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
NY18-31
PE18-17
TO: New York State Agency Health Benefits Administrators & Participating Employer Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) Program Refund Checks
DATE: December 20, 2018
As of January 1, 2019, SilverScript Insurance Company will issue refund checks to Empire Plan Medicare Rx enrollees who qualify for Medicare’s Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) Program to help pay for their Part D prescription drug premiums. Prior to this date, Part D premium subsidy refund checks were issued by the New York State Office of the State Comptroller.
NYBEAS will track each enrollee who is eligible for the subsidy. For each month an enrollee is eligible, they will receive a Part D premium subsidy refund check from SilverScript. They should receive the check no later than 45 days after the first day of each covered month. If enrollees do not receive a check within the 45-day period and are still eligible for LIS, please direct them to call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227, TTY: 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If enrollees any have questions about Empire Plan Medicare Rx, they should call The Empire Plan toll free at 1-877-769-7447 and press or say 4 for the prescription drug program (TTY: 711), 24 hours a day, seven days a week.