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.
KATHY HOCHUL
Governor
TIMOTHY R. HOGUES
Commissioner
NY23-21
TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Revised Online January 1, 2022 Empire Plan Certificates
DATE: October 24, 2023
We are pleased to announce an update to the Empire Plan Certificate for active and retired employees of the State of New York. The revised Certificates have been updated with amendments through January 1, 2022 and will only be available online (on both NYSHIP Online and HBA Online). Note: The updated Empire Plan Certificate for employees of the State of New York represented by Council 82 (C-82) that explains Empire Plan benefit changes effective January 1, 2023 as a result of the collective bargaining agreement between C-82 and the State of New York is available on NYSHIP Online and was mailed to enrollee homes and shipped to agencies. See HBA Memo NY 23-20 for more information.
Amendments detailing changes to The Empire Plan are also available on NYSHIP Online and HBA Online as reference. The amendments have been incorporated into the online versions of the Certificate and the previous version for each group has been archived online for reference only.
The following chart explains when Certificates were printed and posted online for each group:
|
Group |
Date of Printed Certificate |
Date of Previous Online Certificate |
|
APSU |
January 1, 2021 |
N/A |
|
CSEA* |
January 1, 2019 |
January 1, 2021 |
|
DC-37 |
January 1, 2019 |
January 1, 2021 |
|
M/C; Legislature* |
June 1, 2019 |
January 1, 2021 |
|
NYSCOPBA |
June 1, 2019 |
January 1, 2021 |
|
NY Retiree* |
January 1, 2021 |
N/A |
|
PBA |
January 1, 2019 |
January 1, 2021 |
|
PEF** |
January 1, 2018 |
N/A |
|
PIA |
January 1, 2021 |
N/A |
|
UCS* |
January 1, 2021 |
N/A |
|
UUP** |
January 1, 2019 |
January 1, 2021 |
* Updated Certificates with changes affecting Empire Plan coverage that took effect on July 1, 2023 are being created and will be printed and mailed to enrollees and agencies.
** Updated Certificates with changes affecting Empire Plan coverage that will take effect on January 1, 2024 are being created and will be printed and mailed to enrollees and agencies.
Impact on Publication Orders
As noted above, the January 1, 2022 Certificates for these groups will not be printed or available to order at this time. Updated Empire Plan Certificates will be printed and mailed to enrollees and agencies on a group-by-group basis once new contracts have been ratified and implemented or collectively bargained changes have been administratively extended.
Until such time, the respective printed Certificate for each group will continue to be available to order as standalone publications or as part of group Quick Order Packages. An insert will be included in each copy that notes that the most updated version of the Certificate is available online. A copy can be printed from the online PDF as well, if necessary.
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 or have questions about this project, please call the EBD Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.