United States

Office of Personnel Management

Retirement and Insurance Service

Benefits Administration Letter

Number: 99-404	Date: March 5,1999

Subject:	Special Enrollment Opportunity for Certain Members of Humana Health Plan of Texas, Code TW

Humana Health Plan of Texas (previously PCA Health Plan of Texas) reduced the service area covered under enrollment code TW for 1999. This code now covers only the Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin/Waco, and Wichita Falls areas. The Plan encouraged enrollees who live or work in the areas discontinued under TW to switch enrollment codes or plans during open season, but not everyone did so. There are employees currently enrolled in code TW who do not live or work in the TW service area. Since these members may not have understood why they should switch, we are allowing them to make a belated open season change.

This special opportunity is only for current TW enrollees who do not live or work in the current TW service area. Humana will send a notice to these enrollees on OPM stationery to explain this special opportunity. Employees will be instructed to bring a copy of the notice to their employing offices if they decide to change.

Employees in Humana code TW who live or work in the following areas should be allowed to change their enrollment to another FEHB plan or to a Humana enrollment code that covers the area where they live or work. Enrollment changes should be honored for 30 days from the date of Humana's notice and made retroactive to the first pay period in 1999. Most changes within the Humana system will result in lower premiums for the individuals involved.

Current TW enrollees who live or work in the Houston/Beaumont area and want to remain with Humana should select Humana Health Plan of Texas code UE.

Current TW enrollees who live or work in the San Antonio area and want to remain with Humana should select Humana Health Plan of Texas code UR.

Current TW enrollees who live or work in the Corpus Christi area and want to remain with Humana should select Humana Health Plan of Corpus Christi code TX.

While Humana believes it will be in the best interests of most of these individuals to switch – primarily because of the opportunity to pay lower premiums – we wish to stress that TW enrollees in the discontinued service areas are not required to switch to new Humana codes or new plans.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause you and we thank you for your cooperation.

Abby L. Block, Chief

Insurance Policy

and Information Division