Page 17 - Work Force November 2022

Important dates to remember for 2023 health planning
Now is the time to consider your NYSHIP health option for 2023. The “2023 Planning for Option Transfer” flyer was recently mailed to NYSHIP enrollee homes and includes information about the upcoming Option Transfer Period.
The annual Option Transfer Period is when NYSHIP enrollees can make changes to their 2023 NYSHIP option. The “Health Insurance Choices” guide for 2023 contains a more detailed comparison of NYSHIP benefits. The guide will be available from your agency health benefits administrator (HBA).
In addition to considering your health plan option, this is the time to review health care expenses for next year.
Do you currently participate in the Flex Spending Account or the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP)? If you don’t, now is the
ideal time to get more information about these cost-saving benefits
as enrollment begins in November. Enrollment is time sensitive and end dates vary.
Flex Spending Account Open Enrollment Period: Nov. 1 to Dec. 12, 2022
The Flex Spending Account 2023 plan year will begin on Jan. 1, 2023. The Flex Spending Account is a negotiated employee benefit for state employees. A flex spending account offers a way to pay for
your dependent care, health care expenses, or adoption expenses with pre-tax dollars. If you are currently enrolled in the FSA program, you must re-enroll to continue
your participation in 2023.
The Flex Spending Account website contains more information about eligibility and program rules. You can visit https://oer.ny.gov/FSA or call 1-800-358-7202 to enroll.
Productivity Enhancement Program Enrollment Period: Nov. 1 to Dec. 12, 2022
The Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) allows eligible full and part-time state employees to exchange previously accrued annual and/or personal leave for a credit
to be applied toward the NYSHIP premium. If you are eligible and elect this program, the credit will be
included in your biweekly paychecks and divided evenly during the plan year. During negotiations, CSEA was successful in negotiating an increase to the PEP amounts/days allowed
to use.
For calendar year 2023, CSEA
active state members can receive up to a $800 credit or $1,600 credit determined by salary grade and
number of days forfeited. To elect PEP for 2023, you
must apply between Nov. 1 and Dec. 12, 2022. Ask
your agency health benefits administrator for details and an
application. If you are currently enrolled in PEP
and remain eligible, you must re-enroll to continue
receiving in 2023.
PTCP Election Period: The Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP) Election Period will run concurrently with
the official NYSHIP Option Transfer Period for Health Insurance
The PTCP is a voluntary program that allows your share of the health insurance premium to be deducted from wages before taxes are withheld. In exchange for this reduction in
tax liability, you agree to maintain the same pre-tax health insurance deduction for the entire plan year, unless you experience a qualifying event and provide timely notification.
Participation in the PTCP can be chosen when first eligible for health insurance benefits and may also be selected to participate or decline participation in PTCP each year during the PTCP election period.
Requests made during the PTCP election period become effective at the beginning of the 2023 plan year.
If you want to change your PTCP election for 2023, complete a NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form PS-404 and submit to your agency Health Benefits Administrator before the PTCP election period deadline. Per Internal Revenue Service rules, this election period is the only opportunity to change your PTCP status for 2023; arbitrary, mid-year status changes are not allowed. Should a qualifying PTCP event occur mid-year, any request to change your NYSHIP coverage must be consistent with a PTCP qualifying event and submitted within 30 days of the even (or within the waiting period, if newly eligible). No action is required to keep your current PTCP status.
17
November 2022
The Work Force