November 2012 - Benefits Newsletter
What's New?
1. Benefits Calendar Of Events
2. The Federal Benefits Open Season Is Here!
3. The 2013 Limit Increases For The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)!
Topics Of Interest:
4. Where Can I Find Answers To Frequently Asked Medicare Questions?
5. Annual Leave – Use It Or Donate It!
6. What Is The Difference Between A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) And A Health Savings Account (HSA)?
7. Review Your Leave And Earnings Statement (LES) Each Pay Day To Ensure Accuracy! It’s Important!
8. Employment And Income Verification – Use TALX – The Work Number®
9. Why Do I Need A myPay PIN And How Can I Get One?
10. Where Can I Find Information On Pay And Leave?
Where Do I Go If I Have Questions About My Benefits?
11. How Can I Get In Touch With My Benefits Contact?
12. Previous NIH Benefits Information - Did You Know? E-mails
What's New?
1. Benefits Calendar of Events
2. The Federal Benefits Open Season Is Here!
Did you know that the Open Season happens only once a year? Unless you experience a Qualifying Life Event during the year, the Open Season is your only opportunity to enroll, cancel your enrollment, or make a change to your enrollment for the participating programs. Now is the time to review and update your benefits, if needed. Don’t miss out on this important opportunity! The following three programs are participating in this year’s Open Season for the 2013 plan year: 1) Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program; 2) Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP); and 3) Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Program. The open season began on November 12, 2012, and runs through December 10, 2012. You should read the Open Season Announcement thoroughly for important information pertaining to each program. Please note that there are a number of significant changes affecting several of the FEHB plans, so it is very important that you pay close attention to the FEHB announcement.
The new 2013 plan rates 
(OPM) and the 2013 plan brochures (OPM) for the FEHB Program are now available on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. Additionally, the 2013 dental (OPM) and vision (OPM) rates for FEDVIP are available, as well as the 2013 dental (OPM) and vision (OPM) plan brochures. FEHB and FEDVIP enrollments will automatically continue into 2013, if no action is taken. However, FSA enrollments do not automatically continue into the new year.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will be hosting informational webcasts (OPM) for the 2012 Federal Benefits Open Season. In these webcasts, they explain the basics of Open Season and the benefit programs involved. For information on times, dates, and accessing the webcasts, visit the OPM website (OPM).
3. The 2013 Limit Increases For The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)!
The 2013 IRS annual limit for regular TSP contributions will increase to $17,500. If you are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), you could lose valuable matching Agency TSP contributions by reaching the limit before the end of the calendar year. If you want equal payments deducted over the calendar year for 26 pay periods, you should contribute $674 each pay period. If you are currently contributing a lesser or higher amount, but want equal payments withheld over the course of the year that will equate to $17,500, you must enter your election of $674 in myPay (DFAS). If you expect to enter your myPay (DFAS) election for 2013 between December 2-15*, 2012, your election will be effective on December 16, the first pay period for 2013. If your election is entered after December 15, you will need to adjust your election amount. To determine the adjusted amount, use the Elective Deferral Calculator on the TSP website . If you have additional questions, refer them to your Benefits Contact. (*It is recommended that you enter your election by December 14, if you want to ensure an effective date of December 16.)
The 2013 IRS limit for TSP Catch-up contributions remains at $5,500. Check out our December newsletter for information on making TSP Catch-up contributions.
Topics Of Interest:
4. Where Can I Find Answers To Frequently Asked Medicare Questions?
The official U.S. Government Medicare & You 
Handbook provides information on what’s new and what Medicare covers. To find important information on enrollment periods, review the “Understanding Medicare Enrollment Periods” Tip Sheet . You can also view answers to Medicare FAQs on the Medicare website .
5. Annual Leave - Use It Or Donate It!
The 2012 leave year ends on January 12, 2013. Use or lose annual leave must be officially scheduled with your supervisor no later than December 1, 2012, and used no later than January 12, 2013. For most employees, a maximum of 240 hours may be carried over from one leave year to the next; however, those employees in the Senior Executive Service have a maximum of 720 hours that may be carried over from one leave year to the next.
Every year approximately 100,000 “Use or Lose” annual leave hours are forfeited at the NIH. Don’t let your leave disappear! If you don’t plan to use it, donate it to the NIH Leave Bank or a Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP) recipient to help your fellow NIHers continue to receive paychecks while experiencing a medical emergency. Donations can be made quickly through the Integrated Time and Attendance System (ITAS). Please utilize the “Donate Leave” function in ITAS and donate to the Leave Bank or an approved VLTP recipient.
For information about the Leave Bank program, visit the NIH Leave Bank website or contact the NIH Leave Bank Office at (301) 443-8393 or leavebank@od.nih.gov. For information about VLTP, contact your IC VLTP Coordinator or visit the VLTP website.
Remember to use it or donate it…but don’t lose it.
6. What Is The Difference Between A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) And A Health Savings Account (HSA)?
