Department of Civil Service

NY97-37
PE97-34

TO: State Agency and Participating Employer Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Option Transfer for MVP Health Plan Enrollees
DATE: December 15, 1997

As you may know, MVP will not be offered as an option in the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) in Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties in 1998. On December 15, MVP enrollees in these four counties were each sent a copy of Choices with a letter informing them that they must choose a new option before December 24, 1997 (see attached).

If appropriate, we have attached a list of your employees who are enrolled in MVP (option code 100) and may need to change their health insurance options. Please remind these employees that a new option must be chosen by the December 24 deadline. If a choice is not made, the employee(s) will be automatically enrolled in the Empire Plan effective December 25, 1997 for Administrative Payroll and January 1, 1998 for Institution Payroll.

Employees currently enrolled with MVP who live in one of these four counties, but work in a county for which MVP is NYSHIP approved may remain in MVP. Such employees who choose to remain with MVP should confirm that their primary care provider continues to participate with MVP

On the reverse side of this memo is a notice for employees who may be affected by the change. You may want to copy and post it, or you may want to prepare a posting specific to your agency. If you are a Health Benefits Administrator in an agency with regional offices, please distribute notices to the regional locations as well. Remove this notice at the end of the Option Transfer Period.

If you have any questions about this memo or the materials sent to enrollees please call the Communications Unit at (518) 457-7577. If you have questions about EMS transactions, please call your EBD Processor.

FOR EMPLOYEES ENROLLED IN MVP HEALTH PLAN IN CLINTON, ESSEX, FRANKLIN AND ST. LAWRENCE COUNTIES

Effective January 1, 1998 there will no longer be any MVP participating providers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties. As a result, MVP Health Plan will not be offered as a health insurance option for employees in these counties in 1998.

• If you are enrolled with MVP and both live and work in one of the above counties, you must choose a new health insurance plan.
• If you are enrolled with MVP and live in one of the above counties and work in a county for which MVP is not NYSHIP approved, you must choose a new health insurance plan.
• If you are enrolled with MVP and live in one of the above counties, but work in a county for which MVP is NYSHIP approved you may remain in MVP. If you choose to remain with MVP you should confirm that your primary care provider continues to participate with MVP

See your Health Benefits Administrator in your Personnel Office before December 24 if you need to change your option.

Please post until December 25, 1997

Dear MVP Enrollee:

Please read this letter carefully to see if you must choose a new health insurance option by December 24, 1997.

As you may be aware, MVP Health Plan's contractual relationships with all of its participating providers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties will expire on December 31, 1997. Thus, effective January 1, 1998, there will no longer be any MVP Health Plan (MVP) participating providers in these counties. Because of this development, MVP will not be able to provide New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) enrollees, such as yourself, with adequate access to health care in these counties.

For this reason, the Joint Labor/Management Committee on Health Benefits has decided to cancel NYSHIP approval of MVP as a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) option for 1998 in the counties of Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence. As a result of this decision, employees currently enrolled with MVP who both live and work in one of these four counties must choose a new health insurance plan. Likewise, employees currently enrolled with MVP who live in one of these four counties and work in a county for which MVP is not NYSHIP approved must choose a new health insurance plan. However, employees currently enrolled with MVP who live in one of these four counties, but work in a county for which MVP is NYSHIP approved may remain in MVP. Such employees who choose to remain with MVP should confirm that their primary care provider continues to participate with MVP.

A copy of the 1998 Health Insurance Choices is enclosed. Choices describes the health insurance plans available to you in 1998 under NYSHIP. These plans include the Empire Plan and the HMOs in your area, if any. To choose your new option, see your agency Health Benefits Administrator (HBA) in your personnel office by December 24, 1997. Complete a health insurance transaction form PS 404 enrolling you in a new plan. If you choose an HMO you must also complete an HMO Enrollment Form.

If you have any questions about your health insurance coverage, please see your agency HBA. If you need more information about specific plan benefits, call the Empire Plan carriers or HMO directly. (See Choices for phone numbers)

Please disregard this notice if you have already changed your option.

Employee Benefits Division
NYS Department of Civil Service
The State Campus Albany, New York 12239

Albany area: (518) 457-5754
All other areas: 1-800-833-4344

Dear MVP Enrollee:

This is to advise you that you must choose a new health insurance option by December 31, 1997. If necessary, you have until January 15, 1998 to make your change. Act quickly. MVP will no longer be available to you after January 1.

As you may be aware, MVP Health Plan's contractual relationships with all of its participating providers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties will expire on December 31, 1997. Thus, effective January 1, 1998, there will no longer be any MVP Health Plan (MVP) participating providers in these counties. Because of this development, MVP will not be able to provide New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) enrollees, such as yourself, with adequate access to health care in these counties.

For this reason, the Joint Labor/Management Committee on Health Benefits has decided to cancel NYSHIP approval of MVP as a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) option for 1998 in the counties of Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence. This decision has been extended to non-represented groups. As a result of this decision, retirees and dependent survivors currently enrolled with MVP who live in one of these four counties must choose a new health insurance plan by December 31, 1997.

In mid-December, you will receive a copy of the 1998 Health Insurance Choices with rates. Choices describes the health insurance plans available to you in 1998 under NYSHIP. These plans include the Empire Plan and the HMOs in your area, if any. To choose your new option, complete the "Option Transfer Request" form and send it to the Retiree Unit in the Employee Benefits Division at the address below. If you are enrolling in an HMO, send the "Notice of Intent to Enroll In an HMO for 1998" to the HMO. You can find these forms at the back of Choices. If you do not choose a plan, you will be automatically enrolled in the Empire plan effective January 1, 1998.

If you have any questions about your health insurance coverage after you have reviewed Choices, please call the Employee Benefits Division. If you need more information about specific plan benefits, call the Empire Plan carriers or HMO directly. (See Choices for phone numbers)

Employee Benefits Division
NYS Department of Civil Service
The State Campus Albany, New York 12239
Attn: Retiree Unit

Albany area: (518) 457-5754
All other areas: 1-800-833-4344