Department of Civil Service

NY01-58

TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: December 2001 Empire Plan and HMO Reports
DATE: December 19, 2001

We will soon begin mailing the December 2001 Empire Plan Reports and NYSHIP HMO Reports for CSEA, PEF, DC-37, Council 82, NYSCOPBA, PBA Supervisors, PBA Troopers, PIA, UUP, M/C, Courts and Retirees.

The Reports vary by group. For some, the Empire Plan Report includes:

Empire Plan Benefit Changes

Hearing Aids, Emergency Care, Participating Provider Copayment (DC-37)

Empire Plan News

Benefits Management Program, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Program, Basic Medical Program Deductible and Coinsurance

Reminders

Claims Deadlines, Medicare, Hospital Outpatient Tests

Empire Plan Certificate Amendments

Benefits Management Program, Physical Therapy, Emergency Care, Copayment (DC-37), Routine Mammograms (Retiree), Coinsurance Maximum, Annual Deductible, Hearing Aids, Veterans’ Facility

The Empire Plan At A Glance

The Empire Plan At A Glance is included as an insert in the Empire Plan Report. This guide briefly describes Empire Plan benefits for 2002. Please see memo NY01-56 for Empire Plan At A Glance details.

The HMO Reports include:

NYSHIP Information

New Baby in the Family, Medicare, NYSHIP HMO Telephone Numbers

Distribution of Reports

The Reports will mail to enrollee homes in December. We will send you a supply of the Reports equal to 5 percent of your enrollment as we mail each version.

Publications available on EBD Web site

Please check this Web site for copies of new publications. We generally post publications when we sign off for printing. That means you can see the publications before employees start receiving them.

Ordering Publications

You may order additional copies of the Reports by using the Publications Supply Order Forms enclosed with this memo. Or, instead of faxing the forms, you may order from PA-MARKET. From the homepage, open Publications and Forms, then open NYSHIP Publication Order Forms, Choose the Group. Select your group, then "Order Online" or "Print or View Form" and follow instructions. If you need help accessing PA-MARKET, please ask the Help Desk or your processor. Please wait until you receive your shipments of the new reports before you place an order.

If you are unsure of how to order publications or have questions about this distribution, please call the Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.