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.
ANDREW M. CUOMO
GOVERNOR
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12239
www.cs.ny.gov
JERRY BOONE
COMMISSIONER
NY14-20
TO: New York State Agency Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: NYSHIP Health Benefit Publications for Employees Represented by DC-37, Effective September 1, 2014
DATE: June 23, 2014
We have begun to mail the July 2014 Empire Plan Special Report and HMO Special Report, which will be followed shortly by the NYSHIP Rate Changes Effective September 1, 2014 flyer and September 1, 2014 Empire Plan At A Glance with Copayment Cards and 2014 Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage Chart. These publications describe the benefits and changes to NYSHIP coverage for employees of District Council 37 (DC-37), effective September 1, 2014. As a result of these changes, there will be a Special Option Transfer Period from July 31 through August 29, 2014.
You will receive a memo from the Employee Benefits Division that provides complete details for Health Benefits Administrators regarding the rate change and how the Special Option Transfer Period will be administered. Please hold any questions you may have about the rate change and Special Option Transfer Period until you have received and carefully reviewed memo NY14-23.
The July 2014 Empire Plan Special Report (NY1088) includes information on:
Special Option Transfer Period; Biweekly Premium Contribution Rate Changes; Updated Life Expectancy Table; Opt-out Program; Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP); Federal Health Care Reform Changes and Empire Plan Changes Effective September 1, 2014.
The July 2014 HMO Special Report (NY1091) includes information on:
Special Option Transfer Period; Biweekly Premium Contribution Rate Changes; Updated Life Expectancy Table; Opt-out Program and Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP).
The NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer (NY1090) includes:
New rates for September 1, 2014; the Special Option Transfer Deadline (August 29, 2014) and payroll deduction dates.
The September 1, 2014 Empire Plan At A Glance (NF0550) with Copayment Cards (AL1341) and 2014 Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage Chart (AL1276) include:
Useful information to serve as a guide to The Empire Plan benefits for new employees, conferences and health fairs. The At A Glance is best used together with the Empire Plan Certificate.
Distribution
These publications will begin to mail to enrollees’ homes in late June. We will send you a supply of each publication equal to 1 percent of your enrollment. We will also include five copies each of the Preventive Care Coverage Chart and DC-37 Copayment Cards.
Mail files for these publications were pulled from NYBEAS on June 5, 2014. Any enrollee not on file as of that date will not receive these mailings. You may, however, order a Quick Order (QO) Package on HBA Online for a new hire as it will include these publications. Otherwise, you should include a copy of each appropriate publication in the package of information you give to new hires.
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 your group and The Empire Plan or HMO, if prompted. Publications are available under Using Your Benefits.
Ordering Publications
You may order additional copies of this publication on HBA Online under Publications & Forms. Please wait until you receive your shipment of the new publications before you place an order.
Questions
If you need help accessing HBA Online, please call the ITS Service Desk at 518-474-2433 and press 1 for the Department of Civil Service. 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.