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.
GOVERNOR
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12239
www.cs.ny.gov
COMMISSIONER
PA13-04
TO: Participating Agency Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: May 2013 Empire Plan Report
DATE: May 31, 2013
We are pleased to announce the May 2013 Empire Plan Report. You will notice a new format, organized into easy-to-understand categories such as Benefit Changes, What’s New, Empire Plan Changes, NYSHIP Online and Reminders.
The Report explains changes to Empire Plan benefits resulting from federal health care reform, State mandates and provisions of collective bargaining agreements between the State and unions representing State employees that have been administratively extended to your group.
Empire Plan Changes
Enhanced Women’s Health Care
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Summary of Benefits and Coverage
Prescription Drug Program “New to You”
Medicare Rx Prescription Drug Program
Medco Name Change
Combined Annual Coinsurance and Deductible
Medical/Surgical Program Self-Insured
Convenience Care Clinics
Licensed Nurse Practitioners
Vaccine Update
Changes to Your EOB
Distribution
We will send a supply equal to 1% of your agency enrollment to you for new employees. See below for specific ordering information.
Publications Available on Our Web Site: https://www.cs.ny.gov
Please check our web site for new publications. We generally post publications when we sign off for printing. Go to the Department of Civil Service web site at https://www.cs.ny.gov and choose Benefit Programs, then NYSHIP Online and select Participating Agencies and The Empire Plan, if prompted. Publications are available under Using Your Benefits.
Ordering Publications
You may order additional copies of the Empire Plan Report from HBA Online under Publications & Forms. This publication is included in each group’s Quick Order packages, which are only available to order on HBA Online. (They can be mailed direct to the enrollee’s home.)
Please wait until you receive your shipment of the new publications before you place an order.
If you need help accessing HBA Online, please call the GGC Service Desk at 1-800-HBAEMS1. Call the EBD HBA Help Line at 518-474-2780 with questions about information in the Report. If you are unsure of how to order publications or have questions about this distribution, please call the EBD Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.