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.
NY16-22
TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: NYSHIP Health Benefit Publications for Employees of the BCI Unit of the New York State Police represented by Police Investigators Association (PIA), effective January 1, 2017
DATE: October 18, 2016
We will soon mail the October 2016 Empire Plan Special Report and October 2016 HMO Special Report. The Empire Plan Special Report mailing includes updated copayment cards. These publications apply only to employees of the BCI Unit of the New York State Police represented by Police Investigators Association (PIA).
These publications describe changes affecting NYSHIP coverage effective January 1, 2017, as a result of the collective bargaining agreement between the State of New York and PIA. As these changes are effective January 1, 2017, health insurance option changes will be done during the regular Option Transfer Period, which will be announced when rates are approved. Please note that any enrollee considering an option change should be referred to 2017 Choices for active enrollees (AL1427).
The October 2016 Empire Plan Special Report (NY1178) includes:
Biweekly Premium Contribution Rate Changes; Updated Life Expectancy Table (effective for retirements on or after December 1, 2016); Opt-out Program; Federal Health Care Reform and Empire Plan Changes effective January 1, 2017.
The October 2016 HMO Special Report (NY1180) includes:
Biweekly Premium Contribution Rate Changes; Updated Life Expectancy Table (effective for retirements on or after December 1, 2016) and the Opt-out Program.
The PIA Copayment Card (AL1347) includes:
New Empire Plan copayments for this group as a result of negotiated changes effective January 1, 2017.
Distribution
These publications will begin to mail to enrollees’ homes in late October. We will send you copies of each publication sufficient for your enrollment.
Mail files for these publications were pulled from NYBEAS on October 7, 2016. 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.
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 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.