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A qualifying life event (QLE) is a term defined by OPM to describe events deemed acceptable by the IRS that may allow participants in cafeteria plans (including premium conversion) to change their participation election for premium conversion outside of an open season.
With two exceptions, the rules for changing FEHB enrollment outside of Open Season do not change. Most of the time, people make changes to their FEHB enrollment on account of and consistent with a qualifying life event. The opportunities for you to enroll or change enrollment described in
5 CFR Part 890, and described in the
FEHB Employee Health Benefits Election Form (SF 2809) will continue to be allowed under premium conversion except:
- you may not cancel your enrollment at any time
- you may not change from Self and Family to Self Only at any time.
You will still be allowed to make these changes to your enrollment if the change is on account of and consistent with a qualifying life event.
The IRS has additional events that will allow you to change your participation (election) in premium conversion. Read on for more information.
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You must apply within 60 days of:
- the date your marriage ended, or
- the date the employing office notified you that your qualifying court order (or your former spouse's election) entitled you to coverage, whichever is later.
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When you file a disputed claim, you give OPM permission to review any information related to that claim, including medical information your FEHB plan used to make its initial determination as well as medical information you submitted to your FEHB plan or directly to us to support your claim. Information from your plan is provided to OPM so that we may make a determination on benefits.
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Eligible individuals will be able to enroll during the annual Open Season or after a
Qualifying Life Event (QLE) that permits enrollment outside of Open Season.
You must enroll through BENEFEDS at
www.BENEFEDS.com. Those without access to a computer can enroll by telephone at 1-877-888-FEDS (3337), TTY 1-877-889-5680. Should you have any enrollment questions, please contact BENEFEDS at
www.BENEFEDS.com or 1-877-888-FEDS (3337), TTY 1-877-889-5680.
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During the annual Open Season, OPM sends Open Season material to all those enrolled in the FEHBP plus those who have suspended their enrollments to enroll in a Medicare-sponsored plan approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), formerly the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and to enroll in TRICARE.
- OPM provides Open Season Express, an operator supported toll-free telephone service for retirees to call to request brochures, health benefits satisfaction surveys, and make enrollment changes using telephone technology. The phone number is 1 (800) 332-9798.
- OPM also provides an interactive Open Season website at retireefehb.opm.gov/.
- There are other events that allow retirees or their survivors to make enrollment changes -- such as a move out of the service area of an HMO, enrollment in Medicare, or a change in marital status. These events are given in the FEHB Handbook. During the year, annuitants should call OPM on the toll-free number 1-888-767-6738, TDD for the hearing impaired 1-800-878-5707, or send email to retire@opm.gov. Annuitants in the Washington DC local calling area should dial (202) 606-0500, or (202) 606-0551 for the hearing impaired.
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If your agency does not pay your premiums, you must pay the employee's share of the premium during the first 12 months of coverage (just as any other employee on leave without pay). You must pay both the employee and government shares, plus an administrative charge of 2 percent of the total premium, for up to 12 additional months that you continue your coverage while on military duty.
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Federal and U.S. Postal Service employees eligible for FEHB coverage (whether or not enrolled) and annuitants/survivor annuitants/compensationers (regardless of FEHB eligibility) are eligible to enroll.
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There are no exclusions or waiting periods for pre-existing conditions in any plan in the FEHB Program. This is also true after you retire.
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The formulary for your health plan provides a list of medications that a team of health care specialists have approved. Your doctor will write a prescription based on your medical needs, but the formulary provides him with recommendations from the pharmacist and physician team.
An effective formulary system provides a medication safety feature. When drugs and administration methods are systematically included (or deleted) in a controlled drug formulary, there are a number of benefits. For instance, each new drug added undergoes a peer review process that uncovers any safety concerns with the drug. Also, when drugs are systematically added to the formulary, there is adequate time to educate the staff before the drug is used. An organized formulary also ensures that the number and variety of drugs is kept to an effective minimum. There are approximately 13,000 prescription drugs on the market today and several drugs can often be used to treat the same condition. A formulary, based on safety and cost considerations, helps to limit the drugs recommended by your plan's health care professionals.
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No. By law, annuitants are not eligible for FSAFEDS. For more information, please refer to the FSAFEDS
Summary of Benefits.
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The Privacy Rule permits OPM to impose reasonable, cost-based fees. The fee may include only the cost of copying (including supplies and labor) and postage, if you request that the copy be mailed. We expect to charge an amount similar to that used for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
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No. Your agency can postpone automatic reinstatement of your FEHB until your transitional TRICARE ends if you sign a Waiver of Immediate Reinstatement of FEHB, which is available through your Human Resources Office.
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Yes. The amount of your FEGLI automatically increases when your salary goes up, whenever your annual pay is increased by an amount sufficient to raise the pay to the next $1,000 bracket.
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Most health maintenance organizations (HMO) restrict enrollment to an area where its doctors and hospitals are accessible. Although some HMOs do not have restrictions on where you live or work, please recognize that if you later find it is inconvenient to get to a plan provider, you may have to wait until the next Open Season to change plans.
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Yes, if you experience one of the following Qualifying Life Events: You are enrolled in a FEHB Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and you (or a covered family member) move or become employed outside the geographic area from which your FEHB carrier accepts enrollments; (or, if already outside this area, you move further from this area); You lose coverage due to discontinuance in whole or part of your FEHB plan; You experience a change in your family status. (Family status changes include marriage, legal separation, divorce, death of spouse or dependent, loss of coverage by your last dependent child.)
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No, none of the plans offer both.
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FedFlex, The Federal Flexible Benefits Plan , is the name of OPM's cafeteria plan. In order to offer pre-tax benefits, OPM was required to create a plan document in accordance with IRS regulations that outlines the benefits and employee choices under that plan.
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While you may count the time you are covered under transitional TRICARE toward meeting the 5 year/initial opportunity requirement to continue your FEHB into retirement, you must be covered under FEHB on the day you retire. If you plan to retire during your transitional TRICARE period, you must reinstate your FEHB before your retirement date. Your Human Resources Office can assist you.
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If you die, the Waiver of Immediate Reinstatement of FEHB automatically terminates. If you postponed reinstatement of a Self and Family enrollment, and your survivors are eligible for a survivor annuity, their FEHB coverage will begin the day after your death.
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You can enroll in any of the nationwide dental and/or vision plans. These plans provide benefits for services received outside of the United States.
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