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
PA02-18
TO: Participating Agency Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Fall 2002 NYSHIP Reports
DATE: September 23, 2002
We will soon begin mailing the Fall 2002 NYSHIP Benefit Changes report for Participating Agencies. The report provides a summary of benefit changes effective January 1, 2003 for Empire Plan enrollees. In January, we will mail an Empire Plan Report explaining the changes in detail. We will send a memo at that time.
The report includes:
Empire Plan Benefit Changes
Copayment Increases under UnitedHealthcare Medical Coverage, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Hospital Coverage, Empire Plan Mental Health and Substance Abuse Program
Distribution of Reports
The report will mail to enrollee homes in October. We will send you a supply of the report equal to 3 percent of your NYSHIP enrollment.
Publications available on EBD Web site: www.cs.state.ny.us/ebdonline
Please check this 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 enrollees start receiving them.
Ordering Publications
You may order additional copies of NYSHIP Benefit Changes by using the Publications Supply Order Forms enclosed with this memo. Or, instead of faxing the forms, you may order from this site. Open Publications and Forms, then open NYSHIP Publication Order Forms, Choose the Group. Select your group, then "Order Online" or "Print or View Form" and follow instructions. Please wait until you receive your shipment of the new report 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.