Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Open Season 2008
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program’s annual Open Season begins November 10 and continues through December 8, 2008. During this period, if you are eligible for government benefits, you may enroll, change plans or options, change from self-only to family or from family to self-only, cancel enrollments, and/or change your premium conversion option. After Open Season, these options will only be available under limited situations. Open Season requests will be effective January 4, 2009.
Representatives from insurance carries will be participating in the Federal Benefits Open Season Fair. Scheduled fairs are as follows:
- November 6 - 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. - Durham, NC - Rall Building, next to elevator/ by cafeteria
- November 12 - 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. - Baltimore, MD - BRC Atrium
- November 24 - 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. - Bethesda, MD - Natcher Building (Building 45), Conference Room E1/E2
See the Benefits Calendar of Events for additional information.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
If you are on a permanent Federal civilian appointment or an appointment lasting more than one year you are eligible to enroll or change enrollment. IRTA, Visiting Fellows, Special Volunteers or others covered under health insurance offered through the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) are not covered under this open season. Also, if you are a member of the PHS Commissioned Corp you are not covered under this program.
If you are a temporary employee, and have completed one year of current continuous employment, excluding any break in service of five days or less, you ARE eligible to enroll. If you apply under this provision you are responsible for the full cost for the health insurance. Government contributions toward the total premium are not allowed. If you are a temporary employee and are eligible to apply for health benefits during this open season, you must complete the SF-2809, Health Benefit Election Form and submit the form directly to the Benefits & Payroll Liaison Branch in Building 31, Room B3C23, MSC-2215. If you have questions, please notify your Benefits Contact.
I AM ELIGIBLE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If you are satisfied with your current plan, review the 2009 brochure and premium rate to make certain you want to continue with your plan. If you are still satisfied, do nothing. Your coverage will continue and any adjustments will take place automatically on January 4, 2009.
If you would like to enroll or change your enrollment, review the information on the available plans and options to see what plan will best meet your needs. You MUST request an open season election through myPay. myPay is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. You can access myPay by phone at 1-877-363-3677 or 1-478-757-3119, or TDD at 1-888-880-0412 or 1-478-757-3117, or through their web site. To access myPay you need your PIN. If you cannot locate your PIN, you may request a new number either through the web site or by calling 1-800-390-2348. If you are hearing impaired, you can contact the Federal Relay Service to initiate the myPay changes. The new PIN will be forwarded to you at your current home address in about two weeks. We strongly recommend that after you submit your open season request, you click on the option that provides confirmation of your request.
WHEN WILL MY OPEN SEASON CHANGE OCCUR?
Enrollments or changes in enrollments requested during open season, as well as new premium rates, will become effective January 4, 2009. These will be reflected in your salary check and on your January 23, 2009 Leave and Earnings Statement. Please review this statement carefully and report any problems to your timekeeper or your Benefits Contact.
WHERE CAN I FIND FEHB GUIDES AND BROCHURES?
Guides and brochures will be available for view and printing from OPM’s web site in the near future. Hard copy brochures will also be available at the open season benefit fairs, and a limited supply of brochures will be available at the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch, located in Building 31, Room B3C23 and in Nottingham Hall, Room 258, Durham, N.C.
NEED HELP DECIDING?
Consumer Checkbook, the interactive tool that assists in comparing the Federal health plans, is available. To access this tool, you must log into the HHS internet site. The site will provide you with instructions on accessing and using Consumer Checkbook.
The Office of Personnel Management has an interactive on-line tool to help you compare available plans. The tool will give you a chance to compare costs and benefits among the plans available to you.
WHAT IS PREMIUM CONVERSION?
Premium conversion is the ability to pay your health insurance premium with pre-tax dollars. All eligible employees are automatically covered under premium conversion. During the annual open season, you have the option to change your decision. You do not need to do anything unless you want to change your earlier decision. Premium conversion does limit your ability to cancel FEHB or to change your coverage from family to self-only.
