Other health plan information
Do I need to enroll in the NYCE PPO plan?
The NYC Employees PPO Plan will replace the GHI CBP plan (formally, the EmblemHealth GHI CBP/Anthem BlueCross and BlueShield plan). If you're an active member of the EmblemHealth GHI CBP plan, you and your eligible dependents will be automatically enrolled in the NYC Employees PPO Plan on Jan. 1, 2026. There will be no gap in coverage, allowing for seamless and continuous care. Learn more about plan enrollment »
What will happen to the current GHI CBP plan?
The GHI CBP plan will cease to exist as of Jan. 1, 2026.
Are other city health plans still available?
Yes, all other current New York City health plans, such as HIP HMO, will continue to be available and are not affected by the NYCE PPO plan.
What if I am not currently enrolled in GHI CBP but would like to switch to the NYCE PPO plan?
There is an open enrollment period for health care in November as there is every year. City employees may use this time to switch between any of the city’s available health plans, including the NYCE PPO.
Does this change affect Medicare-eligible retired members who are enrolled in the GHI Senior Care Plan?
No, if you are enrolled in the GHI Senior Care Plan, you will remain in your current health plan with no changes. If a retiree enrolled in GHI Senior Care has dependents who are not Medicare-eligible and who are enrolled in GHI CBP, those dependents will be automatically transferred to the NYCE PPO plan.
As an extra layer of protection I have been purchasing an optional rider to cover out-of-network emergency hospital reimbursement. Is this still needed?
This rider will no longer be needed or available as the plan has added so many new providers. With over a million new in-network providers across the country, the need to use out-of-network hospitals is virtually eliminated.
Will limitations on IVF reset with the new plan?
No, in vitro fertilization (IVF) limitations will remain set at three for a member’s lifetime, regardless of a member’s plan.
Is it common for members to have access to a health care contract before it is signed?
No. A health plan contract is a vendor contract between an employer and the insurance carrier. Because the city is the employer in this case, these documents are not circulated to individual employees before they are signed. People who are insured can see their health plan design and benefits, which is exactly what has been made available to all UFT members on our website, providing an unprecedented level of transparency and detail about the new plan.
In addition, a plan comparison chart was created at the request of the UFT Health Care Committee. This chart compares the current benefits in the GHI CBP plan with the NYCE PPO benefits so members can clearly see what will change, providing details beyond what a contract alone contains.
Can changes be made to this plan by the city or health care company without MLC approval?
No. Any change must be approved by the MLC first. That means the city cannot unilaterally increase your costs or reduce your coverage. Like all agreements, changes can happen, but since all changes require union approval, we can say “yes” to good changes (like lowering a copay) and “no” to bad ones.
So bottom line—what does this mean for me?
It means you are protected. The union holds veto power. No one can make changes that hurt members without our consent. At the same time, this flexibility lets us approve improvements to your benefits more quickly when opportunities arise.