Human Resources

Belated Open Season Enrollment Opportunity for Federal Employees Health Benefits, Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, and Flexible Spending Accounts

If this notice does not affect you, there is no need to take action.

Background

Each year, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) works with Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) carriers to strike a balance of protection against catastrophic events without shifting a high-premium burden to enrollees. OPM is taking steps to provide addi­tional protections for employees participating in the FEHB program who have non-emergency surgeries performed by out-of-network physicians. They have asked FEHB carriers to re-evaluate their benefits for non-emergency surgeries, and they will communicate any benefit changes to you.

OPM is taking 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. 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

You may make belated Open Season enrollment changes to FEHB, the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) if FEHB benefit changes affect your enrollment decisions in these programs. You will have an extended enrollment opportunity through January 2009 to make any enrollment changes in these programs. Please note that if you do not make an FEHB election or a FEDVIP election, any coverage you currently have will continue for 2009. If you do not make an FSA election, you will not be enrolled in FSA for 2009.

  • FEDVIP belated enrollments can be made via www.BENEFEDS.com through December 31, 2008, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Employees may con­tinue to access www.BENEFEDS.com through January 2009 to obtain plan information and may communicate belated enrollment requests via the secure e-mail offered on the website. Employees without access to the Internet, and employees who wish to make a belated enrollment after December 31, 2008, 11:59 p.m. ET, may call 877–888-FEDS (877-888-3337). Employees who are deaf or hard of hearing may place a TTY call to 877–889-5680.
  • FEHB belated enrollments can be made through PostalEASE until January 4, 2009, 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT). After that date, and until January 31, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. CT, FEHB belated enrollments may be made as described below.
  • FSA belated enrollments can be made through PostalEASE until December 28, 2008, 5:00 p.m. CT. After that date, and until January 31, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. CT, FSA belated enrollments may be made as described below.

For FEHB and FSA elections made by the above PostalEASE deadlines, the easiest way to use PostalEASE is to use the Web — access the system in any of these ways:

To use the telephone, call the Employee Service Line at 877-477-3273, and select option 1.

After the PostalEASE cut-off dates referenced above, PostalEASE FEHB and FSA worksheets must be mailed to the H.R. Shared Service Center, P.O. Box 970400, Greensboro, NC 27497-0400. PostalEASE FEHB and FSA worksheets may also be sent to the HRSSC via fax at 651–994-3543. FEHB and FSA worksheets for belated election enrollment requests postmarked after January 31, 2009, or faxed on that date after 5:00 p.m. CT will be returned to employees unprocessed.

The PostalEASE FEHB worksheet is included in the 2009 Guide to Benefits, and the PostalEASE FSA worksheet is included in the FSA brochure; both of these were mailed to employees at their addresses of record in November. You may also find a copy of either worksheet on the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov and on the Intranet at http://blue.usps.gov. Click Open Season Benefits Election Extended Deadlines! to find the worksheets.

Belated Enrollment Effective Dates

If you make a belated Open Season change to your enrollment in FEHB, FSA, or FEDVIP, the effective dates of the belated enrollment will vary among the pro­grams. Depending on the timing of your change, it may take one or more pay periods for your deductions and/or allotments to be adjusted to match your new election.

FEHB and FEDVIP Belated Enrollment Effective Dates

Belated FEHB enrollments will take effect on January 3, 2009, for enrollments made by the belated enrollment deadline. Belated FEDVIP enrollments will take effect January 1, 2009, for enrollments made by the belated enrollment deadline.

Note: Depending on the timing of your enrollment/change, it may take one or more pay periods for your new FEHB and/or FEDVIP plans to know about your enrollment so that you can receive services/payment of claims. Also, depending on the timing of your enrollment/change, you may owe retroactive premiums for FEHB or FEDVIP. Retro­active premiums for FEHB will be deducted from your pay, and for most employees the premiums will be paid on a pre-tax basis. For employees who are making their first election of a FEDVIP dental or vision plan through the belated enrollment opportunity (and not for employees who are making a change to their plan election), OPM has advised that retroactive premiums cannot be paid on a pre-tax basis. If you owe retroactive premiums and you receive a direct bill in the mail from BENEFEDS, you must pay the direct bill. If you do not, your FEDVIP coverage will be can­celled.

