Important Announcement Regarding Expansion of the Healthcare Worker Bonus Program
Following review and approval by the New York State Director of the Budget, the Healthcare Worker Bonus (HWB) Program has been expanded to include additional titles and eligible provider types. However, qualified employers should NOT yet submit the employees that are now eligible under this expansion. Please see below for information about the Exception Submission period and details about the expansion.
Employer Submission Period
This relates to the Exception Submission period, during which employers impacted by this expansion can submit their newly eligible workers. This Exception Submission period will ONLY be available to those employers and employees included in this expansion. This submission period will begin on February 1, 2023 and will remain open for 30 days.
During this Exception Submission period, employers (including newly Qualified Employers) must submit their eligible workers for Vesting Periods 1 and 2. During this time, eligible employers may ONLY submit for employees deemed eligible for the Exception Submission period. After this Exception Submission period, these employees and employers may remain eligible and should follow the same Vesting Period schedule as other employees for the remainder of the program.
PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT CLAIMS FOR THE EXPANDED TITLES AND EMPLOYERS UNTIL THE EXCEPTION SUBMISSION PERIOD IS OPENED. If claims are submitted related to this expansion prior to the new exception submission period they will be denied and/or rejected by the system.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on HWB Program Expansion
Answers to the most frequently asked questions on the HWB Program Expansion can be found at the link below. (Last updated 1/12/2023)
Expansion Details
There are both newly eligible employers and titles included in this expansion.
New Qualified Employers
Qualified employers that can submit their eligible “Frontline Direct Care Health and Mental Hygiene Workers” now include:
- DOH-Funded Health Homes
- DOH-Funded Permanent Supportive Housing Agencies
Expanded Vesting Period Table
| Vesting Period |
Vesting Period Start Date |
Vesting Period End Date |
Employer Submission Start Date |
Employer Submission Close Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | October 1, 2021 | March 31, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | March 3, 2023 |
| Two | April 1, 2022 | September 30, 2022 | ||
| Three | October 1, 2022 | March 31, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 |
| Four | April 1, 2023 | September 30, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | October 31, 2023 |
| Five | October 1, 2023 | March 31, 2024 | April 1, 2024 | May 1, 2024 |
New Eligible Titles
Titles included in “Frontline Direct Care Health and Mental Hygiene Workers” now include:
- Health home care managers (DOH)
Changes to “All Other Health Care Support Workers” in residential and institutional settings only
Health care support workers must support patient-facing care provided within a patient care unit of a hospital or other institutional medical setting in support of treating and caring for patients.
The category of “All Other Health Care Support Workers” is expanded to include:
- Security Guards
- Peace Officers
The employers permitted to submit their “All Other Health Care Support Workers” is expanded beyond Hospital and Nursing Homes (Article 28 of Public Health Law) and now includes:
- OMH Psychiatric Centers (Article 7 of Mental Hygiene Law)
- OASAS Addiction Treatment Centers (Article 19 of Mental Hygiene Law)
- Residential programs operated or certified by OPWDD, OMH, and OASAS (Articles 16, 31, and 32 of Mental Hygiene Law)
- Medicaid Assisted Living Programs (PHL Article 46-B)
- Hospice Residences (PHL Article 40)
Note: An expansion of eligible State employee titles will soon be announced in a forthcoming Budget Bulletin.
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