The New York Insurance Department has approved an application by Empire BlueCross BlueShield to offer life and disability products.

The products, available through the New York-based affiliate, Anthem Life & Disability Insurance Co., make Empire a “one-stop shop” for medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life and disability benefit programs for individuals as well as large and small employers in New York State, according to a statement on the approval from Empire.

With the addition of these products, Empire BlueCross BlueShield and its affiliated companies now serve more than 4.7 million members with life and disability benefits through about 84,000 group customers nationwide, as well as administer dental benefits to 8 million members and serve nearly 2 million vision members nationwide.

The new products are the latest as the company continues to expand its health insurance and life insurance offerings to New York small and large groups.

“These new products allow us to create flexible benefits programs for large and small businesses,” said Mark Wagar, president and CEO of Empire BlueCross BlueShield, in a statement. “This will help them control costs and remain competitive while providing strong medical benefits for the employees and their families.”

Earlier this year Empire launched Blue View Vision, an eye care insurance option, which is now available for sale for all groups with at least two employees.

Empire plans to offer access to Anthem Life products to employers with as few as two employees and disability benefits to employers with as few as 10 employees.

The Anthem Life portfolio includes basic group term life, dependent life, optional life, optional dependent life, short-term disability, voluntary short-term disability, long-term disability, voluntary long-term disability, and voluntary accidental death and dismemberment.

Last year, Empire’s parent company acquired DeCare Dental, one of the country’s largest administrators of dental benefit plans. DeCare, a Minneapolis-based company, manages 4 million members representing 21,000 group customers. By acquiring DeCare, Empire can offer one of the nation’s largest dental PPO networks, serving 10 dental plans and provides and administers dental benefits to four million members.

Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO serves residents and businesses in the 28 eastern and southeastern counties of New York State.