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.
NY17-12
PE17-11
PA17-10
SEHP17-06
PAEX17-09
TO: All Health Benefits Administrators (HBAs)
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: 2017 Empire Plan Participating Provider Directory (PPD) Postcards and Directories
DATE: July 19, 2017
Empire Plan Participating Provider Directory Postcards
We are distributing PPD postcards to all Empire Plan enrollees across the United States and Puerto Rico to meet our mandate of making directories available to all enrollees. Postcards were mailed between July 13 and 14, 2017.
Last year we received over 80,000 book orders in six weeks.
While we encourage the use of the online Find a Provider search tool that is updated frequently, enrollees have three options for obtaining Empire Plan participating provider information:
- Use the Find a Provider search tool at NYSHIP Online: www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits
- Call The Empire Plan at 1-877-7-NYSHIP and select the appropriate administrator
- Return the reply postcard (with a stamp) to request a directory
Versions for 2017
On the postcard, enrollees are offered check boxes to select a directory based on their home ZIP Code or they may print the name of another version. Once again this year, the New York and Florida directories are divided into separate books (see attachment) due to size. If the enrollee would like to order any of these directories, we request that the county or counties where they are or will be seeking services be listed so the correct version can be mailed. Massachusetts and Vermont are no longer included in the Upstate NY version and North and South Carolina are separate directories. In compliance with State law, languages spoken by providers and/or their staff and provider hospital affiliations have been added for the New York directories only.
Please see the attachment for a listing of additional new specialties.
Directory Distribution
The 2017 PPDs for New York will begin to mail to the homes of those who request them in August. PPDs for Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Northern Florida, South Carolina, Southern Florida, Pennsylvania and Washington DC/Maryland/Virginia will follow in September and the remaining out-of-state versions are currently scheduled to mail in September and October.
We will send you one directory based on your agency location. In response to feedback from HBAs, we will no longer mail other versions to you automatically. If you would like to have reference copies for your agency, please order them on HBA Online. On the forms and publications page, the directory order form is located at the top of the page. We will add versions to the order form as they are printed and available in inventory.
Quick Order Packages
A PPD postcard is also included in the Quick Order packages that you may order for your new hires or new retirees. If you need help accessing HBA Online, email ITS Enterprise Service Desk at 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.