Department of Civil Service

NY14-19
NY14-17
PA14-16
SEHP14-11
PAEX14-16

TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators; Participating Employer Health Benefits Administrators; Student Employee Health Plan (SEHP) Health Benefits Administrators; Participating Agency Health Benefits Administrators with The Empire Plan or The Excelsior Plan
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: 2014 Empire Plan Participating Provider Postcards and Directories
DATE: May 20, 2014

Participating Provider (PPD) Postcards

This year we are again distributing PPD postcards to all Empire Plan enrollees across the United States and Puerto Rico. This green initiative is designed to reduce production costs and save trees by sending directories only to those who request them.

Enrollees have three options for obtaining Empire Plan participating provider information:

• NYSHIP Online, https://www.cs.ny.gov/ebd. Follow the prompts to log in, then select ‘Find a Provider’ and the appropriate program.  The online directories provide the most up-to-date listing of participating providers and network facilities;

• Call The Empire Plan toll free at 1-877-7-NYSHIP (1-877-769-7447).  Press 1 on the main menu and speak to a representative to request a printed directory or a customized medical/surgical provider listing (the same can be done for hospitals or MHSA providers by selecting the appropriate program); or

• Return the postcard.

If an enrollee would like an Empire Plan Participating Provider Directory based on their home zip code or for another state or region, they can tear off the attached reply postcard, attach a 34 cent postcard stamp and mail it to make their request.  The requested directory will be sent in 4-6 weeks.

2014 Participating Provider Directories
The 2014 Empire Plan Participating Provider Directories for Upstate and Downstate New York, all other states/regions and Puerto Rico will begin mailing to enrollees in August.

Only enrollees who requested one of these directories by returning the Participating Provider Directory postcard (or calling the toll-free number to request a copy) will be mailed a directory.

Directory Contents
The 2014 directories list Empire Plan participating providers and network facilities for the Hospital Program, the Medical/Surgical Program, the Managed Physical Medicine Program, prosthetic/orthotic devices, laboratories, MRI centers, breast pump suppliers and urgent care centers, and the Mental Health/Substance Abuse Program. Each major section is listed by category and specialty, broken down alphabetically by county.

Distribution
We will send an agency supply equal to 1 percent of your Empire Plan enrollment of the Upstate or Downstate directory, (whichever is appropriate for your agency). We will mail you one copy each of the eight large out-of-state directories (Arizona, North/South Carolina, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington DC/Maryland/Virginia) plus one of the Downstate or Upstate versions – whichever one is not based on your agency location – as a resource.  You will receive these single copies in the mail at the same time that enrollees are receiving their copies at home.

A Directory postcard will be included in the Quick Order packages.

Online Directory
The online Medical/Surgical participating provider search, available on our web site at https://www.cs.ny.gov/ebd under the Find a Provider link, is updated on a weekly basis. This is the most current listing of Empire Plan Participating Providers.

Online Ordering
We encourage you and your enrollees to use the online Participating Provider search as it is updated weekly, and is easily searchable and customizable. But, for those who do want the printed directory, it is available in many ways.

• We automatically give you a small amount of agency surplus
• You can order additional copies on HBA Online all year long
• You can order individual directories or Quick Order packages (that contain a directory postcard to return if desired) online, and have the package sent directly to the enrollee’s home.

If you need help accessing HBA Online, please call the AGS Service Desk at NYS Department of Civil Service at 1-800-HBAEMS1. Call the EBD HBA Help Line at 518-474-2780 with questions regarding benefits. 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.

PDF Version