
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