Department of Civil Service

NY15-02

TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: NYSHIP Health Benefit Publications for State Police Supervisors Represented by PBA, Effective April 1, 2015
DATE: January 28, 2015

We have begun to mail the January 2015 Empire Plan Special Report and January 2015 HMO Special Report, both of which will include the NYSHIP Rate Changes Effective April 1, 2015 flyer. After the Special Option Transfer Period ends on March 31, the April 1, 2015 Empire Plan At A Glance with Copayment Cards and the Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage 2015 flyer will also be mailed.

These publications describe changes affecting NYSHIP coverage effective April 1, 2015, as a result of the collective bargaining agreement between the State of New York and PBA, which was ratified by State Police Supervisors only. Because of these changes, there will be a Special Option Transfer Period from March 2 through March 31, 2015. Please note that any enrollee considering an option change should be referred to the settled version of Choices 2015 (AL1288).

You will receive a memo from the 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 until you have received and carefully reviewed memo NY15- 03.

The January 2015 Empire Plan Special Report (NY1127) includes:
Special Option Transfer Period; Biweekly Premium Contribution Rate Changes; Updated Life Expectancy Table; Opt-out Program; Federal Health Care Reform Changes and Empire Plan Changes Effective April 1, 2015.

The January 2015 HMO Special Report (NY1125) includes:
Special Option Transfer Period; Biweekly Premium Contribution Rate Changes; Updated Life Expectancy Table and the Opt-out Program.

The NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer (NY1126) includes:
New rates for April 1, 2015; and information on the Special Option Transfer Period.

The April 1, 2015 Empire Plan At A Glance (NY1128) with Copayment Cards (AL1347) and Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage 2015 flyer (AL1345) include:
Useful information to serve as a summary guide to Empire Plan benefits. 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 January. 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 2015 flyer and settled Copayment Cards.

Mail files for these publications were pulled from NYBEAS on January 23, 2015. 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. The mail file for the April 1, 2015 At A Glance will be pulled from NYBEAS at the end of the Special Option Transfer Period.

Publications Available on Our Web Site: https://www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits
Please check our web site for new publications. We generally post publications when we sign off for printing. Publications are available under Using Your Benefits.

Ordering Publications
You may order additional copies of these publications on HBA Online under Publications & Forms. Please wait until you receive your shipment of the new publications before you place an order.

If you need help accessing HBA Online, e-mail the ITS Enterprise Service Desk at its.sm.esd.ags@its.ny.gov. 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.