Page 18 - Work Force July-August 2025

On the Road with The Empire Plan
Being familiar with the covered benefits and plan-participant requirements of the health insurance coverage you and your family is enrolled under is of great importance when close to home, as well as when traveling.
The publication “On the Road with the Empire Plan” includes important plan information such as addresses, phone numbers and descriptions
of covered services, including services that may require contacting the appropriate Empire Plan administrator for precertification prior to receipt of services.
“On the Road” can be requested through your work location’s agency health benefits administrator or business services center.
An electronic version can be accessed on NYSHIP’s website
at https://www.cs.ny.gov/ employee-benefits/nyship/shared/ publications/on-the-road/2023/ny- ret-on-the-road-2023.pdf.
Empire Plan coverage is
available worldwide and not just
for emergencies. Most parts of The Empire Plan have two levels of benefits. If you use an Empire Plan participating provider, medically necessary covered services and supplies can be accessed with little or no out-of-pocket cost. If you use a non-participating provider, medically
necessary covered services and supplies can be accessed, but deductibles, coinsurance and benefit limits may apply.
The Empire Plan has nationwide participating provider networks. For assistance locating a network Empire Plan provider, call the Empire Plan at 1-877-7-NYSHIP (1-877-769-7447) and select the appropriate program. The telephone prompt numbers for each of the Empire Plan programs are:
1. Medical/Surgical Program, Managed Physical Medical Program or the Home Care Advocacy Program (HCAP)
2. Hospital Program
3. Mental Health and Substance
Abuse Program
4. Prescription Drug Program 5. Empire Plan Nurseline
(Registered Nurses available
24 hours/7 days per week) The Empire Plan hospital
program requires precertification
by enrollee/dependent before a scheduled (non-emergency) hospital admission (or within 48 hours or as soon as reasonably possible after
an emergency or urgent hospital admission), and before admission or transfer to a skilled nursing facility.
The Empire Plan Medical/Surgical Program requires prenotification before having a scheduled (non-
emergency) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computerized tomography (CT) scan, positron emission tomography (PET) scan or nuclear medicine test.
The Empire Plan’s Home Care Advocacy Program should be called for pre-certification before receiving medically
necessary home
care services,
equipment
or supplies
anywhere in
the United
States.
The Empire
Plan Diabetic
Supplies
Pharmacy
should be
called at 1-800-
321-0591 for
blood glucose self-
testing equipment and
supplies, including blood
glucose monitors, test strips,
lancets and lancet devices. Insulin pump requests must call HCAP for authorization. Call Byram Healthcare at 1-800-354-4054 for ostomy supplies.
Remote health care visits using Live Health Online (LHO) are cost- effective and can be a convenient
alternative for Empire Plan enrollees and dependents to receive services instead of urgent care centers or emergency rooms when traveling. Using Live Health Online to access a board-certified doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist or licensed therapist for a telephone or video visit can be
done with no out-of-pocket cost. To register, visit
www.anthembluecross. com/nys or contact
Live Health Online at 1-888-548-3432,
24 hours a day, seven days a
week.
The Empire
Plan Nurseline
provides access to health
information and support 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. Call The Empire
Plan at 1-877-769-7447 and press or say “5” to
speak with a registered nurse about your health-related questions.
As a reminder, bring a copy of the Empire Plan on the Road (which includes important information and telephone numbers), your Empire Plan health insurance identification card and your doctor’s contact information when traveling.
New TASC FSA debit cards
The Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a state employee benefit that saves employees money by allowing them to pay for certain expenses with pre-tax dollars.
The Health Care Spending Account (HCSA), Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAA) and the Adoption Advantage Account are FSA programs available to state employees through the Flexible Spending Account.
Total Administrative Services Corporation (TASC) is New York State’s FSA administrator. TASC
will be issuing new debit cards to current FSA participants this month.
TASC has noted the new cards will result in improved user experience and enhanced security features.
TASC is currently
communicating important information regarding the new debit cards with participants via email.
It is important
to be aware that
TASC deactivated current FSA debit cards on or after June 22, 2025, to coincide with the mailing of the
new FSA debit cards. This reissue applies to all cards, including ones issued to spouses and dependents.
Participants will experience a short gap where old cards are inactive and new cards are in transit.
Once received, your new FSA debit card doesn’t require
activation. However, you will need to re-establish any automatic payments that were scheduled with
your old FSA debit card.
If you incur a bill or pay out-
of-pocket for medical services during the few days when you
will be without a card, please
see TASC’s “Accessing Benefit Account Funds” for information on accessing account funds. Get more information at www.tasconline. com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ TC-6836-Accessing-Benefit-Account- Funds.pdf.
Questions regarding the new FSA debit cards can be directed to TASC customer care at (800) 358- 7202. Get more information at www.tasconline.com/newcard.
18 The Work Force
July-August 2025