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is an employee benefit that allows you to set aside money, on a pre-tax basis, for certain health care and dependent care expenses. There are three types of FSA accounts: 1) Health Care FSA (HCFSA) ; 2) Limited Expense Health Care FSA (LEX HCFSA) ; and 3) Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA) . If you wish to enroll in an FSA for the 2013 plan year, you must make your annual election during the Federal Benefits Open Season on the FSAFEDS website . You may also enroll by calling 877-372-3337 (TTY: 1-800-952-0450). Your election amount is divided into allotments based on the number of pay dates in the plan year. Every pay date, an allotment is deposited directly into your FSA account. Expenses on your account for the 2013 plan year must be incurred by March 15, 2014, and your claims must be faxed or postmarked no later than April 30, 2014; otherwise, your unused balance is forfeited.
A Health Savings Account (HSA) (OPM) is an investment account available only to members who enroll in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program (OPM). Your HDHP credits a portion of your premium to the HSA. You also have the option to make pre-tax contributions to the account. The funds in your HSA can be used to pay for your plan deductible and/or qualified medical expenses that do not count towards your deductible. These accounts earn interest and roll over any remaining balance from year to year. The funds are yours to keep whether you change plans, leave Federal service, or retire. Withdrawals can also be used for non-medical expenses. However, if you are under age 65, you will be subject to a 20% penalty in addition to any other income taxes you may owe on the withdrawn funds.
Important Note: You cannot have both a HCFSA and an HSA.
7. Review Your Leave And Earnings Statement (LES) Each Pay Day To Ensure Accuracy! It’s Important!
It is very important and your responsibility to review your LES each payday to ensure that proper deductions are being withheld. You can access your LES at any time in myPay (DFAS). Should you discover a benefits withholding problem, notify your Benefits Contact immediately. For other withholding problems, contact your timekeeper or Administrative Officer for assistance. Your LES is available in myPay for only the past 26 pay periods. Once your LES has been removed through normal pay period updates, it cannot be regenerated. We recommend that you print or save the printer friendly version of your LES to a file or disk. This is very important should an audit become necessary.
If you want the added convenience of receiving an e-mail notification each pay period when your LES is available in myPay (DFAS), you only need to follow a few simple steps. First, you need to access your account in myPay (DFAS). Once in myPay, select E-mail Address. You must enter your Secure Personal E-mail Address twice and click on the primary button. Finally, click on accept/submit. You will be asked to confirm your information. That’s all it takes! Each pay period you will receive an e-mail informing you once your LES is available.
8. Employment And Income Verification – Use TALX – The Work Number®
The Work Number®, is an automated system that provides proof of employment and income to verifiers. TALX is widely known and used by over 50,000 entities including most major financial institutions, mortgage lenders, leasing companies, and private corporations to verify employment and income status of employees. The system provides a secure way for verifiers to obtain your employment information and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Before your information can be released to a verifier, you must give your authorization. NIH employees can use TALX The Work Number® in two easy steps:
- Authorize the verification by completing the verifier’s (lender, bank, etc.) authorization form.
- Provide the verifier with:
- TALX –The Work Number® access options - www.theworknumber.com or 1-800-367-5690
- HHS Employer Code: 14775
- Salary Key (if needed) (A salary key is a six digit electronic signature created by the employee that is good for a one time use by a verifier)
9. Why Do I Need A myPay PIN And How Can I Get One?
It is very important to have access to your myPay (DFAS) account so that you can view your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) each pay day to verify that the correct deductions are being withheld and that your leave balances on your LES match the balances in ITAS. You must also use myPay to make changes to your home address, TSP contributions, direct deposit of pay, allotments, Federal tax withholdings, and Open Season health benefits elections. Additionally, some state tax withholdings must be made via myPay (DFAS). If you move to or from Maryland, you must complete a state tax form for your new state and submit it to the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch (Bldg 31/Rm B3C23) for processing. However, for movement between other states and/or the District, you must use myPay (DFAS).
To access the system, you will need your Login and Password. If you have forgotten your Login or Password, click the “Forgot Your Login ID?” or “Forgot or Need a Password?” link on the left side of the myPay (DFAS) screen. Using this method, your Password can be e-mailed to you if you pre-registered your e-mail address, or it can be mailed to your current home address of record within 7 to 10 business days.
A second option for requesting a Password is to send a fax to 216-367-3549. You will need to include in your request your name, SSN, a daytime phone number, a copy of your NIH ID Card, and you must sign the fax. Upon receiving your fax, the Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS) will reset your Password using a temporary Password. Your temporary Password will be 8 numbers, the last 4 numbers of your SSN twice. You will not receive a notice from DFAS that your Password has been reset. Simply wait at least two business days before logging into myPay (DFAS) to use your temporary Password. Upon logging in, you will be prompted to reset your Password. Information pertaining to establishing an acceptable Login and Password can be obtained at myPay FAQs (DFAS).
If you encounter problems with your Login and/or Password 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 6:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. They can provide assistance on how to use the options available to you in myPay. They will also provide support for establishing and changing your Login and/or Password.
10. Where Can I Find Information On Pay And Leave?
You can find a wealth of pay and leave information on our website. Additionally, you can find information on the most frequently asked payroll questions.
Where Do I Go If I Have Questions About My Benefits?
11. 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) website has an abundance of information regarding your Federal benefits. Don’t forget to check out the Benefits FAQs section.
Human resource topics not related to your benefits are normally handled by your Client Services Division HR Representative .
12. Previous "NIH Benefits Information - Did You Know?"
