U.S. Office of Personnel Management. . . .
 
Archive of Year 2000 Information For Agency Human Resources Personnel
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Federal Benefits Conference Scheduled for June
The 10th Federal Benefits Conference — 2001: A Benefits Odyssey — has been scheduled for June 5-8, 2001, in Norfolk, Virginia.
Added December 28, 2000
FEGLI Handbook Clarification
We have updated the FEGLI Handbook chapter on Annuitants and Compensationers.
Under the section "When You Separate - No Supplemental Annuity or New Retirement Eligibility," we have clarified the second paragraph by removing the sentence "You cannot convert any life insurance acquired through reemployment." If a reemployed annuitant acquires
new life insurance coverage during reemployment, the annuitant can convert that coverage once he or she separates from service.
Added December 22, 2000
Use SF 2822 Properly
The Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI) has been receiving Requests for Insurance (SF 2822) directly from agency personnel. This should not happen. Agency personnel should complete Part A of the form at an employee's request, and then give the form to the employee. The employee completes Part B and the employee's physician completes Part C and mails the form to OFEGLI. Agencies should not receive the form after the employee or physician have completed it. The form contains private information.
Please follow the instructions on the SF 2822 carefully. This will help OFEGLI and your employees.
Added November 28, 2000
Retiring Employees Are Not Eligible to Port Option B
We've been receiving an increasing number of retirement cases in which agencies are using the incorrect forms. Some agencies are giving retiring employees the Portability Notice (see BAL 99-210 and 99-212) and not the Option B and Option C Election Notices (see BAL 99-209 and 99-203).
Employees who are retiring are NOT eligible to port their Option B coverage. You should not give these employees a Portability Notice. They may be eligible to continue Option B and/or Option C into retirement. If they are, then you should give them the Option B and/or Option C Notice, as applicable.
We really appreciate your help with this. When we get the wrong form, we have to go back to you or the employee for the correct form and this delays the retirement case. Thanks!
Added November 17, 2000
DoD Legislation - Pub. L. 106-398
Pub. L. 106-398, enacted 10/30/00, allows certain DoD employees who have waived FEGLI to elect Basic insurance without having a physical. This applies to employees who are designated emergency essential employees under section 1580 of title 10.
These employees may elect Basic insurance within 60 days after being designated emergency essential. Employees who were already designated emergency essential at the time of enactment have 60 days from the date of enactment.
This applies to Basic insurance only. These employees may not elect Optional insurance under Pub. L. 106-398.
Added November 17, 2000
AD&D Benefits Exclusion for DWI
Effective November 1, 2000, we added an item to the existing list of exclusions from payment of accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) benefits. This addition puts in writing what the Program has followed in the past — AD&D benefits are not payable for a death or loss of limb caused by the insured driving while intoxicated (as defined by the jurisdiction in which the insured was driving).
Added October 30, 2000
Draft Revised FEGLI Regulations Published for Comment
OPM is proposing a complete rewrite of the FEGLI regulations. We are changing the format of the regulations and using plain language to make the regulations easier to understand. We are writing most of the sections in question and answer format, using tables, and addressing the regulations to the intended reader (usually the insured or eligible individual). We are also proposing some miscellaneous changes, clarifications, and corrections. OPM must receive comments on or before December 26, 2000. [PDF Version (301K File)] [Text Version (171K File)]
Added October 27, 2000
Designation of Beneficiary Reminders Added
A new page has been added to the OPM web site reminding employees to keep their Designations of Beneficiary current. This information has also been added to the FEGLI Home Page. This is important information that we need to remind Federal employees about at every chance we get. We recommend that you add links from your employee web site(s) to the new designations page (http://www.opm.gov/insure/archive/designations), and include this information in your employee publications.
Added October 20, 2000
Fall Festival of Training
The Fall Festival of Training, November 28 to December 1, will offer an array of 1 and 2 day workshops to help you increase your knowledge of the Federal benefits programs and to improve your counseling skills. If you are responsible for administering benefits in your agency or providing counseling to employees about their benefits, you don't want to miss out on these informative workshops. Register early. Last year registration closed in October.
Added September 11, 2000
SF 2821 Now Available as PDF Form
The May 1995 version of the Standard Form 2821, Agency Certification of Insurance Status, is now available as a screen-fillable Adobe Acrobat PDF file. The Postal Service graciously provided us with this file.
Added September 18, 2000
Back to Basics!!