If you make a belated FEHB or FEDVIP Open Season change and you have claims for services incurred in 2009 under your former plan, you and/or your provider may be responsible for reimbursing the former plan for any benefits paid. If you have elected a new plan, that plan may consider your claims for the retroactive period of cov­erage, depending on the plan provisions, although this may require that you and/or your provider resubmit the claims to the new plan.

Belated FSA Enrollment Effective Dates

FSA open season enrollments will take effect on January 1, 2009, if they are made in PostalEASE or received by the HRSSC by December 28, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. CT. Elections made after this deadline until the deadline for belated FSA enrollments will not be effective January 1, 2009.

As a reminder, you cannot seek reimbursement from the 2009 FSA for the expenses of service or items received before the effective date of your participation. Furthermore, the maximum and minimum amounts you may elect through a belated FSA enrollment will be pro­rated. The key information is summarized in the following table.

 

 

Date and Time Open Season Enrollment Is Processed in PostalEASE or Belated Enrollment Is Received by HR Shared Service Center

Effective Date of FSA Participation and First Date to Receive Services or Items That Can Be Reimbursed From the 2009 FSA

Maximum FSA Contribution Amount

FSA Open Season enrollment by Dec. 28, 2008, 5:00 p.m. CT

Jan. 1, 2009

$5,000

Belated enrollment from Dec. 28, 2008, 5:01 p.m. through Jan. 2, 11:59 p.m. CT

Jan. 3, 2009

$4,807

Belated enrollment from Jan. 3, 2009, 12:01 a.m. through Jan. 16, 2009, 11:59 p.m. CT

Jan. 17, 2009

$4,615

Belated enrollment from Jan. 17, 2009, 12:01 a.m. through January 30, 11:59 p.m. CT

Jan. 31, 2009

$4,423

Belated enrollment from Jan. 31, 2009, 12:01 a.m. through Jan. 31, 5:00 p.m. CT

Feb. 14, 2009

$4,230

Process for Belated Enrollments Submitted to the HR Shared Service Center With Amounts That are Higher Than the Maximum Permitted FSA Contribution Amount

For this belated enrollment period only, if an employee submits an election to the HR Shared Service Center with an FSA contribution that is higher than the maximum per­mitted contribution amount for the effective pay period as shown in the table above, the HR Shared Service Center will automatically process the election for the highest pos­sible permitted contribution amount.

FSA Rule for Employees Who Elect an Increased Health Care FSA Contribution Amount

There is an FSA rule that will apply to employees who make a Health Care FSA election and then subsequently elect an increased Health Care FSA contribution amount during the belated enrollment opportunity. (For example, an employee might change his or her FEHB enrollment during January 2009 and therefore wish to increase the Health Care FSA contribution amount he or she originally elected).

An employee who increases his or her Health Care FSA contribution amount can only be reimbursed up to the orig­inal contribution level for the expenses of eligible services or items received before the effective date of the increase. After that, the full increased amount is available. For exam­ple, an employee who elected $500 during FSA Open Sea­son and then made a belated election of $2,000 effective January 31, 2009, would be able to claim Health Care FSA amounts of up to $500 for services or items received from January 1 through the remainder of the 2009 Health Care FSA participation period. The increased amount of $2,000 would first be available for services or items received from January 31, 2009, through the remainder of the 2009 Health Care FSA participation period. In this example, if the employee had a $700 health care expense on January 10, 2009, only $500 could be reimbursed. Then, beginning January 31, 2009, the employee could receive services or items that could be reimbursed from the Health Care FSA for the additional $1,500.

FSA Rule for Employees Who Elect a Decreased FSA Contribution Amount

There is an FSA rule that will apply to employees who make an FSA election and then subsequently elect a decreased FSA contribution amount during the belated enrollment opportunity. (For example, an employee might change his or her FEHB enrollment during January 2009 and therefore wish to decrease the Health Care FSA contri­bution amount he or she originally elected.)

