The state Comptroller’s Office has not released specific dates for payment of PS&T contract pay raises, retroactive pay and bonuses. When those dates are available, they will be posted on the PEF Web site at Contract payment information/ dates and reported on the PEF Information Line (1-800-553-2445).
Pay for non-Rx drugs with pre-tax $
A new benefit negotiated in the 2003-07 PS&T contract allows over-the-counter drugs and supplies to be reimbursed through the Health Care Spending Account (HCSAccount).
Current HCSAccount enrollees can begin using this new benefit on November 1. Reimbursable expenses include allergy remedies, antacids, cold medicines and pain relievers. Visit the Flex Spending Account Web site at www.flexspend.state.ny.us for more information.
| Empire Plan offers new non-par provider discounts If you are enrolled in the Empire Plan, you get the best health care discounts and benefits when you use the plan’s participating (par) providers. However, if you can’t or don’t use an Empire Plan par provider, you may want to take advantage of a new program that became available October 1, called the Empire Plan Basic Medical Provider Discount Program. This program offers discounts from select providers who don’t participate in the Empire Plan, but who are part of the MultiPlan network — a nationwide provider organization contracted with United HealthCare (UHC). The more than 200,000 providers who participate in the Basic Medical Provider Discount Program network nationwide have agreed to accept a discounted fee for covered services. Empire Plan enrollees will not be billed for charges over that discounted fee. When you use a multi-plan provider, you must first meet the annual Basic Medical deductible. Once that deductible is met, you will pay 20 percent of the discounted fee and the Empire Plan will pay the remaining 80 percent of it, rather than 80 percent of the “reasonable and customary” charge that is otherwise used to reimburse services performed by non-par providers. Another advantage is you don’t have to submit a claim to UHC. The provider will submit the claim and UHC will pay the provider directly for covered services. According to UHC, most MultiPlan providers will not require the 20 percent payment from you at the time of service. They will wait until they receive UHC’s payment determination and then bill you for any amounts applied to the deductible and/or the 20 percent of the discounted fee. To find a provider in the Empire Plan Basic Medical Provider Discount Program, ask if the provider is an Empire Plan MultiPlan provider or call 1-877-7-NYSHIP (1-877-769-7447) toll free, choose UHC and ask a representative for help. Or go online to the UHC Web site at www.myuhc.com or the state Department of Civil Service site at www.cs.state.ny.us. Click on employee benefits, then on Empire Plan providers and pharmacies. — Lorraine Simpkins |
Tuition money flowing once again
If you are a state or Roswell Park Cancer Institute PS&T employee, you can, once again, get tuition assistance through Article 15 of the PS&T contract. |
The
Communicator November 04
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