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.

The New York State Health Insurance Program allows a young adult child up to age 30 to purchase coverage through his or her parent's group health insurance policy. The Young Adult Option is for medical coverage only; dental and vision coverage is not included. Under the law, the young adult's coverage is subject to all terms of the group policy; however, premiums are to be paid by the young adult or his or her parent, not the employer. The premium is the full cost of individual coverage for the NYSHIP option selected.

Eligibility Criteria
The Young Adult Option is available to young adults who meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• Be a child, adopted child, or stepchild of a NYSHIP enrollee (including those enrolled under COBRA)
• Be age 29 or younger
• Be unmarried
• Not be insured by or eligible for coverage through the young adult's own employer-sponsored health plan.
• Live, work, or reside in New York State or the plan's service area
• Not be covered under Medicare

In addition, the young adult does not need to live with the parent, be financially dependent on the parent, or be a student. A young adult's eligibility for health insurance coverage through a former employer under federal COBRA or state continuation coverage does not disqualify the young adult from electing this option under NYSHIP. Children of the young adult are not eligible for coverage under this option but may be eligible for health insurance coverage under other programs, such as the Child Health Plus Program. The young adult's parent does not need to have family coverage, nor is the young adult required to have been previously covered as a dependent under NYSHIP, to be eligible to enroll.

For more information or to enroll a young adult child, visit the Department of Civil Service website.