Cost of Coverage
2026 Rates
The 2026 NYSHIP health plan rates are typically approved by the New York State Division of the Budget in late November each year, and Option Transfer deadline information and rates flyers are subsequently mailed to enrollee homes in early December.*
The 2026 rates for active New York State employees will be posted to this page as soon as they are available. As in previous years, the rates flyers will also be posted on the "Health Benefits & Option Transfer" page on the NYSHIP website. Please check back in early December and watch your mailbox.
You will have 30 days from the date your agency receives the rate information to submit an option transfer request.
*Participating Employers (PEs), such as the Thruway Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, will notify their enrollees of 2026 rates.
Your Share of the Premium
New York State helps to pay for your health insurance coverage. After the State's contribution, you are responsible for paying the balance of your premium, usually through biweekly deductions from your paycheck. Whether you enroll in The Empire Plan or a NYSHIP HMO, the State's share and your share of the cost of coverage are based on the following:
| Enrollee Pay Grade | Individual Coverage | Dependent Coverage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Share | Employee Share | State Share | Employee Share | |
| Grade 9 and below* | 88% | 12% | 73% | 27% |
| Grade 10 and above* | 84% | 16% | 69% | 31% |
* Or salary equivalent, if no grade assigned. Contact your HBA to confirm.
If you enroll in a NYSHIP HMO, the State's dollar contribution for the hospital, medical/surgical and mental health and substance use components of your HMO premium will not exceed its dollar contribution for those components of The Empire Plan premium. For the prescription drug component of your HMO premium, the State pays the share noted in the table; the dollar amount is not limited by the cost of Empire Plan drug coverage.
Note: This information does not apply to employees of PEs (PEs will provide premium information), COBRA enrollees, Young Adult Option enrollees or enrollees in leave without pay status (who pay the full cost of coverage).
Copayments and Coinsurance
What They Are
The amount of money you are expected to pay upon receiving covered services under your health insurance plan is referred to as either a copayment or coinsurance.
A copayment is a fixed dollar amount that has been set for the service being received, regardless of the total cost of the service.
Coinsurance is a fixed percentage of the cost of the service being received.
Note: Copayment and coinsurance amounts for The Empire Plan and all NYSHIP HMOs may be viewed in Health Insurance Choices for 2026.
Annual Deductible
What It Is
The dollar amount you are required to pay before a health plan begins to reimburse for covered services received from non-network providers.
2026 Deductible Amounts
The 2026 Empire Plan deductible amounts may be viewed in Health Insurance Choices for 2026.
NYSHIP HMOs do not have annual deductibles.
Maximum Out-of-Pocket (OOP) Limit
What It Is
The maximum out-of-pocket (OOP) limit is the most you will pay out of your own pocket in a given plan year for covered health care services delivered by in-network providers under your plan. Once you reach this limit, your copayments will be reimbursed by your plan for the remainder of the plan year. Additional information about the 2026 maximum OOP limit can be found in Health Insurance Choices for 2026.