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
NY25-11
TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: NYSHIP Health Benefit Publications for employees of New York State represented by PIA, effective August 1, 2025
DATE: May 27, 2025
As a result of the recently ratified contract between the State of New York and the BCI Unit of the New York State Police represented by the Police Investigators Association (PIA), there will be Empire Plan benefit changes and NYSHIP premium rate changes for this group effective August 1, 2025. The June 2025 Empire Plan Special Report and NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer for PIA are now available online and will soon be mailed to enrollee homes. New Empire Plan benefit cards will be mailed to all impacted enrollees in early July.
Since these benefits will result in rate changes effective August 1, 2025, health insurance option changes may be made during the Special Option Transfer Period from July 1-31, 2025. Please note that any enrollee considering an option change should be referred to 2025 Choices for active enrollees (AL2020) only.
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 Special Option Transfer Period until you have received and carefully reviewed the forthcoming memo.
The Empire Plan Special Report for PIA (NY1559) includes:
Information about reduced in-network maximum out-of-pocket limits, single visit copayment, the Site of Care Program for Infusions, a new Center of Excellence for Substance Use Disorder, visit limits for medical massage therapy and acupuncture services, LiveHealth Online virtual visits, the covered-in-full mastectomy bra benefit and a change to the reimbursement methodology for non-network claims.
The NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer for PIA (NY1558) includes:
New rates effective August 1, 2025 and information about the Special Option Transfer Period.
Distribution
The June 2025 publications will begin to mail to enrollee homes at the end of May. The mail files for the Empire Plan Special Report and the NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer were pulled from NYBEAS on May 17, 2025. Any enrollees who were not on the file on that date should be provided copies of the appropriate publication(s).
Publications Available on the NYSHIP Website: www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits
You can also access the publications online under Using Your Benefits from the NYSHIP website home page.
Ordering Publications
You may order copies of the publications on HBA Online under Publications & Forms.
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 distribution, please call the EBD Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.