Revised Dependent Eligibility and Dependent Survivor Policy Memos

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

NY17-04
PE17-02
PA17-03
SEHP17-01
PAEX17-03

TO: Health Benefits Administrators of New York State Agencies
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Revised Dependent Eligibility and Dependent Survivor Policy Memos
DATE: March 3, 2017

The Employee Benefits Division (EBD) is currently in the process of reviewing and updating all New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) Policy Memos. The goal of this project is to make NYSHIP Policy Memo documents easier to understand while also adapting them to meet current legislative standards. Changes include updating language for clarity, withdrawing memos that have been rendered obsolete, consolidating memos that cover the same topic, and amending policy where necessary.

The language in all revised memos has been updated in an effort to make them easier to read. We have replaced jargon and outdated terminology with more understandable language.

EBD has divided the memos into categories and is reviewing them in phases. The Dependent Eligibility and Dependent Survivor memos have already been reviewed. Revised versions are now available online at the following link:

https://www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits/hba/policy/search_m.cfm

The table below outlines all of the Policy Memos that have been revised thus far, as well as a brief description of the change:

Summary of Revised Dependent Eligibility and Dependent Survivor Memos
Previous PM	Action	New PM	Changes
2	Withdrawn	138r1	Memo was withdrawn because it addressed the same topic as PM-138. Please refer to the revised PM-138r1.
3	Updated	3r1	Language was revised for clarity. No change was made to policy.
4	Withdrawn	138r1	Memo was withdrawn because it addressed the same topic as PM-138. There is a change in policy. Please refer to the revised PM-138r1.
12r1	Withdrawn	None	Memo was withdrawn because the policy is already established in the President’s Regulations.
21	Updated	21r1	Previously the memo only addressed three negotiating units. The language was updated to reflect EBD’s policy of extending this benefit to all negotiating units.
23r1	Updated	23r2	Language was revised for clarity. No change was made to policy.
27	Withdrawn	None	Memo was withdrawn because disabled dependents are approved by NYSHIP carriers and not by EBD staff or HBAs. EBD confirmed that NYSHIP carriers are approving disabled dependents in accordance with law.
38	Updated	38r1	Language was revised for clarity. No change was made to policy.
43r2	Withdrawn	None	Memo was withdrawn because it addressed the same topic as PM-138. There is a change in policy. Please refer to the revised PM-138r1.
46	Updated	46r1	Language was revised for clarity. No change was made to policy.
47	Updated	47r1	Language was revised for clarity. No change was made to policy.
48	Updated	48r1	Language was revised for clarity. No change was made to policy.
52r1	Updated	52r2	Policy was expanded to allow service time from the City of New York to count towards the minimum service requirement for dependent survivor eligibility.
57r3	Updated	57r4	Language was revised for clarity. No change was made to policy.
81	Withdrawn	None	Memo was withdrawn because current legislation does not require full time student status for dependent children on medical coverage.
84	Withdrawn	138r1	Memo was withdrawn because it addressed the same topic as PM-138. Please refer to the revised PM-138r1.
88	Updated	88r1	Language was revised for clarity. No change was made to policy, but details about eligibility approval have been added.
89	Withdrawn	139r1	Memo was withdrawn because it addressed the same topic as PM-139. Please refer to the revised PM-139r1.
107r2	Withdrawn	None	Memo was withdrawn because disabled dependents are approved by NYSHIP carriers and not by EBD staff or HBAs. EBD confirmed that NYSHIP carriers are approving disabled dependents in accordance with law.
126	Withdrawn	None	Memo was withdrawn because disabled dependents are approved by NYSHIP carriers and not by EBD staff or HBAs. EBD confirmed that NYSHIP carriers are approving disabled dependents in accordance with law.
128	Updated	128r1	Language was revised for clarity. This version clarifies that ineligible dependent survivors will be removed from coverage on a prospective basis.
129r1	Withdrawn	None	Memo was withdrawn because same-sex spouses are now federally recognized.
138	Updated	138r1	Information contained in Memos 2, 4, 43r2, and 84 was consolidated into the existing Policy Memo 138 because they all addressed the topic of student eligibility. Language in PM-138 was also revised for clarity. Some changes in policy include the removal of the 12 month maximum for a dependent student granted a medical leave due to disability, and the removal of the policy requiring dependent students to enroll in COBRA while attending summer courses if not enrolled in the following fall semester.
139	Updated	139r1	Information contained in PM-89 was consolidated into the existing PM- 139 because they both addressed the topic of dependent proofs. Language in PM-139 was also revised for clarity.

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Department of Civil Service

Summary of Revised Dependent Eligibility and Dependent Survivor Memos

Department Of Civil Service

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