Broome County Purchasing Alliance

Broome County Purchasing Alliance (BCPA)

Administered by the Statewide Purchasing Alliance of New York (SPANY)

BCPA is a multi-county, cooperative purchasing initiative pioneered by Broome County and administered by SPANY to secure competitive, sustainable Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) solutions for public-sector retirees across New York State. The Alliance advances New York State’s County-Wide Shared Services Initiative (CWSSI) by leveraging pooled purchasing and best-practice procurement to deliver stable rates, comprehensive benefits, and administrative simplicity for governmental employers.

Who It’s For

Eligible entities include New York State governmental employers—counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts/BOCES, and community colleges—responsible for providing retiree medical coverage per employment policies or collective bargaining agreements.

The Current Model (Excellus Region)

Under the SPANY–BCPA program, participating employers gain access to:

  • Transparent, community-rated pricing
  • No minimum group size and no minimum participation
  • National Passive PPO access through the Excellus/BCBS network
  • Offer one plan or multiple plans alongside existing coverage (no full takeover required)
  • Rate-stability guardrails designed to promote long-term budget predictability

Explore the current plan designs and 2026 rates for the Excellus region here:
➡️ Plan Designs & Rates (Excellus Region): https://spany.org/plan-designs-2/

How Participation Works

  1. Learn the Options
    Review available MA/MAPD plan designs and monthly premiums for the Excellus region.
    ➜ https://spany.org/plan-designs-2/
  2. Submit Securely (HIPAA-Encrypted)
    All group materials must be submitted exclusively through SPANY–BCPA’s HIPAA-encrypted secure portal. We cannot accept census or enrollment files by email.
    ➜ Document Submission Portal: https://spany.org/document-submission/

Submit the following (as applicable):

    • Census data (Medicare-eligible retirees and dependents)
    • Enrollment files
    • Plan selections/renewal confirmations
    • Eligibility verification and requested documentation
  2. Governing Action
    Follow your local approval process (e.g., board resolution or equivalent authorizing action) to adopt participation and selected plan option(s).
  3. Implementation Support
    SPANY–BCPA and Excellus will coordinate implementation, onboarding, and retiree communications to ensure a smooth transition or renewal.

Why BCPA

  • Pooled Purchasing Power: More groups = more leverage for better pricing, stronger contracts, and predictable renewals.
  • Administrative Ease: Standardized documents, secure portal intake, and coordinated implementation.
  • Retiree-Centered Benefits: Comprehensive MA/MAPD options with national access and streamlined member experience.

Program Links

Contact

For questions about program participation, plan options, or documentation:

For Broome County Purchasing inquiries related to this page, you may continue to contact the Purchasing Office (607) 778-2188 or bcpurchasing@broomecountyny.gov