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.
ANDREW M. CUOMO
Governor
LOLA W. BRABHAM
Acting Commissioner
NY18-23
PE18-11
PA18-08
SEHP18-09
PAEX18-08
TO: All Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: 2018 Mandated Notices: Creditable Coverage and CHIP
DATE: September 21, 2018
The New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) is required to send notices to all enrollees at certain times of the year. This memo is to alert you to these mailings in case your enrollees ask about them.
Creditable Coverage Notices
In late September, the Employee Benefits Division (EBD) will begin to mail Creditable Coverage notices to NYSHIP enrollees. While the notices may not pertain to enrollees at this time, they provide necessary proof of coverage for enrollees or dependents once they become eligible for Medicare. Enrollees are directed to call the Social Security Administration or Medicare or use those online resources for information.
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Notice
The CHIP Notice, also a required annual notice, will be enclosed with the Creditable Coverage letter to save postage costs. It explains that Medicaid and CHIP offer free or low-cost health coverage for children and families who might need this assistance.
Where to Find Notices Online
The Creditable Coverage and CHIP notices are posted in the Notices section of the public website, NYSHIP Online and HBA online. We are not doing a paper distribution to agencies. If an enrollee needs a copy, please print it out from the website. The Creditable Coverage notices are included in the Mandated Packages for new hires and new retirees and are also sent with the 65th birthday letters to comply with other legal requirements.
If you need help accessing NYSHIP Online or 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.