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.
PE16-17
TO: Health Benefits Administrators of Participating Employers (PE)
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: 65th Birthday Letter for Active Employees of PEs
DATE: August 22, 2016
This memo is to inform you that beginning this month, the 65th birthday letter monthly mailing will be sent to PE active employees (or dependents) who are within five months of turning age 65. Currently, only your retirees receive this mailing.
For the first mailing only, the group that will receive the letter will be turning 65 in September, October, November, December and January. Thereafter, the mailing will be sent once a month and will only include enrollees/dependents turning 65 in five months’ time.
The 65th birthday mailing provides general guidance regarding Medicare and NYSHIP rules while working, and reminds enrollees of their responsibility to enroll in Medicare when they are planning to retire. The mailing includes a personalized letter (see sample attached), and the Medicare & NYSHIP booklet with DVD, which provides more detailed information.
All of these materials are available on HBA Online under Publications and Forms.
If you have questions about NYSHIP rules regarding Medicare, please call the Employee Benefits Division at 518-474-2780. If you have questions about this distribution, please contact Communications at 518-457-7577.