Page 17 - Work Force September 2019

Don’t delay: Time sensitive enrollment October-November
NYSHIP enrollees can save on 2020 health insurance costs
New Member Portal provides easy, secure access to EBF eligibility
The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund (EBF) is pleased to announce our new Member Portal. Launched on July 15, 2019, this secure online eligibility dashboard was designed to help our members better
access and use their EBF benefits. Making sure your EBF membership information is up to date has never been easier.
CSEA members with EBF plans can access the member portal from our website at cseaebf.com. From our home page on a computer
or smartphone, select the EBF Member Portal. Follow a few easy steps to register and confirm your information. Once registered, you will be able to:
• Check subscriber and dependent eligibility
• View and download plan books specific to the member
• Add dependents
• Add or remove spouse or
domestic partner
• View, print or request a copy
of your EBF ID card
• Submit name and address
changes or update your phone number or email address
• Download a HIPAA authorization form
• Securely upload supporting documents member services may need to complete your enrollment
Serving our members has always been a priority at the EBF. The new EBF Member Portal is just one new way to achieve that goal — register to use the portal today.
The EBF provides dental, vision and reimbursement benefits for CSEA members at the state and local government level. New York State employees, Unified Court System employees and several hundred local government units (counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts) have negotiated valuable EBF benefits into their contracts. Check with your employer, refer to your contract or visit cseaebf.com and use our Benefit Search Tool to find out exactly what benefits you may be eligible for.
Did you know that state employees are eligible to receive negotiated benefits that can help save for health care spending throughout the year? Now is the ideal time to find out more information about enrolling.
The Flex Spending Account (FSA) allows you to pay for your health care expenses or dependent care with pre- tax dollars. The Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) is used for expenses, including medical, hospital, laboratory, prescription, dental, vision and hearing, that are not reimbursed
by your insurance or benefit
plan. The Dependent Care
Advantage Account
(DCAA) can be available
for child/elder care or
for disabled dependent
care. Enrollment for
these enhanced benefits
is voluntary and you can
decide how much you want
deducted from your paycheck
before taxes.
The Flex Spending Account also includes the Adoption Advantage Account for eligible state employees. Qualified employees can now enroll in a flexible spending account for expenses related to the adoption
of an eligible child. Pre-tax payroll deductions contributed to the Adoption Advantage Account can help pay for a qualified adoption.
For more detailed information about the Health Care Spending Account, the
Dependent Care Advantage Account or the Adoption Advantage Account, including eligibility, how to enroll
and tips on how to calculate for your family’s out-of-pocket expenses, please visit www.flexspend.ny.gov or call 1-800-358-7202.
Another cost-saving benefit negotiated for state employees is the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP). This program allows eligible full and part-time state employees the option to exchange previously
accrued vacation or personal leave for a biweekly credit
which reduces their share of the New York State
Health Insurance Plan premium.
CSEA active state members who are
eligible can choose to receive up to $600 credit
(about $23 biweekly) or $1,200 credit (about
$46 biweekly) applied to their premium. The amount is determined by salary grade and the number of days they wish to forfeit.
More information about these benefits will be distributed in various documents by New York State as
we get closer to the annual Option Transfer period. Please note that some program enrollment periods begin
in October and end in November (typically before the annual Option Transfer period).
2019 Empire Plan Participating Provider Directory postcards
The 2019 Empire Plan Participating Provider Directory (PPD) postcards were mailed by New York State to
all Empire Plan enrollees across the United States and Puerto Rico.
On the reply postcard, enrollees can request a directory based on their home zip code or write in the name of a different version.
Although Empire Plan enrollees are encouraged to use the Find a Provider selection on NYSHIP Online to access the most current listing of participating
providers, enrollees have three options for obtaining Empire Plan participating provider information:
• Use the Find a Provider search tool at NYSHIP Online: www. cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits.
• Call The Empire Plan at 1-877-7-NYSHIP (1-877-769-7447) and select the appropriate program administrator.
• Return the reply postcard (with a stamp) to request a directory.
September 2019
The Work Force 17