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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

PE19-09

TO: Health Benefits Administrators of Participating Employers that participate in the NYS Vision Plan
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Benefit Update to NYS Vision Plan Booklet for Participating Employer Enrollees
DATE: July 17, 2019

This memo is to inform you the NYS Vision Plan Booklet for enrollees of Participating Employers [PE0162] has been updated to reflect the administratively extended ultra/digital progressive lens and annual contact lens exam benefits, effective June 1, 2019.

The Department mailed a Dental and Vision Benefits brochure to the home of all current enrollees detailing the addition of the ultra/digital progressive lens and annual contact lens exam to their vision benefit. Please review HBA Memo PE 19-07 for additional information.

Please be advised Davis Vision will continue to mail a group specific NYS Vision Plan Booklet to each employee’s home upon enrolling in the NYS Vision Plan.

A PDF of the new booklet is posted on HBA Online and NYSHIP Online. A hard copy of the booklet can be ordered through HBA Online under "NYSHIP Publication Order Forms", select the appropriate group.

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, please call EBD Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.

If you have questions about vision benefits call Davis Vision at 1-888-588-4823. Benefits can also be viewed online at https://www.cs.ny.gov.