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.

GOVERNOR
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12239
www.cs.ny.gov
NY11-19
TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: 2011 Retiree Health Benefits Meetings
DATE: August 2, 2011
We are pleased to inform you that the 2011 NYSHIP Retiree Health Benefits Meetings have been scheduled. Attached is the schedule for the year; it is also posted on our web site and included in the retiree Empire Plan Reports that will mail soon.
This is your only notice of the meetings. A separate schedule will not be mailed to enrollee homes or shipped to agencies. We recommend that you photocopy the schedule to post on your bulletin boards and distribute to new retirees.
Current retirees will receive a postcard invitation approximately two to three weeks prior to the closest meeting in their area. Since there may be a delay in processing new retiree transactions, please be sure to provide a copy of the schedule to new retirees. The postcard is not included in the retiree Quick Order Packages. Please recycle any copies of the 2010 schedule you may have left.
Please note: These meetings are not for current employees. They should not be attending these meetings, since they have different questions and needs. The information at the retiree meetings is directed toward people who are no longer on the payroll.
To find the retiree meetings schedule and agenda of timely topics on HBA Online, click on Meetings & More. Then under Type of Event, scroll to Retiree Meeting. Retirees may also view this schedule on the Department of Civil Service web site at https://www.cs.ny.gov by clicking on Retirees, then Health Benefits, and select the Calendar tab from the NYSHIP Online home page.
If you have any questions about these meetings, please call the Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.
Attachment
2011 NYSHIP Retiree
Health Benefits Meetings
Note: This is the schedule for the entire year. You'll also find the schedule on the Department of Civil Service web site at https://www.cs.ny.gov. Click on Retirees, then Health Benefits. To view the Calendar, select the Calendar tab from the NYSHIP Online home page. Then under Type of Event, scroll to Retiree Meetings.
NYSHIP Retiree Health Benefits Meetings are for New York State retirees, vestees and dependent survivors enrolled in the New York State Health Insurance Program. These meetings are not for current employees. Each meeting will include general information about NYSHIP benefits and a discussion of Medicare. Meeting times will vary by location and an agenda of timely meeting topics will be available on our web site. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and is not guaranteed. Sites are handicapped accessible and photo ID may be required. No advance reservation is required.
Albany – Monday, September 12
Albany Marriott
189 Wolf Road
Albany, NY 12205
Ballroom
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Binghamton – Tuesday, September 13
Holiday Inn Arena
2-8 Hawley Street
Binghamton, NY 13901
Ballroom
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Buffalo – Monday, October 24
Buffalo Niagara Marriott
1340 Millersport Highway
Amherst, NY 14221
Ballroom
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Latham – Thursday, November 3
Colonie Elks Lodge
11 Elks Lane
Latham, NY 12110
Ballroom
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Manhattan – Friday, November 18
City University of New York Graduate Center
365 5th Avenue (at 34th Street)
New York, NY 10016
Auditorium
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Plattsburgh – Thursday, October 6
Holiday Inn Plattsburgh
412 Route 3
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Ballroom
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Poughkeepsie – Tuesday, September 20
Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel
40 Civic Center Plaza
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Ballroom
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Rochester – Tuesday, October 25
Double Tree Hotel
1111 Jefferson Road
Rochester, NY 14623
Ballroom
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Schenectady – Wednesday, September 7
Glen Sanders Mansion
1 Glen Avenue
Scotia, NY 12302
Ballroom
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Smithtown – Tuesday, November 1
Sheraton Long Island
110 Vanderbilt Motor Parkway
Smithtown, NY 11788
Suffolk and Smithtown Rooms
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Syracuse – Friday, October 28
Double Tree Hotel
6301 State Route 298
East Syracuse, NY 13057
Ballroom
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Utica – Friday, September 16
Radisson Hotel Utica Centre
200 Genesee Street
Utica, NY 13502
Ballroom
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.