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.
NY17-10
TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Revised Empire Plan Certificates for Active Employee Groups
DATE: May 12, 2017
We are pleased to announce an update to the Empire Plan Certificates for all enrollees. This month we have begun the process of printing and posting the revised Certificates, updated with amendments through January 1, 2014, for active* employees of the State of New York in the following groups: APSU, CSEA, C-82, DC-37, M/C; Legislature, NYSCOPBA, PBA, PIA, PEF, UCS and UUP.
This revision is part of an effort to consolidate the Certificate and eliminate the number of printed documents new enrollees and new retirees receive in Quick Order packages. This publication will not be mailed to current enrollees or retirees, but you should send any new enrollees or retirees a Quick Order package to ensure they get a complete set of benefit information. You will be able to determine when each version is complete by checking online (a single PDF of the group’s Empire Plan Certificate will be posted) or reviewing the group’s fulfillment form. Note: If you maintain NYSHIP materials in your office for various groups in your agency, the materials on your shelves should mirror the group’s updated fulfillment form. Please recycle any old materials that do not appear on these updated forms.
Amendments to these Certificates will be posted online later this year, and fully updated Empire Plan Certificates will be printed and mailed to current enrollees at that time. Agencies will also receive small supplies of these publications when each version is completed.
*The updated Empire Plan Certificate for NY Retirees is complete and has been posted online, replaced in inventory and shipped to agencies. See HBA Memo NY17-08 for additional information.
Distribution
For reference, we will send you a supply of one percent of your total Empire Plan enrollment by group (no less than two copies) of each Empire Plan Certificate.
Publications Available on Our Website: www.cs.ny.gov
Please check our website for new publications. We generally post publications when we sign off for printing. Go to the Department of Civil Service website at www.cs.ny.gov and select Employees, then choose State Government Employees. Under Health Insurance and Other Employee Benefits, click on New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP).
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 publication before you place an order.
If you need help accessing HBA Online, contact the ITS Service Desk at 844-891-1786, fixit@its.ny.gov or via chat at https://chat.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.