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
NY11-40
TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: NYSHIP Rate Changes Effective December 1, 2011, November 2011 Empire Plan Special Report and NYSHIP HMO Special Report for Employees of the Unified Court System (UCS) represented by unions other than CSEA
DATE: November 7, 2011
We will soon mail NYSHIP Rate Changes Effective December 1, 2011 [NY0947], the November 2011 Empire Plan Special Report [CT0156] and NYSHIP HMO Special Report [NY0949] for Employees of the Unified Court System (UCS) represented by unions other than CSEA. These publications describe the changes affecting NYSHIP coverage effective December 1, 2011, except as noted, as a result of collective bargaining that have been extended to UCS employees as permitted under Civil Service Law. Due to the timing of these reports, the rate flyer and HMO report for the courts group is combined into one version with the PEF group. The Empire Plan Report is group specific however.
As a result of these changes, there will be a Special Option Transfer Period from November 4- December 5, 2011. 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 NY11-35.
The NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer (combined with Public Employees Federation) includes:
New rates for December 1, 2011*; the Special Option Transfer Deadline (December 5) and payroll deduction dates
*Due to the timing and the terms of the recent collective bargaining agreement with the State and Public Employees Federation, the health insurance premium rates for certain UCS enrollees will change for payroll periods inclusive of a December 1, 2011 coverage date. The increase in the cost of your NYSHIP coverage for October and November 2011 will be included in your premium contributions for the 6 biweekly paychecks beginning with the check dated December 29, 2011 for the Institutional payroll and the check dated January 4, 2012 for the Administrative payroll. Once the 6 biweekly adjustments are taken, your health insurance premium deduction amount will return to the 2012 premium contribution rate.
The Empire Plan Special Report includes:
Changes Effective October 1 and December 1, 2011; NYSHIP Changes; Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage chart and Flexible Formulary Drug List (inserts); Federal Health Care Changes and December 1, 2011 Benefit Changes.
The NYSHIP HMO Special Report (combined with Public Employees Federation) includes:
Changes Effective October 1 and December 1, 2011 and NYSHIP Changes.
Distribution of Reports
Each publication will be mailed to enrollee homes in mid November. We will send you a supply of each publication equal to 1 percent of your NYSHIP enrollment at the same time. The Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage chart was sent to many agencies in August. If you did not receive a supply or need to replenish it, please order item [AL1099] on HBA Online. The Flexible Formulary is also available to order online.
Mail files for these publications were pulled from NYBEAS on October 28. Any enrollee not on the file will NOT receive the mailings. You may, however, order a Quick Order (QO) Package on HBA Online for a new hire as it will include these publications. Otherwise, you should include a copy of each publication in the package of information you give to new hires.
Publications available on our web site: https://www.cs.ny.gov
Please check our web site for new publications. We generally post publications when we sign off for printing. That means you can see the publications before enrollees start receiving them.
Ordering Publications
To order additional copies of these publications during the Special Option Transfer Period, please use the Special Order Form enclosed with the dropshipment of the NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer 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 the distribution, please call the Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.