EmblemHealth Announces New Agreement with Hospital for Special Surgery
City workers will retain access to the country’s highest-ranked orthopedic center
With the New York City Employees (NYCE) PPO health plan going live January 1, EmblemHealth issued the following statement regarding its new agreement with the Hospital for Special Surgery.
“Today, we announce that we have reached an agreement with the nation’s highest-ranked orthopedic center. This important step gives city workers peace of mind, knowing that this leading national Center of Excellence will continue to be available to them. It also demonstrates to the City and its unions that HSS is an important partner in helping the City achieve its goal of preserving and protecting health care coverage for City workers. Our collaboration with HSS is rooted in our mutual commitment to increasing access to affordable, high-quality care for the working families of New York who are vital to our city," said Michael Costa, EmblemHealth's SVP of Provider Network and Population Health.
"HSS has been honored to provide New Yorkers with specialized orthopedic care for more than 162 years,” said HSS President, CEO, and Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus Bryan Kelly, MD, MBA. “We are delighted to continue collaborating with EmblemHealth to further increase access to the world's highest quality care for the New York City employees who keep the world's greatest city moving."
The New York City Employees (NYCE) PPO Plan was negotiated by the City of New York and the Municipal Labor Committee. The plan offers city workers a modernized program, access to a much larger network of healthcare providers, care team support for people with chronic disease, and the continuity of customer service from a team well known to city workers.
About EmblemHealth
EmblemHealth is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health insurers, serving members across New York’s diverse communities with a full range of commercial and government-sponsored health plans for employers, individuals, and families. With a commitment to value-based care, EmblemHealth partners with top hospitals and doctors, including its AdvantageCare Physicians, to deliver quality, affordable, convenient care. At over a dozen EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care locations, members and non-members can receive community-based health and wellness guidance and resources. For more information, visit emblemhealth.com.
HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 16th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2025-2026), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2024-2025). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025).Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.
