It's that time of the year again-and we're not talking about stuffing the turkey and buying holiday gifts.
The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) open season begins next Monday, Nov. 9 and lasts through Dec. 14. During the open season, federal employees may enroll in a health insurance plan if eligible, change plans or options, or change their insurance from covering themselves to covering other family members as well. (Employees may change from self and family coverage to self only or disenroll at any time.)
If employees do not want to change their present health insurance coverage, no action is necessary. Open season changes are effective the first day of the first full pay period that begins in January 1999.
Employees should keep in mind that a number of health plans will withdraw from the FEHBP after Dec. 31. In 1998, 350 health plans offered insurance under FEHBP. In 1999, only 285 plans will participate in the program. If an employee's current plan will not be in FEHBP in 1999, he or she must elect new coverage during this open season. If such employees do not elect new coverage or cancel FEHBP coverage, they will be automatically enrolled in FEHBP's standard option, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan.
The Office of Personnel Management's 1999 FEHBP Web site is a useful source for obtaining information on choosing a health plan.
On the Web site, users can review health plans by state, download FEHBP guides and brochures and use an interactive tool to help narrow plan choices. The site also includes information on what to consider when choosing a plan, how the new Patients' Bill of Rights affects federal employees' health coverage and how to report health insurance fraud.
Employees may make changes to their current health insurance plan by contacting their human resources department or by calling Open Season Express at 1-800-332-9798. OPM has also introduced a new Web site called Open Season Online that allows retirees to complete most of their open season transactions over the Internet.
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