News Release

OPM Says CareFirst, Children's Hospital Agreement Clears Way for Late Open Season Enrollments

Washington, D.C. -- An agreement between Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C., and CareFirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield has elicited an "extremely pleased" response from Kay Coles James, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, who then announced that certain employees who switched from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan or CareFirst BlueChoice during the recent Open Season due to uncertainty over participation by Children's Hospital in their plans' network would be allowed to switch back immediately.

Separately, James said that while OPM was not able to intervene directly in the negotiations, she had been "confident" that the dispute, which involved reimbursement rates CareFirst paid to Children's Hospital, would ultimately be resolved, and that she was "extremely pleased" for the employees, parents and their children who depend on the combination of insurance protection and specialized care provided by CareFirst and Children's Hospital.

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OPM oversees the federal work force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.

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