Story By MIKE LEE

For the first time in more than 40 years, health care for city workers and their families may soon change for the better.

After a rigorous selection process, the city and the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC), including DC 37, entered into negotiations with EmblemHealth and UnitedHealthcare on a joint proposal to improve access to primary care doctors, specialists, nurse practitioners, hospitals, and mental health providers in New York City and nationwide — all while remaining premium-free.

“We’ve navigated a challenging road to get to this point,” said Henry Garrido, DC 37 Executive Director. “The result is a tentative new health plan that will allow us to increase the quality of benefits, including mental health, for our members, rein in predatory costs, and increase access in every borough. It’s a win-win-win for our members.”

If approved by the city and the MLC, the new NYC Employees PPO Plan (NYCE PPO) will:

• Incorporate all medical services (doctors and hospitals) and other medical facilities under a single health plan, one member ID card, and one member portal and app;
• Preserve EmblemHealth’s network of more than 78,000 doctors, health care professionals, and hospitals in New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester counties);
• Include 39,000 mental and behavioral health providers in New York State, up from the current 12,000 in network;
• Increase access to telehealth, allowing members to consult with doctors, therapists, or medical experts via phone or online;
• Maintain the same copays and expand the network.

Additionally, the plan would expand benefits for 80,000-plus pre-Medicare retirees residing outside of the city who are often forced into out-of-network coverage or have to pay premiums to maintain coverage in their area of residence. NYCE PPO would provide access to 1.6 million in-network doctors, health care professionals, and hospitals through the nationwide UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus network. Senior Care members will remain in their existing plan; dependents not eligible for Medicare will be transferred to the NYCE PPO plan.

Pending approval of the contract, active members of the EmblemHealth GHI CBP/Anthem BlueCross BlueShield plan and their eligible dependents will be automatically enrolled in the new plan prior to Jan. 1, 2026. Members will receive a single ID card for their coverage, a welcome kit, and a summary of plan benefits in the mail. The union will hold information sessions for members prior to implementation.