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN 2009
SERVICE AREAS EXPANDING
- SAMBA (enrollment codes 441, 442, 444, 445)
- Aetna HealthFund (CDHP/HDHP) (code 221, 222, 224, 225) in Montana, North Carolina, & Virginia
- Aetna Open Access (code JN1, JN2, JN4, JN5) in North Carolina
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Mid-Atlantic States (code E31, E32, E34, E35) in Virginia
- Optima Health Plan (code 9R1, 9R2) in Virginia
NEW ENROLLMENT CODES
UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Inc. (code E94, E95) in Arizona, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, & Virginia
PLAN TERMINATING AN OPTION
- Piedmont Community Healthcare, High Deductible Health Plan (code 2C4 and 2C5) in Virginia
PLAN ADDING A NEW OPTION
- Optima Health Plan, Standard Option (code 9R4 and 9R5) in Virginia
TRICARE (Formally CHAMPUS) COVERAGE AND FEHB
If you have TRICARE coverage and are now a civilian Federal employee not enrolled in the FEHB, you should be aware that TRICARE coverage terminates when you become eligible for Medicare (usually age 65). You may wish to enroll in an FEHB plan during the Open Season before you retire as a civilian Federal employee so that you may continue the FEHB coverage into retirement. TRICARE coverage counts towards meeting the requirements of having FEHB coverage for the last 5 years of Federal service prior to retirement. You should also be aware that if you become age 65 while you are still employed, event number 1M on the Table of Permissible Changes allows you to enroll in FEHB when you lose your TRICARE coverage.
NOTE: Effective October 1, 2001, military retirees may elect to enroll in TRICARE-for-Life provided they enroll in Medicare Part B. For more information call 1-888-DOD-LIFE or visit the TRICARE web site.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY
The US Office of Personnel Management has arranged to have a customer satisfaction survey completed in which enrollee’s can rate their health plans in a variety of areas. The results of the survey are in the FEHB Guide.
Information that you provide by enrolling in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program may be used for computer matching with Federal, state, or local agencies' files to determine whether you qualify for benefits, payments, or eligibility in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, Medicare, or other Government benefits programs.
TEMPORARY CONTINUATION OF COVERAGE (TCC)
You should be aware that if you leave Federal employment, you might be eligible for TCC (unless you are separated for gross misconduct). TCC can continue your enrollment for up to 18 months. TCC is also available for up to 36 months for your dependents who lose eligibility as family members under your enrollment. This includes spouses who lose coverage due to a divorce and children who lose coverage because they marry or reach age 22. TCC enrollees must pay the total premium (without a Government contribution) plus a 2% charge for administrative expenses. For information on TCC cost, please visit (link to follow).
TCC enrollments must be requested within 60 days of the event that causes the loss of coverage (i.e. date of separation, date of divorce, or child’s 22nd birthday). Please notify your Benefits Contact for further information concerning TCC.
FEDERAL LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM (FLTCIP)
FEHB plans do not cover long-term care. However, you can protect yourself against the high cost of long term care by applying to the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). Long term care insurance is designed to help cover the cost of services for people requiring assistance with activities of daily living (custodial care), such as eating, dressing, and bathing. Care can be received at home, an adult day care center, a hospice, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home.
Your qualified relatives are also eligible to apply for coverage. This includes your current spouse, adult children, parents, parents-in-law, and stepparents.
Unlike other benefit programs, you must take action - you will not receive an application automatically. You must request one through the toll-free number or at the FLTCIP website. You may apply for enrollment at any time. There are no open season requirements.
The FLTCIP web site offers online applications, an interactive calculator to provide customized price quotes based on age and choice of benefits, and educational resources about long term care and long term care insurance. You may also call 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337 or TTY/TDD for the hearing impaired at 1-800-843-3557) to speak to a certified long-term care insurance specialist.
