Page 18 - Work Force February 2025

Thinking of Retiring? Executive Branch State Employees: 2025 DIRECTIONS: Pre-Retirement Planning Webinars
If you are an Executive Branch state employee and have been thinking of retiring, New York State’s Pre-Retirement Planning Webinars provide important information, such as how to maintain your NYSHIP health insurance in retirement.
The DIRECTIONS: Pre-Retirement Planning was developed to assist eligible New York State employees
in planning for one of the most challenging and exciting periods
in life - retirement. New York
State offers its Executive Branch employees pre-retirement planning information through both online resources and DIRECTIONS: Pre-Retirement Planning webinars.
The webinars are for employees who are eligible to retire within five years. Supervisory approval is required for employees to attend webinars during their normal weekday. The currently scheduled webinars for February and March 2025 will be held on Webex.
The DIRECTIONS: Pre-Retirement Planning Tuesday webinars
include two speakers that will cover an overview, NYS Deferred Compensation Plan and NYS State and Local Retirement.
• Feb. 18, 2025, 9 a.m. - noon
• March 18, 2025, 9 a.m. - noon
The DIRECTIONS: Pre-Retirement Planning Wednesday webinars include two speakers that will cover an overview, Social Security and NYSHIP (health insurance & Medicare).
• Feb, 19, 2025, 9 a.m. - noon
• March 19, 2025, 9 a.m. - noon
Employees have
the option to
select which days
to attend, and do
not need to attend consecutive days
in the same month.
They may opt to
attend the Tuesday webinars in one month and the Wednesday webinars another month.
Every agency has an assigned DIRECTIONS: Pre-Retirement Planning liaison who can provide more information about the webinars.
directions-pre-retirement-planning- information for more information or the webinar registration page
at https://oer.ny.gov/are-you- interested-attending-webinar.
DIRECTIONS: Pre-Retirement Planning is sponsored by the Office of Employee Relations and the Office of the State Comptroller, with
funding for CSEA-represented state employees provided
by the CSEA/NYS collective bargaining
agreement.
NYSHIP retiree health care
Being aware of your rights and responsibilities
as an enrollee in NYSHIP (New York State Health
Insurance Program) is important, especially
when considering retirement. You will want to verify eligibility
to maintain NYSHIP coverage as a retiree. Additionally, it is important to know the rules and requirements that impact your NYSHIP coverage, such as enrollment in Medicare and
if you are eligible for sick leave credit to help offset your retiree health insurance premium.
NYSHIP (New York State Health Insurance Program) is administered by the NYS Department of Civil Service Employee Benefits Division.
If you are thinking about retiring, visit NYS Civil Service’s web page for important information and order a Planning for Retirement Package which includes a Planning for Retirement booklet, and a Benefits Checklist. These materials will
help you navigate the retirement process, make important decisions and prepare questions for meeting with your agency health benefits administrator about retirement.
Please visit the NYS Department of Civil Service’s webpage for additional information.
https://www.cs.ny.gov/employee- benefits/nyship/shared/retirement- prep/index.cfm
Specific questions regarding your NYSHIP eligibility can be directed to your agency health benefits administrator or the Department of Civil Service at 1-800-833-4344 or 518-457-5754.
Visit https://oer.ny.gov/
Claims deadline approaches for 2024 Empire Plan claims
Empire Plan enrollees have until April 30, 2025 (120 days after the end of the calendar year) to submit medical expenses incurred during the 2024 plan year.
Network hospitals, providers
and pharmacies will submit claims directly to the appropriate insurance carrier on your behalf when provided with all necessary information.
If you have a non-network claim submission, make sure you complete the requested subscriber information on the appropriate claim form, include the original billing or receipt (if requested), sign and return the claim form.
Claim submission for Empire Plan
Basic Medical Program, the Home Care Advocacy Program (HCAP) and for non-network physical therapy or chiropractic services:
United Healthcare
P.O. Box 1600
Kingston, NY 12402-1600
Claims submission fax (845) 336-7716 Claim form: https://www.cs.ny.gov/ forms/UHC_3875.pdf
Claim submission for Empire Plan non-network inpatient or outpatient hospital services:
Anthem Blue Cross - NYS Service Center
P.O. Box 1407 - Church Street Station New York, NY 10008-1407
Claims submission fax: 866-829-2395 Plan info and online claim form: https://www.empireblue.com/nys/ resources-forms
Claim submission for Empire Plan non-network mental health and substance use services:
Carelon Behavioral Health
P.O. Box 1850
Hicksville, NY 11802
Claims submission fax: 855-378- 8309 Claim form: https://www.cs.ny.gov/ forms/cms1500-MHSA.pdf
Claim submission for Empire Plan prescriptions filled at non-participating pharmacies or at participating pharmacies without using your New York Government Employee Benefit Card:
CVS/Caremark P.O. Box 52136
Phoenix, AZ 85072-2136
Claim form: https://www.cs.ny. gov/forms/CVSCM_Claim-Form_ commercial.pdf
Call the Empire Plan directly at 1-877-7-NYSHIP (1-877-769-7447) with any questions about claims submission.
18 The Work Force
February 2025