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
NY11-25
TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: NYSHIP October 1, 2011 Rate Changes flyer for CSEA
DATE: August 23, 2011
As a result of the collective bargaining agreement ratified on August 15, 2011, there will be a NYSHIP rate change effective October 1 for State employees represented by the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA). There also will be a Special Option Transfer Period during the month of September. 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 option transfer until you have received and carefully reviewed memo NY11-23.
Distribution of the Rate Changes Flyer
A six-page rate flyer, NYSHIP Rate Changes Effective October 1, 2011 [NY0939], will be mailed first class to enrollee homes in late August. This rate flyer provides the new rates for 2011, the September 30 deadline for option changes during the Special Option Transfer Period (see memo NY11-23 for details) and other important dates, such as payroll deduction dates. We will send you a supply equal to 1 percent of your NYSHIP enrollment at the same time. You will also receive the August 2011 Empire Plan Special Report [NY0942] with the Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage chart [AL1099] that explains October 1, 2011 benefit changes to The Empire Plan. See HBA memo NY11-24 for details regarding this publication.
Mail files for the flyer were pulled from NYBEAS on August 18. Any new enrollee not on the file will NOT receive this mailing. You may, however, order a Quick Order (QO) Package on HBA Online for a new hire as the NYSHIP Rate Changes Effective October 1, 2011 flyer will be included in these packages. Alternatively, you should be sure to provide a copy of this flyer to all new hires.
Information on the Web
All Option Transfer publications, including the revised rate flyer will be available on the Department of Civil Service web site at https://www.cs.ny.gov as soon as we sign off for printing. To view the latest Option Transfer information available, go to https://www.cs.ny.gov, click on Benefit Programs, then on NYSHIP Online. Select CSEA and then click on Health Benefits & Option Transfer. Choose Rates and Health Plan Choices.
This information is also available on the Employee Benefits Division's administrative web site, HBA Online, https://www.cs.ny.gov/ebdonline. Select Health Plan Choices on the home page to go to Option Transfer information. Note: This site continues to be your best option if you need to check benefit information for different groups frequently.
Ordering Publications
To order additional copies of the NYSHIP Rate Changes Effective October 1, 2011 flyer during the Special Option Transfer Period, please use the Special Order Form enclosed with your dropshipment and fax it to the Communications Unit at (315) 272-2444. For orders after the Special Option Transfer Period, go to HBA Online and Select Publications & Forms to order online.
If you are unsure how to order publications or have questions about this distribution, please call the Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.