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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.

New York State of Opportunity

NY16-05

TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Special Deductions for Summer Coverage
DATE: March 11, 2016

Employees who receive their annual salary in less than 26 paychecks must have extra health insurance deductions taken to cover the summer months prior to their removal from the payroll. We will take all summer monies before the employee goes off the payroll. Please refer to the HBA Manual Chapter 6 – Summer Deductions for information on how deductions for summer coverage are taken and other information concerning summer coverage.

In order to identify Summer Teachers, a new report is now available in NYBEAS which lists employees’ Billing Option Code. This report replaces the roster which was previously sent in the mail. Instructions on how to run reports can be found in HBA Memo NY15-19 and SEHP15-05. The report name is BEA_TEACHERS_DEPT. The information in this report will be used to calculate and deduct the extra summer health insurance premiums.

In order to ensure that the information we have is correct, review the list and:

  • Process a Billing Option Change transaction to 26P for any employees that are no longer on a 21 or 20 payroll schedule, and
  • Process a Billing Option Change transaction to 20A or 21A for any employee that is eligible for the special summer deductions but were not included on the list.

The paychecks impacted by the special deductions will be based on the Billing Option recorded in NYBEAS for each employee; therefore, it is imperative that these indicators be set accurately in accordance with the Summer Deduction Schedule, listed below.

If you need assistance processing a Billing Option Change, refer to the enclosed instructions or call the HBA Help Line at 518-474-2780.

Summer Deduction Schedule

Administration Payroll (SUNY and SUNY GSEU) – 20 paychecks (20A)

HBA must process all billing option changes by 4/19/16.

Paycheck Dates Regular Deductions Taken Extra Deductions Taken for following Paycheck dates
5/4/16 1 regular deduction 2 extra deductions for 6/15/16, 6/29/16
5/18/16 1 regular deduction 2 extra deductions for 7/13/16, 7/27/16
6/1/16 1 regular deduction 2 extra deductions for 8/10/16, 8/24/16

Administration Payroll (SUNY) – 21 paychecks (21A)

HBA must process all billing option changes by 4/19/16.

Paycheck Dates Regular Deductions Taken Extra Deductions Taken for following Paycheck dates
5/4/16 1 regular deduction 2 extra deductions for 6/15/16, 6/29/16
5/18/16 1 regular deduction 2 extra deductions for 7/13/16, 7/27/16
6/1/16 1 regular deduction 2 extra deductions for 8/10/16, 8/24/16

Institution Payroll (PEF Teachers) – 21 paychecks (21A)

HBA must process all billing option changes by 5/24/16.

Paycheck Dates Regular Deductions Taken Extra Deductions Taken for following Paycheck dates
6/23/16 1 regular deduction 2 extra deductions for 7/21/16, 8/4/16
7/7/16 1 regular deduction 2 extra deductions for 8/18/16, 9/1/16

Administration Payroll (Agency 25000 - OCFS) – 21 paychecks (21B)

HBA must process all billing option changes by 5/17/16.

Paycheck Dates Regular Deductions Taken Extra Deductions Taken for following Paycheck dates
6/15/16 1 regular deduction 3 extra deductions for 7/13/16, 7/27/16, 8/10/16
6/29/16 1 regular deduction 3 extra deductions for 8/24/16, 9/7/16, 9/21/16

Termination Date

For teachers who do not return to the payroll in the fall, process the termination transaction with the listed Date of Event.

Agency/Payroll Billing Option Date of Event on NYBEAS for Teachers Not Returning
SUNY Administrative Payroll 20A or 21A 8/11/16
Institution Payroll 21A PEF 8/18/16
Agency 25000 Administrative Payroll 21B 9/8/16