Federal Employee Health Benefit Program

70-2in For United States Postal Inspectors and Office of Inspector General Employees

FEHB and PostalEASE

The United States Postal Service is now using PostalEASE to enter Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) Program Open Season enrollments and changes. By using PostalEASE for health benefits, and by sending information to health insurance companies electronically instead of via paper forms as in past open seasons, the Postal Service expects that employees who make health benefits changes will get their new insurance cards more quickly. All the information you need for using PostalEASE is included in the FEHB PostalEASE Worksheet found on pages 19 to 21 of this Guide. Just follow the instructions to:

• Enroll
• Change Enrollment
• Cancel Enrollment
• Review or change your pending open season transaction
• Review or update your dependent information
• Review your current enrollment information
• Receive a copy of a health benefits election that was processed using PostalEASE

If you want to make a change for the 2006 plan year, you may do so during the annual FEHB Open Season, which is from November 14 through December 13, 2005, at 5:00 PM Central Time. If you currently have an FEHB enrollment and you do not want to make any changes, do nothing. Your coverage will continue automatically.

Please do not wait until late in the open season to enter your choice via PostalEASE. If you select Self and Family coverage, then you'll need to enter information about your dependents. Although this will take extra time, providing this information is required under FEHB regulations. Just complete the FEHB PostalEASE Worksheet and follow the instructions carefully.

All open season Self Only enrollments, changes to Self Only coverage, and cancellations, should be entered as employee "self service" transactions using PostalEASE. Since dependent information is not required, such transactions are simple. Most Self and Family enrollments can also be completed as employee self service transactions, although they require additional information. The easiest way to do this is via the PostalEASE Employee Web, which is available through the Blue page or on a kiosk. Many Self and Family transactions can also be completed by telephone. If you are unable to enter your dependent information via the telephone, the PostalEASE system will refer you to the Web, a kiosk, or your local personnel office. PostalEASE provides the enrollment date, processing date, and effective date when you complete your transaction. You may delete or change a pending transaction until it is processed. If you are newly eligible for FEHB as a career employee, you may also use PostalEASE during the first 60 days after your date of appointment.

This Guide contains important FEHB policy information that used to be provided to you as part of the SF 2809 Health Benefits Election Form. Be sure you understand how your health benefits work, including information on which family members are eligible, how you pay for your health benefits premiums using pre-tax dollars, and the limitations on making a health benefits change outside of open season. As a reminder, to continue health benefits coverage during retirement, you must have had five consecutive years of FEHB coverage immediately prior to your retirement. If you need help understanding any of this information, or you need help using PostalEASE, you should contact your local personnel office for assistance.

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