The Empire Plan is a unique health insurance plan designed especially for public employees in New York State. Empire Plan benefits include inpatient and outpatient hospital coverage, medical/surgical coverage, Centers of Excellence for transplants, infertility and cancer, home care services, equipment and supplies, mental health and substance abuse coverage and prescription drug coverage.
DAVID A. PATERSON
GOVERNOR
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12239
www.cs.ny.gov
NANCY G. GROENWEGEN
COMMISSIONER
PA09-07
TO: Participating Agency Chief Executive Officers
FROM: Robert W. DuBois, Director of Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Participating Agency Advisory Council Nominations
DATE: March 5, 2009
Over the years, the Employee Benefits Division has instituted various means of communicating with the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) Participating Agencies, in particular, agency policymakers such as you. We hold annual regional meetings to provide current information about the Program's financial status and program changes, as well as to give you and your representatives an opportunity to ask questions and raise issues of interest. We also send you the NYSHIP's Quarterly Experience Reports, along with NYSHIP News, to keep you up-to-date throughout the year.
Another way in which the Division keeps in touch with issues relevant to NYSHIP participating agencies is through the Participating Agency Advisory Council (PAAC). The Council is currently composed of the associations representing the various categories of PAs and labor unions representing PA employees. A list of the current member organizations is enclosed. To better understand the concerns and challenges of PAs, we believe it would be beneficial to expand the Council's membership to include representation from a cross-section of NYSHIP participating agencies. Therefore, we are seeking nominations of PA representatives who are in a senior level position, with knowledge of and responsibility for the agency's employee health benefits and who also would be willing and able to attend PAAC meetings. The PAAC meets at the Department's Albany office on a quarterly basis.
If you are interested in being a PAAC member or would like to nominate an appropriate designee, I urge you to complete and return the enclosed PAAC nomination form and return it by March 25. We plan to select new members from among the nominees by mid-April in advance of our next meeting in May.
Please feel to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for your consideration.
Enclosures
Nomination Form for Membership in the Participating Agency Advisory Council (PAAC) (PDF only)
Participating Agency Advisory Council Organizations - 2008/2009 | PDF