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Extended Enrollment for 2008 FEHB Open Season
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Extended Enrollment for 2008 FEHB Open Season
December 8, 2008
SPECIAL UPDATE: December 16,
2008 - OPM releases FAQs for Belated Enrollment in 2009 FEHB Open
Season. Click
here
According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the
agency is taking steps to provide additional protections for federal
employees participating in the FEHB Program who have non-emergency surgeries
performed by out-of-network physicians.
The agency has asked FEHB carriers to re-evaluate their benefits for
non-emergency surgeries.
OPM states they are taking this action in response to concerns over a change
in coverage in the Blue Cross Blue Shield out-of-network reimbursement that
would have established a $7,500 co-pay for out-of-network surgeries. OPM stated
they negotiated this change to address situations where enrollees could be
billed tens of thousands of dollars for non-emergency surgeries performed by
out-of-network providers, a practice known as balance billing.
What This Means To You
According to OPM, federal employees may make belated Open Season enrollment
changes to their FEHB Program, Federal Employees Dental and Vision
Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program
(FSAFEDS) if FEHB benefit changes affect their enrollment decisions in
these programs. Employees will have an extended enrollment opportunity
through January 2009 to make any enrollment changes in these programs.
Also, if employees make a belated Open Season change to their enrollment, the
effective dates of the belated change will vary among the programs. Depending on
the timing of the change and the employee's pay periods, it may take one or
more pay periods for the federal benefits deductions/allotments to be
adjusted to match the new election.
Emlpoyees need to know that if they make a belated Open Season
change and if they have claims for services incurred in 2009 under their
former plan, they and/or their provider may be responsible for
reimbursing the former plan for any benefits paid.
Effective Dates
OPM states that belated FEHB changes will take effect the first day of the
pay period that starts on or after January 1, 2009. Belated FEDVIP changes will
take effect January 1, 2009. Belated FSAFEDS changes will take effect on January
1, 2009, or the day after the change is received, whichever is later.
Source: http://www.chcoc.gov/Transmittals/TransmittalDetails.aspx?TransmittalId=1776
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