Nassau County - Long Island, New York

ATTENTION CURRENT AND RETIRED COUNTY EMPLOYEES:
IMPORTANT MEDICARE PART D INFORMATION

Your eligibility for prescription drug coverage with the county’s health insurance carriers is not affected by your eligibility for coverage under the new federal Medicare prescription drug program, Medicare Part D.

We have been informed by all of the county’s health insurance carriers that their prescription drug coverage is equivalent to or better than the coverage provided under Medicare Part D.  The county will not reimburse you if you choose to enroll in Medicare Part D.

If you have other questions about your prescription drug coverage and Medicare Part D, please contact your health insurance carrier directly.

 

NEW SERVICE FOR SURVIVING SPOUSES OF FORMER NASSAU COUNTY EMPLOYEES

Nassau County is offering a new service to make it easier for widows and widowers of former county employees to pay their monthly health insurance premiums. If you are a surviving spouse and are currently participating in Nassau County's health insurance plan.

Click Here to learn about this free, voluntary program.

Effective January 2003, Medicare Reimbursement checks will be issued twice a year, in December and June. This is a change from the previous policy, issuing checks four times a year.

Health Benefits

For information on The Empire Plan, you now can call toll-free at (877) 769-7447 and listen for voice prompts directing you to United Health Care, Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Value Options (for mental health and substance abuse matters) or Express Scripts (for prescription drugs and mail-service pharmacy).

A wide array of health benefits information also is available online on the employee benefits section of the New York State Department of Civil Service's Web site, www.cs.state.ny.us. Clicking on Employee Benefits will bring you to NYS Online. Once there, click on Participating Agencies. Another drop-down menu will appear, on which you should select Core Plus Medical and Psychiatric Enhancement.

Many carriers offer program information and access to enrollee account information online.

To access HMO information:

Aetna: www.aetna.com - 1 800 323 9930

Blue Cross HMO: www.empireblue.com - 1 800 453 0113

HIP: www.hipusa.com - 1 800 HIP TALK (447 8255)

Vytra: www.vytra.com - 1 631 694 6565

To access dental and vision information:

Healthplex: www.healthplex.com - 1 516 542 2200 + 1 800 468 0600

Davis Vision: www.davisvision.com - 1 800 999 5431