December 2025 Top of Mind

Start delivering services to select NYCE PPO members

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, network United Behavioral Health* providers may offer mental health services to New York City Employees (NYCE) PPO Plan members, non-Medicare retirees and their dependents located nationwide. Carelon Behavioral Health will continue to provide services through Dec. 31, 2025.

New workflow for providers delivering these services
To deliver services to NYCE PPO Plan members, you’ll need to follow a different process to get information and manage claims. This includes using Payer ID 26992 and the NYCE PPO secure portal to manage claims, which is separate and distinct from the processes and portal you use to serve Optum and UnitedHealthcare members.

Next steps to serving these members
When providing mental health services to NYCE PPO Plan members, you will verify member eligibility, request prior authorization, and submit claims and appeals through the dedicated and secure NYCE PPO Provider Portal. To get started:

• Log into the secure NYCE PPO Provider Portal
  • Have an existing One Healthcare ID? You can use that to log into the NYCE PPO Portal.
  • Don’t have a One Healthcare ID? Create one now.
• Need additional information? Check out our Quick Reference Guide.

How this impacts you
United Behavioral Health’s network is being utilized to support mental health and substance use disorder services for NYCE PPO Plan members because of our high-quality nationwide network of behavioral physicians, facilities and ancillary services. With this agreement, you are considered in network for the NYCE PPO membership, and the terms of your Optum Participation Agreement apply.

Please note: Optum is not managing the benefits for the plan.

Questions? We’re here to help.
Starting Dec. 1, 2025, please call the NYCE PPO Provider Service Center 1-844-849-5750 for questions about the NYCE PPO Plan.

* United Behavioral Health provides mental health services under the name Optum