Employee Benefits - NIH Benefits Information - Did You Know? January 2009
What’s New?
- Benefits Calendar Of Events
- The Federal Benefits Belated Enrollment Period!
- Revised Blue Cross Blue Shield Out-Of-Network Surgery Benefit Announced!
- How Can I Confirm My Federal Benefits Open Season Election(s) And/Or Federal Pay Raise for 2009?
- Is Your Home Address Accurate In myPay? Check Now To Find Out!
Topics Of Interest:
Where Do I Go If I Have Questions About My Benefits?
1. BENEFITS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2. THE FEDERAL BENEFITS BELATED ENROLLMENT PERIOD!
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced that belated changes for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program will be allowed through January 31, 2009. This means that employees will have through the end of January to make a change to their FEHB enrollment if they choose. Because a change in FEHB enrollment may affect decisions regarding enrollment in the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Program, employees may continue to make enrollment choices for these programs through January 31, 2009, as well. For additional information refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.
To make an FEHB change, you may continue to use myPay until January 31, 2009.
To make a FEDVIP change, call 1-877-888-3337 (TTY: 1-877-889-5680). The BENEFEDS Portal will not be available.
To make an FSA change, call 1-877-372-3337 (TTY: 1-800-952-0450) or use the FSAFEDS website.
Belated FEHB changes will be effective on January 4, 2009, regardless of the date the change is made. Belated FEDVIP changes will be effective on January 1, 2009.Belated FSA changes made in December will be effective on January 1, 2009, or the day after they are received if made in January. If you have questions, notify your Benefits Contact.
3. REVISED BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OUT-OF-NETWORK SURGERY BENEFIT ANNOUNCED!
In response to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) request, Blue Cross Blue Shield BCBS) has re-evaluated its benefit for out-of-network reimbursement for non-emergency surgeries. This re-evaluation was due to concerns over a change in BCBS coverage that would have established a $7,500 co-pay for out-of-network surgeries. The re-evaluation has been completed, and BCBS and OPM have reached an agreement.
To ensure that employees have an adequate opportunity to select a health plan that best fits their needs, OPM has instructed Federal agencies to accept belated enrollment changes for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program through January 31, 2009. Belated enrollment changes are also allowed for the Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Program. See topic #2 above for information pertaining to the belated enrollment period.
4. HOW CAN I CONFIRM MY FEDERAL BENEFITS OPEN SEASON ELECTION(S) AND/OR FEDERAL PAY RAISE FOR 2009?
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season elections, the 2009 FEHB rate changes (OPM), and the 2009 Federal pay raise for General Schedule (OPM) employees are all effective on January 4, 2009. You will see these changes reflected on your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) for the January 23rd pay date. Open Season elections for the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Program will be effective on January 1, 2009. You will see these changes reflected on your LES for the January 9th pay date.
On the other hand, if you have made or will be making an election during the benefits belated enrollment period, some of the above dates are subject to change. Belated elections for FEHB will be effective on January 4, 2009. Depending on the date of your belated FEHB election, you will see it reflected on your LES for January 23rd or February 6th. Belated elections for FEDVIP will be effective on January 1, 2009. Depending on the date of your belated FEDVIP election, you may owe retroactive premiums back to January 1st. Retroactive premiums cannot be paid on a pre-tax basis. If you owe retroactive premiums, you will receive a direct bill in the mail. Future deductions will be withheld from your pay and will be reflected on your January or February LES depending on when you make your election. Belated FSA elections made in December will be effective on January 1, 2009, and will be reflected on your LES for the January 9th pay date. Belated FSA elections made in January will be effective on the day after receipt and will be reflected on the LES for that pay period.
You can access your LES through myPay (DFAS). Please verify that all appropriate changes are reflected on your LES. You will see changes in pay and deductions identified in green. If you scroll over or click on the green entry, it will show you what the entry was on your last LES and what it has been changed to on the LES you are viewing. Also, the information identified in blue will allow you to get additional information regarding the entry.
