Human Resource Management

The annual option transfer period is the time in which you can make certain limited changes to your NYSHIP health insurance options. Any changes that are made during this period will be effective with the following calendar year.  The types of changes that are allowed during this option transfer period are:

• change from one NYSHIP plan to another, e.g., the Empire Plan to a NYSHIP approved HMO or vice versa;

• voluntarily cancel your insurance without a qualifying event;

• remove otherwise eligible dependents from your plan without a qualifying event, resulting in a change from family to individual coverage.

No action is required to keep your current health insurance option.

• change in family status (e.g., marriage, birth, death, legal separation, divorce, only dependent child attains the maximum age for coverage);

• you no longer live or work within your HMO's NYSHIP service area and therefore you choose another NYSHIP HMO or the Empire Plan;

• your spouse loses coverage due to termination of employment and you apply for coverage for your spouse under NYSHIP;

• your spouse has a change in employment status, which results in acquiring or losing eligibility for health insurance coverage;

• you first become eligible for health insurance coverage after the beginning of the tax year.

• your employment with the State terminates or you retire.

Eligible adult children of NYSHIP enrollees may enroll in the Young Adult Option, and current Young Adult Option enrollees may switch plans during the option transfer period.  According to New York State law (Chapter 240 of the Laws of 2009), the Young Adult Option allows unmarried, young adult children under the age of 30 to purchase their own NYSHIP coverage at the full-cost individual rate.  Coverage applies only to medical benefits.  Enrollment in the NYS dental and vision plan is not available through this benefit.  For additional information on the Young Adult Option, visit www.cs.ny.gov/yao or call the Employee Benefits Division at 1-800-833-4344.

Note:  Young adult children of NYSHIP enrollees are eligible to continue coverage as dependents under the enrollees’ family coverage up to age 26.