I am pleased to inform you that, due to the tireless efforts of the UUP Joint Committee on Health Benefits, the MultiPlan discount program will continue to be offered through Dec. 31, 2008, to our members enrolled in the Empire Plan.

If you are starting to put together your New Year’s resolutions for 2008 and your No. 1 resolution is to save money, the Empire Plan’s Basic Medical Provider Discount Program (MultiPlan) is the way to go. With this plan, members using a nonparticipating provider who is part of the MultiPlan group will, in most cases, see a reduction in their out-of-pocket expenses.

The MultiPlan is especially helpful for members who travel; who want to use a specialist not in the regular Empire Plan network; or who have dependents attending college in an area where participating providers are not available. In any case, it’s a win-win situation and the MultiPlan can help save you money.

The provider will submit bills and receive payments directly from United HealthCare. You are only responsible for the applicable deductible and coinsurance payments; no balance billing will be allowed.

For more information, call the Empire Plan at (877) 769-7447 or go to the New York State Department of Civil Service Web site at www.cs.state.ny.us.

HIPAA authorization form

If you would like anyone other than yourself to be able to call the UUP Benefit Trust Fund and get information regarding your dental or vision benefits, don’t forget to fill out the Benefit Trust Fund HIPAA authorization form. The form is located online at http://www.uupinfo.org/ benefits/authorization.pdf. Because of stringent HIPAA regulations, our Fund representatives will not be able to talk to anyone other than the member without this authorization form on file.

If you have any questions, please contact the UUP Benefit Trust Fund at (800) 887-3863.

I wish you and your families a safe, happy and healthy 2008.

Remember, at UUP, it’s all about the members!

— Doreen Bango, Member Benefits manager