Federal Employee Health Benefit Program

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

Office of the Director

Dear Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Participant:

Welcome to the 2006 Open Season! By continuing to introduce pro-consumer health care ideas, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) team has given you greater, cost effective choices. This year several national and local health plans are offering new options strengthening the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and once again highlighting its strength as one of the best benefits systems among employers anywhere. I am firm in my belief that you, when fully informed as a Federal subscriber, are in the best position to make the decisions that meet your needs and those of your family. I am pleased to present the 2005 Guide to Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans to assist you in making an informed decision.

Exciting new features this year give you additional opportunities to save and better manage your hardearned dollars. For 2006, I am very pleased and enthusiastic about the new High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) with Health Savings Account (HSA) and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA) components. This combination of health plan and savings vehicle provides a new opportunity to save and better manage your money.

If an HDHP/HSA is not for you and you are not retired, I encourage you to consider a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for health care. FSAs allow you to reduce your out-of-pocket health care costs by 20 to more than 40 percent by paying for certain health care expenses with tax-free dollars, instead of after-tax dollars.

Since prevention remains a major factor in the cost of health care, last year OPM launched the HealthierFeds campaign. Through this effort we are encouraging Federal team members to take greater responsibility for living a healthier lifestyle. The positive effect of a healthier life style brings dividends for you and reduces the demands and costs within the health care system. This campaign embraces four key "actions" that can lead to a healthy America: be physically active every day, eat a nutritious diet, seek out preventative screenings, and make healthy lifestyle choices. Be sure to visit HealthierFeds at www.healthierfeds.opm.gov for more details on this important initiative. I also encourage you to visit the Department of Health and Human Services website on Wellness and Safety, www.hhs.gov/safety/index.shtml, which complements and broadens healthier lifestyle resources. The site provides extensive information from health care experts and organizations to support your personal interest in staying healthy.

The FEHB Program offers the Federal team the widest array of cost-effective health care options and the information needed to make the best choice for you and your family. You will find comprehensive health plan information in this guide, in the brochures of the various health plans, and on the OPM Website at www.opm.gov/insure. I hope you find these resources helpful, and thank you once again for your service to the nation.

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