HealthBenefits
Updated February 13, 2009 • Health Benefits Homepage

Health Plan Contacts
For questions about your Health Care Spending Account, dental or vision benefits, call or visit:

If you are enrolled in an HMO and have questions about benefits, contact the HMO directly: 

Aetna U.S. Healthcare
www.aetna.com
1-800-323-9930

Blue Choice
www.excellusbcbs.com
1-800-462-0108

Empire BCBS HMO
www.empireblue.com
1-800-453-0113

CDPHP
www.cdphp.com
1-800-777-2273

Community Blue (Buffalo)
www.bcbswny.com
1-877-576-6440

GHI HMO Select, Inc.
www.ghi.com
1-877-2GHI HMO

HIP Health Plan of New York
www.hipusa.com
1-800-HIP-TALK

HMO Blue-Utica Region
www.excellusbcbs.com
1-800-722-7884

HMO Blue-CNY
www.excellusbcbs.com
1-800-447-6269

Independent Health/WNY
www.independenthealth.com
1-800-501-3439

MVP Health Plan
www.mvphealthcare.com
888-687-6277

Preferred Care
www.preferredcare.org
1-800-950-3224

Univera Healthcare
www.univerahealthcare.com
1-800-337-3338

Vytra Health Plans
www.vytra.com
866-409-0999

The Empire Plan now has a single toll-free number: 1-877-7NYSHIP or 1-877-769-7447. See descriptions below for information about each program and links to web sites.

Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield  www.empireblue.com 1-877-7NYSHIP or 1-877-769-7447

• Call for information regarding hospital and related services.
• You must call before a maternity or scheduled hospital admission.
• You must call within 48 hours after an emergency or urgent admission.
• You must call before admission or transfer to a skilled nursing facility.
• You must call for preadmission certification of admissions for the following transplant surgeries: bone marrow, peripheral stem cell, cord blood stem cell, heart, heart-lung, kidney, liver, lung and simultaneous kidney-pancreas.
• Call for information about Centers of Excellence
• Use the web site to check the status of a hospital claim, complete a Coordination of Benefits form, or fill out a dependent student questionnaire

United HealthCare
www.myuhc.com 1-877-7NYSHIP or 1-877-769-7447                                           

• You must call before having an elective (scheduled) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
• Call for information on benefits under the Participating Provider and Basic Programs
• Use the web site to verify your eligibility, find a participating provider, and view your claims
• You can also use the NYS Department of Civil Service Employee Benefits Division web site  www.cs.state.ny.us to find participating providers. Click on Employee Benefits  and then Empire Plan Providers.

Home Care Advocacy Program (HCAP) 1-877-7NYSHIP or 1-877-769-7447

•You must call to arrange for paid-in-full home care services and/or durable medical equipment/supplies. 

Managed Physical Medicine Program (MPN)
1-877-7NYSHIP or 1-877-769-7447

• Call for information on benefits and to find MPN network providers for chiropractic treatment and physical therapy.

Infertility Treatment  1-877-7NYSHIP or 1-877-769-7447                                                  

• You must call for prior authorization of qualified procedures, regardless of provider.
• Call for information about Centers of Excellence.

Mental Health & Substance Abuse (UHC/OptumHealth)   1-877-7NYSHIP or 1-877-769-7447

• You must call before you seek treatment for mental health or substance abuse, including alcoholism.
• You must call within 48 hours after an emergency hospitalization.

Prescription Drugs (UHC/Medco)  1-877-7NYSHIP or        1-877-769-7447
  
• You must call for prior authorization for certain drugs.
• Call to appeal the Mandatory Generic Substitution requirement.
• Call for information about prescription drug benefits, including mail service.
• Use the web site to order online refills for prescriptions filled through the  Mail Service Pharmacy.

The Empire Plan Nurseline    1-877-7NYSHIP or 1-877-769-7447

• Call for health information and advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Use the web site to get health information