OPM expands benefits for feds affected by Sandy

The Office of Personnel Management will provide federal employees and retirees affected by Hurricane Sandy eligibility for special health and medical benefits, according to The Washington Post.

The Post said OPM would ease certain restrictions on fee-for-service insurance plans under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, including deadlines for notifying the provider of emergency hospital visits and out-of-network medical treatment.

OPM also will expedite processes for death benefit claims for the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance program, temporarily waiving the death certificate requirement, the paper said. Current and former feds enrolled in the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program in hard hit areas will not have to worry about canceled coverage because of missed payments, according to the Post.

Along with these measures, the Post said OPM had established a special hot line for beneficiaries affected by the storm. Additionally, OPM was directing retired feds and survivors who had not received paper checks via mail to the website of the U.S Postal Service for further information, according to the Post.

Earlier this week OPM Director John Berry announced a special solicitation for the victims of Hurricane Sandy to help fundraise for disaster relief.