Subject:

2002 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Open Season: Introduction

DATES

The 2002 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season will be held from November 11, 2002 through December 9, 2002.

BALs

As we proceed with our preparation for the 2002 Open Season, we will issue a series of Benefits Administration Letters (BAL) to give you information about ordering open season materials, significant FEHB plan changes for 2003, suggested open season notices for your employees, and other useful information that will enable you to conduct a successful open season at your agency.

AUDIO CASSETTES

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will not be involved in the ordering of brochure audiocassette tapes for the visually impaired. Agencies must order these tapes directly from the open season fee-for-service plans. We will include a list of plan contacts from whom you may order the tapes when we send you the BAL on ordering and distribution.

OPM WEB SITE

All 2003 FEHB Guides, health plan brochures, and the news release announcing the 2003 premium rates will be available on the OPM web site at www.opm.gov/insure/health. The Guides and brochures will be available in PDF format for downloading and printing, as well as text version suitable for the visually impaired.

Our web site will contain a version of the FEHB Guide designed specifically for the electronic environment. It will contain links from the plans' names to the plans' brochures in both PDF and text formats. In addition, the web site will also contain versions of the plan brochures designed for easy navigation.

CONTACTING US

Our Internet email will enable us to answer agencies' open season questions quickly and efficiently. If you have a question about an open season BAL, or any other questions about open season, just direct your question to fehb@opm.gov.

Abby L. Block Assistant Director    for Insurance Programs

Download the Letter as a PDF File