POLICY MEMORANDUM FROM NEW YORK STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AMOUNTED TO A RULE OR REGULATION WHICH MUST BE FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE; BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER FILED THE FOUR-MONTH STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS TO CONTEST THE POLICY NEVER STARTED TO RUN.
The Third Department determined the four month statute of limitations for challenging a policy announced by the New York State Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) never started to run because the policy memorandum amount to a rule or regulation which was never filed with the Department of State:
Here, the policy memorandum broadly and invariably affects “that segment of the ‘general public’ over which” the State respondents have authority, inasmuch as it applies to all individuals eligible for NYSHIP coverage who seek to participate in the health insurance buyout program … . Furthermore, the pronouncement that all those who decline their own NYSHIP coverage are now ineligible for the buyout program if their alternative coverage — e.g., through a spouse — is also a NYSHIP plan, clearly reflects “a firm, rigid, unqualified standard or policy” that effectively “carves out a course of conduct for the future” … . Consequently, we find that the policy memorandum constitutes a “rule or regulation” within the meaning of NY Constitution, article IV, § 8 and Executive Law § 102 (1) (a). As such, it is invalid and without effect until it is filed with the Department of State … . Matter of Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers v New York State Health Ins. Plan, 2016 NY Slip Op 04473, 3rd Dept 6-9-16
CIVIL PROCEDURE (POLICY MEMORANDUM FROM NEW YORK STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AMOUNTED TO A RULE OR REGULATION WHICH MUST BE FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER THE FILED FOUR-MONTH STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS TO CONTEST THE POLICY NEVER STARTED TO RUN)/EMPLOYMENT LAW (POLICY MEMORANDUM FROM NEW YORK STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AMOUNTED TO A RULE OR REGULATION WHICH MUST BE FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER THE FILED FOUR-MONTH STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS TO CONTEST THE POLICY NEVER STARTED TO RUN)