In the upcoming weeks you will be receiving information about the County’s annual health insurance open enrollment period. In advance of this announcement, the Office of Human Resources would like to let you know about some important changes for 2022.

Discontinuation of Existing Health Insurance Plans

• Effective January 1, 2022 the Aetna Open Access Elect Choice (OAEC) health insurance plan will NO LONGER be offered
• Effective January 1, 2022 the Aetna Open Access Managed Choice (OAMC) health insurance plan will NO LONGER be offered

New Health Insurance Plans

• Effective January 1, 2022, the following employees will be eligible to enroll in the County’s new, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Blue Access PPO health insurance plan. This plan replaces the existing Aetna OAMC plan. (Please note there is no replacement for the Aetna OAEC plan):

• Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Detective Association Inc (DAI) and Superior Officers Association (SOA) members hired on/after April 1, 2014
• Ordinance employees hired on/after July 1, 2014
• Corrections Officers Benevolent Association (COBA) members hired on/after June 1, 2014
• Nassau Community College Federation of Teachers (NCCFT) employees hired on/after May 1, 2014

• Effective January 1, 2022, the following employees will be eligible to enroll in the County’s new, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Blue Access High Deductible PPO w/ Health Savings Account (HSA):

• Only members of the DAI and SOA regardless of hire date

• No other County employees are eligible for this plan as of yet.

All other existing plans, including the NYSHIP Empire Plan, will remain in place. This announcement is meant to notify employees of the upcoming changes for planning purposes.

Open enrollment will begin in the coming weeks and all employees enrolled in Aetna OAEC or OAMC will be required to enroll with another health insurance provider to ensure continuous coverage. Employees currently enrolled in Aetna OAEC or OAMC who fail to complete an election/enrollment form during Open Enrollment will risk loss of coverage.

Information about these specific plans and applicable rates, as well as all other Open Enrollment information, will be disseminated when Open Enrollment is officially announced.

Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield informational sessions will be offered during Open Enrollment. Dates to be announced.

COBA will be providing further information in the next days and weeks regarding these plan changes.

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