Skip to main content

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

ANDREW M. CUOMO
Governor
LOLA W. BRABHAM
Acting Commissioner

NY19-04

TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: NYSHIP Health Benefit Publications for employees of New York State represented by NYSCOPBA, effective June 1, 2019
DATE: April 3, 2019

As a result of the recently ratified contract between the State of New York and the New York State Correctional Officers and Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), there will be Empire Plan benefit changes and NYSHIP premium rate changes, effective June 1, 2019. The April 2019 Empire Plan Special Report and the NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer for NYSCOPBA are now available online and will soon be mailed to enrollee homes and agencies. The mailings include the Special Report with updated 2019 copayment cards and the April 2019 NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer. A June 1, 2019, Empire Plan At A Glance will also be mailed to enrollees in late May.

Since these benefits will result in rate changes, effective June 1, 2019, health insurance option changes may be made during the Special Option Transfer Period from May 1 through May 31, 2019. Please note that any enrollee considering an option change should be referred to the 2019 Choices for active enrollees (AL1634) and the 2019 Choices Supplement (NY1259).

You will receive a memo from the Division that provides complete details for Health Benefits Administrators regarding the rate change and how the Special Option Transfer Period will be administered. Please hold any questions you may have about the rate change and Special Option Transfer until you have received and carefully reviewed memo NY 19-12.

The April 2019 Empire Plan Special Report for NYSCOPBA includes: Copayment changes, out-of-network deductible and coinsurance amounts and information about the new 2019 Empire Plan Advanced Flexible Formulary.

The copayment cards for NYSCOPBA (NY1281) include: New Empire Plan copayments for the group as a result of negotiated changes, effective June 1, 2019.

The NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer (NY1282) includes: New rates for June 1, 2019, and information on the Special Option Transfer Period. Note: Due to the cap of the State’s dollar contribution for the non-prescription drug components of the HMO premium, June 1, 2019, biweekly rates for many HMOs will be slightly higher than the January 1, 2019, rates.

The Empire Plan At A Glance (NY1289) includes: Useful information to serve as a summary guide to Empire Plan benefits. This version will replace the January 1, 2019, version and the mailing will include the 2019 Empire Plan Advanced Flexible Formulary (AL1643), settled version of the Out-of-Network Reimbursement Disclosures (AL1645) and the 2019 Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage Chart (AL1639).

Distribution

These publications will begin to mail to enrollees’ homes in mid-April. The mail file was pulled from NYBEAS on April 1, 2019, so any enrollee who was not on the file on that date should be provided copies. The mail file for the At A Glance will be pulled from NYBEAS at the end of the Special Option Transfer Period. We will send you two copies of each publication, when they are available.

Publications Available on NYSHIP Online: www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits

You can also access the publications online under Using Your Benefits from the NYSHIP Online home page.

Ordering Publications

You may order additional copies of the publications and copayment cards on HBA Online under Publications & Forms. Please do not order copies until you have received your shipment.

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.