Soon feds may be able to file health insurance claims online

A new initiative from the Biden administration aims to quell a varied series of consumer “headaches” by reducing their extraneous time and processes, including for federal employees trying to file health insurance claims.

Detailed in a memo Monday, the “Time Is Money” initiative would touch upon processes across multiple industries that the White House deemed deliberate, time-consuming and burdensome for consumers, such as procuring refunds, canceling subscriptions and filing insurance claims. 

“These hassles don’t just happen by accident. Companies often deliberately design their business processes to be time-consuming or otherwise burdensome for consumers, in order to deter them from getting a rebate or refund they are due or canceling a subscription or membership they no longer want—all with the goal of maximizing profits,” the memo said.

“In addition to robbing hardworking families of their valuable time and adding frustration to our daily lives, these hassles cost us money. When, after endless hours on hold or piles of incomprehensible paperwork, we give up pursuing a service, rebate or refund we’re due, we take a hit to our pocketbooks, and companies profit.”

The memo also outlined plans by the Office of Personnel Management to make it easier for employees on the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits plans to submit out-of-network claims online, would provide them with better information about which providers are in-network and how to appeal claim denials. 

The proposed OPM requirements are part of a larger proposal within the initiative that would focus on streamlining the insurance claims process, with the Labor and Health and Human Services secretaries calling on insurance carriers to simplify their claims process and move it online, while also improving information access and call center times.  

The FEHBP and recently established PSHB cover a combined 8 million beneficiaries through multiple insurance carriers spanning across the nation. 

The PSHB will take effect on Jan. 1 after previously serving as part of the FEHBP until the postal health care exchange could be stood up under the terms of the 2022 Postal Service Reform Act. 

OPM officials were unable to respond by press time to questions about how and when the requirements will be rolled out. 

The “Time Is Money” initiative will also direct federal agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Transportation and Education departments to draft rules to simplify practices, such as canceling subscriptions, requiring cash refunds for canceled airline flights, more easily reach customer service representatives, ensure better parent communication with schools, crackdown on faulty customer service chatbots and other issues. 

The White House also opened a portal to solicit the public for insights into what other areas that “Time Is Money” initiative can affect change.