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
COMMISSIONER
DANIEL E. WALL
EXECUTIVE
DEPUTY COMISSIONER
PA00-04
TO: Participating Agency Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Empire Plan Book/Certificate Updates
DATE: April 27, 2000
NYSHIP General Information Book and Empire Plan Certificate Updates
We will soon be mailing NYSHIP General Information Book and Empire Plan Certificate amendment updates for active employees, retirees, vestees and dependent survivors enrolled through Participating Agencies.
The NYSHIP General Information Book and Empire Plan Certificate amendment updates include benefit changes announced in the December 1999 Empire Plan Reports: NYSHIP changes and clarifications; Empire Plan certificate amendments for the Benefits Management Program, Blue Cross, UnitedHealthcare, GHI/ValueOptions and CIGNA/Express Scripts.
This update and all previous Empire Plan Reports for Participating Agencies should be kept with the 1995 NYSHIP General Information Book and Empire Plan Certificate.
Distribution of Book/Certificate Updates
The Book/Certificate updates will mail standard class to enrollee homes in May. We will send you a supply of the publications equal to 20 percent of your enrollment as we mail each version.
Publications available on EBD Web site
Please check the Web site for copies of new publications. We generally post publications when we sign off for printing. That means you can see the publications before employees start receiving them. Go to the Department of Civil Service Web site: http://www.cs.state.ny.us and click on Employee Benefits and Services.
Ordering Publications
You may order additional copies of these publications by using the Publications Supply Order Form enclosed with this memo. All of the most recent publications are listed, but they will not be available right away. Please wait until you receive your supply of a specific group version before you place an order.
If you are unsure of how to order publications or have questions about this distribution, please call the Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.