We're receiving an increasing number of phone calls from recent retirees who are very confused about their life insurance and what happens when they turn age 65. Some cancelled all insurance at retirement and now think they can get it back again. With all the recent changes to the FEGLI Program, it's easy to forget about the basics - the three choices for post-65 reduction of Basic insurance, the automatic reduction of Option A insurance, etc.
HELP!! Can you please help by doing your best to counsel your retiring employees about their life insurance choices? Encourage them to read the retirement pamphlet on life insurance, RI 76-12. For further details, refer them to the chapter on retirement in the FEGLI Handbook.
THANKS!! With your help, we can all serve our customers better.
Added July 11, 2000
Reminder — Premium Increase for Enrollees Age 65 and Over
Option C premiums for enrollees age 65 and over increased, with new age bands, on the first pay period that began on or after April 24, 2000. The new age bands and rates are:
| | Biweekly | Monthly |
|---|
| Ages 60 through 64: |
$2.60 per multiple * |
$5.63 per multiple * |
| Ages 65 through 69: |
$3:00 per multiple |
$6.50 per multiple |
| Ages 70 and over: |
$3.40 per multiple |
$7.37 per multiple |
* The rates for those aged 60 to 64 are not changing.
Added July 7, 2000
Two FEGLI Publications Available by GPO Rider Requisition
Benefits Administration Letter 00-109 of June 30, 2000, announced the availability of bulk supplies of two FEGLI publications — RI 76-10, Assignment of FEGLI Insurance (April 2000) and RI 76-12, Information for Civil Service Retirees About the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program (May 2000). Previous editions of these publications are not usable. Requisitions are due by August 31, 2000. BAL 00-109: PDF File (50K File)
Added July 6, 2000
FEHB Human Resources Personnel Page Now Available
As a part of an extensive overhaul of our Federal Employee Health Benefits web pages, we have added a Human Resources Personnel page to that site which includes information of interest to agency personnel on that program.
Added June 30, 2000
Revised Version of Standard Form 2817, Life Insurance Election, Now Available
A revised version of Standard Form 2817, dated June 2000, is now available for downloading as a fillable Adobe Acrobat PDF file or a FormFlow file. The April 1999 edition of this form may continue to be used, but all earlier versions are obsolete. The hard-copy version of this form is not yet available from the General Services Administration. We will issue a Benefits Administration Letter announcing its availability when it is available.
Updated June 28, 2000
Revised Version of Form RI 76-10, Life Insurance Assignment, Now Available
A revised version of Form RI 76-10, Life Insurance Assignment Form, is now available for downloading as either a fillable Adobe Acrobat PDF file or a FormFlow file. Benefits Administration Letter 00-212 of June 13, 2000, announced this revised form. [PDF Version] [Accessible Web Page Version]
Updated July 6, 2000
New Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Web Site
We're expecting to have long-term care insurance as part of the Federal benefits package very soon. Our new Long-Term Care pages contain the most current information on the pending legislation.
Added June 8, 2000
You Can Now Search the OPM Insurance Web Pages
A search engine has been added to the OPM web site. You can confine your search to the insurance pages only, or search the entire web site.
Added June 5, 2000
Two New FEGLI '99 Enrollment Q&A's
Two questions have been added to our questions and answers on processing FEGLI '99 enrollments.
Added May 30, 2000
New Version of Retiree Pamphlet Posted
An updated version of pamphlet RI 76-12, Information for Retirees and Their Families: Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance, dated May 2000, has been posted. This pamphlet is available as web pages and as a downloadable Adobe Acrobat PDF file.
Added May 26, 2000
FAQs Available as PDF File
Our new FEGLI FAQs for Employees are now available as a single Adobe Acrobat PDF file for your convenience in printing out the entire set of questions and answers.
Processing FEGLI '99 Enrollments
The FEGLI '99 Open Enrollment Period (Open Season) ended June 30,
1999. FEGLI '99 elections are effective the first pay period beginning
on or after April 23, 2000, which follows a pay period during which the
employee was in pay and duty status for the required amount of time.
You may have some employees who turned in an RI 76-27, FEGLI '99
Open Enrollment Election Form on or before June 30, 1999, and then
later submitted a Request for Insurance (SF 2822) or Life
Insurance Election (SF 2817), to decrease coverage or to enroll or
increase coverage based on a physical or a life event.
Therefore, when you process your RI 76-27 forms, it is extremely
important that you find out what coverage the employee wants and
qualifies to have.
You must contact ALL employees who made a FEGLI '99 election AND
who submitted an SF 2817 or SF 2822 since June 30, 1999.
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