Page 16 - Work Force December_2022

State employee NYSHIP HMO and Empire Plan updates for 2023
Here are important updates that impact NYSHIP enrollees and dependents in NYSHIP health maintenance organizations (HMOs), as well as the
Empire Plan:
NYSHIP option transfer for 2023 New York State
offers a new online
resource that
provides easy access
to option transfer
related information
to enable enrollees to
compare NYSHIP benefits and
costs. To learn more, visit https:// tinyurl.com/NYSHIP-option-transfer.
Option transfer information, deadlines and health insurance premium rates will be communicated when announced by New York State.
Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) deadline
The Productivity Enhancement Program is a negotiated employee benefit that allows eligible full
and part-time state employees to exchange previously accrued annual and/or personal leave for a credit
to be applied toward their NYSHIP premium. The PEP enrollment period ends Dec. 12, 2022. Please see your agency health benefits administrator for additional information.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) deadline
The Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a negotiated employee benefit for state employees that offers a way to pay for your unreimbursed health care expenses through the Health Care Spending Account. Open enrollment for the FSA programs, which include the Health Care Spending Account, the Dependent Care Advantage Account and the Adoption Advantage Account, ends Dec. 12, 2022. Please see your agency health benefits administrator for additional information.
New health insurance cards
Each year, the U.S. Patient
16 The Work Force
2023. This enhanced program will broaden the scope of the program to include access to pre-pregnancy, maternity and postpartum care, as well as parenting support.
Additional information can be obtained by contacting Empire BlueCross directly at 1-877-769-7447 Option 2, or empireblue.com/nys or through the Sydney Health app, which is available to Empire Plan enrollees and dependents.
Empire Plan Live Health Online
Empire Plan members and dependents continue to have access to this voluntary telemedicine program with no out-of-pocket cost to participants. Live Health Online
• This valuable benefit is available to you as a member in good standing at no cost to you!
• Since the program began in 2014, this benefit has helped more than 80 families recover from a sudden, tragic loss.
Go to cseany.org/10KAD to fill out the beneficiary form.
• Be sure to complete the beneficiary form (online or download and print) so this benefit goes to who YOU designate.
• Complete the form to ensure we have your most current information in the event of a claim.
• Return completed forms to: CSEA Insurance Department 143 Washington Avenue Albany, NY 12210
Protection and Affordable Care Act sets new amounts limiting total network out-of-pocket costs.
The federal law requires the inclusion of annual out-of-
pocket costs on employee health insurance benefit
cards and impacts all NYSHIP plans.
The Empire Plan will issue new 2023 benefit cards for all
enrollees and covered dependents. The new
benefit cards will include annual deductibles and out- of-pocket maximum information.
To accommodate differences in these amounts, the Empire Plan will have two versions of the cards; individual and family.
Please note: All NYSHIP health maintenance organizations (HMOs) will also be reissuing benefit cards for the upcoming plan year. HMO enrollees should contact their HMO with any additional questions.
CDPHP (NYSHIP HMO) and St. Peters Health Partners
CDPHP and Trinity/St. Peter’s Health Partners are in active negotiations to renew their contract, which is set to expire on Jan. 1, 2023. If new contract terms are not reached by then, members will be permitted to use St. Peter’s Health Partner Facilities as an in-network provider for an additional 60 days, ending on March 1, 2023. For members who are in an ongoing course of care, the 60 days is extended for an additional 30 days to April 1, 2023.
Additional information can be obtained by contacting CDPHP
at 1-866-834-5945 or visiting CDPHP’s link that contains more detailed information and frequently asked questions at https:// keephealthcarelocal.com.
Empire Plan Building Healthy Families Program
The Empire Plan’s current Future Moms Program will be enhanced and renamed the Building Healthy Families Program, effective Jan. 1,
telemedicine program can be used for medical conditions (board- certified doctor), as well as mental health services (licensed therapist or psychiatrist). Empire Plan enrollees/dependents have access to live providers 24 hours a day, seven days a week without leaving their home.
CSEA was successful in negotiating the continuation of the covered-in-full Live Health Online Program for Empire Plan enrollees and dependents. Visit https://livehealthonline.com for additional information or to register for the program. Use your Empire Plan identification information to sign in.
$10,000 Accidental Death Benefit at no cost to you — sign up today!
“This new benefit will really help my family
out if something should ever happen to me. It means a lot to me to see how much CSEA cares about the well being of members and their families. Whether it’s on the job or off, CSEA has our back.”
— Jarvis “Tim” Brown Town of Oyster Bay
“I now have more peace of mind. If anything happens to me, whether I am on the job or not, there will be additional coverage for my family because of CSEA. The more I learn about my union, the more I realize just how valuable my CSEA membership is.”
— Nikki Johnson CSEA/VOICE Local 100A Dutchess County Chapter Representative
Go to cseany.org/10KAD to fill out the form. December 2022