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.
GEORGE E. PATAKI
GOVERNOR
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12239
www.cs.ny.gov
DANIEL E. WALL
COMMISSIONER
NY06-43
PE06-32
PA06-25
TO: Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Empire Plan At A Glance, Preferred Drug List, Copayment Cards
DATE: December 7, 2006
We are pleased to announce the 2007 Empire Plan At A Glance for Council 82, Courts, CSEA, DC 37, M/C Legislature, NYSCOPBA, PBA Supervisors and Troopers, PEF, PIA, UUP, Retirees, Participating Employers and Participating Agencies. The Empire Plan At A Glance, a concise guide to plan benefits, is a useful publication for new employees, conferences and health fairs. Encourage employees to use this guide together with their Empire Plan Certificate.
The 2007 Empire Plan At A Glance contains new Copayment Cards (except CSEA, United Court System and Council 82 and NYSCOPBA groups that are not subject to the binding arbitration agreements) and the 2007 Empire Plan Preferred Drug List (except Council 82 and NYSCOPBA groups that are not subject to the binding arbitration agreements).
Copayment Card A (blue) applies to groups with 1/1/07 copayment changes: DC 37, NYSCOPBA subject to the binding arbitration, PBA-Supervisors, PBA-Troopers, PEF, PIA, UUP, M/C Legislature, Retirees, Participating Employers, Participating Agencies.
Copayment Card B (green) applies to groups with no 1/1/07 copayment changes: CSEA and Courts. CSEA and Courts currently have Copayment Card B and will, therefore, not receive new copayment cards with the January 1, 2007 Empire Plan At A Glance.
Copayment Card C (pumpkin) applies to Council 82 subject to the binding arbitration agreement and receiving copayment changes.
No copayment cards will be sent to Council 82 not subject to the binding arbitration agreement or to NYSCOPBA not subject to the binding arbitration agreement.
Distribution
These publications will be mailed to Empire Plan enrollee homes beginning in December. We will send you, in separate shipments, a supply of each publication appropriate for your enrollment and equal to 3 percent of your Empire Plan enrollment for new hires or for those changing their option to the Empire Plan. (Please see exceptions to separate shipments.)
Ordering Publications
You may order additional copies of the 2007 Empire Plan At A Glance, Copayment Cards and Preferred Drug List by using the Publications Supply Order Forms enclosed with your shipments. Or, instead of faxing the form, you may order on HBA Online. From the Department of Civil Service homepage, www.cs.state.ny.us, select the Benefit Programs button from the left hand navigation. Then click on HBA Online. Open Publications & Forms, then open NYSHIP Publication Order Forms. If you need help accessing HBA Online, please call the Help Desk or your processor.
If you are unsure of how to order publications you want, or if you have questions about this distribution, please call the Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.