5. IS YOUR HOME ADDRESS ACCURATE IN MYPAY? CHECK NOW TO FIND OUT!
Your W-2 for 2008 will be mailed to your home address of record soon. Please verify the accuracy of your home address by accessing myPay (DFAS) and selecting Correspondence Address. If your address is incorrect, make the change and select Save. You will also be able to print your 2008 W-2 by using myPay. It will be available in myPay in late January.
Once you have updated your address in myPay, the change will automatically transmit to update your TSP account record; however, it does not automatically transmit to insurance carriers. To update your address with your health carrier, you must contact your carrier directly at the telephone number shown on your health plan ID card. To update your address with your dental and/or vision carrier, you must use the BENEFEDS portal or contact BENEFEDS directly at 1-877-888-FEDS. The change of address also does not update a savings bond nor does it change your state tax withholding. Use the Savings Bond link in myPay (DFAS) to change the address on your savings bond. If you have moved to or from Maryland, you must complete a state tax form for your new state and submit it to the Payroll Liaison Team for processing. You should forward your form to Bldg 31/Rm B3C23. For movement between other states and/or the District, you must use myPay (DFAS) to change your state tax withholding.
6. WERE YOU RECENTLY HIRED UNDER THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM (FERS)? CHECK YOUR LEAVE AND EARNINGS STATEMENT (LES) TO CONFIRM YOUR THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN (TSP) AGENCY CONTRIBUTIONS.
If you were hired December 1, 2007, thru May 31, 2008, you became eligible for agency contributions effective December 7, 2008. These contributions should have first been reflected on your LES for the December 26th pay date under the section titled “Benefits Paid By Government For You.” You can access your LES in myPay (DFAS). If you are not contributing your own money to the TSP, you will only be eligible for the Agency Automatic 1% contributions. If you are contributing your own money to the TSP, you will also be eligible for Agency Matching contributions. You receive matching contributions on the first 5% you contribute. The first 3% is matched dollar-for-dollar, and the next 2% you contribute is matched 50 cents on the dollar. If you have questions, notify your Benefits Contact.
7. ON-LINE ACCESS TO YOUR OFFICIAL PERSONNEL FOLDER IS JUST A CLICK AWAY!
The Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) system (OPM) provides you with easy and fast access to your Official Personnel Folder (OPF). It gives you the ability to easily monitor your own record. In order to access eOPF, you will need your login ID and password.
8. WHY DO I NEED A myPAY PIN?
It is very important to have access to your myPay account so that you can view your Leave and Earnings Statement each pay day. You must also use myPay to make changes to your home address, TSP contributions, direct deposit of pay, allotments, and Federal and state tax withholdings. Additionally, all open season health insurance elections must be accomplished using myPay. If you have misplaced your myPay PIN, you may request a new one in one of two ways. One of which is by selecting “New Pin” on the myPay (DFAS) web site. Please make sure you use the “Go” button to finalize your request. Using this method your PIN will be mailed to your current address of record within 7 to 10 business days.
If you need it sooner, your second option is to send a fax to 216-367-3549. You will need to include in your request your name, a daytime phone number, and a copy of your NIH ID, and you must sign the fax. Upon receiving your fax, the Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS) will reset your PIN using the last 5 numbers of your SSN as your temporary PIN. You will then be able to log in within 3 days using your temporary PIN. Upon logging in, you will be prompted to reset your PIN.
If you encounter problems with your PIN or technical issues using myPay (DFAS), contact the DFAS Centralized Customer Support Unit toll-free at 1-888-332-7411. This support line is available Monday through Friday, 7:00 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. The Centralized Customer Support Unit can provide assistance on how to use the options available to you in myPay. The Centralized Customer Support Unit will also provide support for establishing and changing your PIN.
9. HOW CAN I GET IN TOUCH WITH MY BENEFITS CONTACT?
Your contact in the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch will be able to help you with a variety of issues pertaining to the health and life insurance programs, designating beneficiaries, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), calculating your retirement annuity estimate, working with you to pay a redeposit for prior civilian service if you previously withdrew your retirement funds, paying a deposit for prior civilian or military service for which retirement deductions were not withheld, etc. To find your benefits contact, review our list of contacts. In addition, the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch (BPLB) web site has a wealth of information regarding your Federal benefits. Human resource topics not related to your benefits are normally handled by your Client Services Division HR Representative.
