If the death affects the status of your Self and Family enrollment (i.e. your enrollment needs to change from Self and Family to Self Only because there are no eligible family members left on your enrollment) and you are an employee, contact the Human Resources Office of your employing agency. If you are a retiree, contact your retirement system.
You do not need to report to your employing office any change in the number of family members that doesn't affect your health benefits enrollment (i.e. you do not need to change from a Self and Family enrollment to a Self Only enrollment. However, your FEHB plan may request information, including evidence of family relationship.
If you have him/her listed as your "One" under a Self Plus One enrollment or under your Self and Family enrollment, you should remove him or her from your FEDVIP enrollment through your BENEFEDS account at www.BENEFEDS.com as soon as possible.
If the death means your coverage should now be a Self Only or Self Plus One enrollment, you can decrease your enrollment type from 31 days before to 60 days after the death as a Qualifying Life Event at www.BENEFEDS.com. Don't miss these dates, or you will have to wait until the next Federal Benefits Open Season to make the change and may be paying a higher premium for coverage you cannot use.
If you do not have access to a computer, call BENEFEDS at 1-877-888-FEDS (3337), TTY 1-877-889-5680.
If you experience the death of a family member, you may file a claim for benefits if you have Family Option-C and the deceased individual is either a spouse or eligible dependent child. Please refer to the FEGLI Handbook for more information.
An employee who experiences a FEGLI qualifying life event, including death of a spouse, has 60 days from the date of the event to elect Basic, plus any or all Optional insurance: Option A, Option B (up to the maximum of 5 multiples with no restrictions), and Option C (up to the maximum with no restrictions). Each Option C multiple equals $5,000 in coverage for a spouse and $2,500 for each eligible dependent child.
You may be able to enroll in an FSAFEDS health care flexible spending account and/or dependent care account or change your current election(s) from 31 days before the event to 60 days after the event (if your agency participates in FSAFEDS). For the health care account, you must also be eligible to enroll in the FEHB Program. Your requested change must be consistent with the event and you cannot enroll or increase your election(s) after October first (you would have to wait until Open Season).
Go to www.FSAFEDS.com and click on “Qualifying Life Event”
or call FSAFEDS at 1-877-FSAFEDS (372-3337), TTY: 1-800-952-0450 to discuss possible options.
FLTCIP coverage is individual (there is no “Self and Family” enrollment). The death of a family member does not affect your coverage or premiums.