U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

PrimeHealth of Alabama, Inc., Enrollment Code AA, will no longer participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program effective June 30, 2003.

PrimeHealth of Alabama, Inc. enrollees in Code AA must change to another participating plan in order to continue to receive benefits under the FEHB Program. Enrollees who do not change plans will have no benefits for the remainder of the 2003 benefit year. The opportunity to change enrollment will begin immediately and continue through June 30, 2003. The effective date of all enrollment changes will be the beginning pay period in which the enrollee makes the change, but no later than June 29, 2003. Agencies may accept belated enrollment changes, however, the effective date of all enrollments accepted after June 30, 2003 must be effective no later than the last pay period in June.

Effective dates for agencies that have pay periods other than bi-weekly pay periods must be no later than July 1, 2003.

The Plan will send a letter to enrollees advising them of this opportunity to change enrollment. We have attached a copy of that letter for your information. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Attachment

Download the Letter and Attachment as a PDF File

Attachment

United States Office of Personnel Management

Washington, DC 20415-0001

PrimeHealth of Alabama, Inc., Enrollment Code AA, will no longer participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. If you are an employee, you must transfer to another participating health plan immediately to continue to receive health benefits under the FEHB Program.

A special open enrollment period is effective immediately and continues through the end of June 2003. Please contact your personnel office to obtain a 2003 Guide to Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans. You may request brochures directly from the health plans at the phone numbers appearing in the Guide. You may also visit our 2003 FEHB web site (www.opm.gov/insure) to view a plan's brochure or the FEHB Guide to help you choose a health plan.

You should take a copy of this letter to your personnel office and complete a new Health Benefits Registration Form (SF 2809). Coverage under your new health plan must begin no later than the last pay period in June 2003.

If you are an annuitant under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS), you should call the Retirement Information Office's toll-free number 1-888/767-6738 Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm Eastern Time to make an enrollment change. Please have available your CSRS or FERS annuity claim number and your social security number when calling. If you have impaired hearing, call 1-800/878-5707. Coverage under your new plan will begin on July 1, 2003.

If you do not select a new plan during the special open enrollment, OPM will enroll you in the Standard Option of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan. This action is to ensure your continued coverage and eligibility to participate in the FEHB Program. If Standard Option Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the plan you want, do not wait for us to enroll you. If you elect Blue Cross and Blue Shield during the open enrollment period, you will receive your plan identification card sooner.

If you (or a family member) have a chronic or disabling condition, or are in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, you may be able to continue seeing your specialist for up to 90 days from this notice or through the end of post-partum care. The plan that enrolls a new member from a plan that leaves the FEHB Program must pay for or provide remaining transitional care. Contact your new health plan so it can help coordinate your care. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management