Department of Civil Service

NY00-25

TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: September 2000 Empire Plan and HMO Reports
DATE: September 7, 2000

We will soon mail the September 2000 Empire Plan Report and NYSHIP HMO Report for Council 82 and for PEF.

The Empire Plan Reports include:

Empire Plan Benefit Changes

Empire Plan Prescription Drug Program, Skilled Nursing Facility, Prospective Procedure Review, Hospital Outpatient Pre-Admission Testing, Outpatient Physical Therapy, Routine Health Exams, Newborn Child Care, Pediatric Immunizations, Adult Immunizations, Infertility Treatment Benefit, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Program, Coinsurance Maximum, Hearing Aids, Mastectomy Bras (C-82 only), Benefits After Termination

Empire Plan Enhancements

Empire Plan NurseLine_SM and Health Forums, Diabetic and Ostomy Supplies, Participating Provider Network
The Empire Plan and HMO Reports include:

NYSHIP Changes

Graduating Dependent Students, Sick Leave Credit, Health Option Program (PEF only), Leave Without Pay (C-82 only), Military Leave

Distribution of Reports

The Reports will mail to enrollee homes in September. We will send you a supply of the Reports equal to 20 percent of your enrollment as we mail each version.

Empire Plan At A Glance 2000

The Empire Plan At A Glance benefit guide is included as an insert in the September 2000 Empire Plan Reports. This guide will also be available as a stand-alone version. We will send you the stand-alone version (5% of enrollment) and you may order additional copies by using the Publications Supply Request form enclosed with this memo.

Reporting On . . . Your Health Insurance Benefits in Retirement

This Reporting On . . . announces new legislation that provides a permanent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for certain current and future public employee retirees. This publication is presented as a "wrap" around the Report. It is not available as a stand-alone document.

Publications available on EBD Web site

Please check our 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. Go to the Department of Civil Service Web site: http://www.cs.state.ny.us and click on Employee Benefits and Services.

Ordering Publications

You may order additional copies of these publications by using the Publications Supply Order Form enclosed with this memo. All of the most recent publications are listed, but they will not be available right away. Please wait until you receive your supply of a specific group version 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.