An employee may decrease his or her FSA contribution amount no lower than either the amount he or she has already contributed in 2009 (plus any contributions missed because of low pay or leave without pay), or the amount he or she has claimed, whichever is higher. The decreased contribution amount may be adjusted upward if needed to reflect claims that were in processing when the decreased amount was elected. For example, an employee who elected $5,000 during FSA Open Season and then makes a belated election effective January 31, 2009, would be able to decrease his or her contribution amount to approx­imately $577 (the amount already contributed over three pay periods) or the amount already claimed, whichever is higher. If the employee had already claimed $1,000 in eligi­ble expenses, then the employee could decrease the con­tribution amount to no less than $1,000.

Process for Employees Who Elect a Decreased FSA Election Amount Through Belated Enrollment That Is Lower Than the Minimum Permitted Contribution

For this belated enrollment period only, if an employee elects a decreased FSA election amount through belated enrollment and submits it to the HR Shared Service Center with an FSA contribution that is lower than the minimum permitted contribution amount as described in the preced­ing paragraph, the HR Shared Service Center will automat­ically process the election for the lowest possible permitted contribution amount.

More Information

Find program information for FEDVIP, FEHB, and FSA on the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov and on the Intra­net at http://blue.usps.gov. Click Open Season Benefits Election Extended Deadlines! For FEDVIP, go directly to www.BENEFEDS.com and use the secure e-mail on the website to contact a representative, or, if needed, call BENEFEDS at 877-888-FEDS (877-888-3337), TTY 877–889-5680. For FEHB and FSA, after you have reviewed the program information provided on LiteBlue and Blue, if you need further assistance, call the HR Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273, and select option 5, TTY 866–260-7507.

Annual Leave Exchange not Included

The belated enrollment opportunity for FEDVIP, FEHB, and FSA does not apply to the Annual Leave Exchange Open Season, which ended December 15, 2008, at 11:59 p.m. CT.

Publicity

Please post the bulletin board notices describing the FEHB, FEDVIP, and FSA belated enrollments found on pages 47, 51, and 53 through January 31, 2009.

Federal Employees Health Benefits

Open Season
November 10, 2008 to December 9, 2008

Belated enrollments are being accepted for FEHB
through January 31, 2009, 5:00 p.m. Central Time

Background

Each year, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) works with Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) carriers to strike a balance of protection against catastrophic events without shifting a high-premium burden to enrollees. OPM is taking steps to provide additional protections for employees participating in the FEHB program who have non-emergency surgeries performed by out-of-network physicians. They have asked FEHB carriers to re-evaluate their benefits for non-emergency surgeries and they will communicate any benefit changes to you.

OPM is taking 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. 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

You may make belated Open Season enrollment changes to your FEHB if benefit changes affect your enrollment decision in this program. You will have an extended enrollment opportunity through January 31, 2009, 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) to make any enrollment changes.

To use the telephone, call the Employee Service Line at 877-477-3273, and select option 1.

  • After January 4, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. CT, and until January 31, 2009, 5:00 p.m. CT, PostalEASE FEHB worksheets must be mailed to the H.R. Shared Service Center, P.O. Box 970400, Greensboro, NC 27497-0400, or sent to the HRSSC via fax at 651-994-3543. FEHB worksheets for belated enrollment requests postmarked after January 31, 2009, or faxed on that date after 5:00 p.m. CT will be returned to employees unprocessed.

The PostalEASE FEHB worksheet is included in the 2009 Guide to Benefits, which was mailed to employees at their addresses of record in November. You may also find a copy of the worksheet on the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov and on the Intranet at http://blue.usps.gov; click Open Season Benefits Election Extended Deadlines! then Health Benefits (FEHB).

Please Post on All Bulletin Boards Through January 31, 2009.

(page 1 of 2)

 

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Depending on the timing of your enrollment/change, it may take one or more pay periods for your new FEHB plan to know about your enrollment so that you can receive services/payment of claims. If you make a belated Open Season change to your enrollment, it may take one or more pay periods for your deductions to be adjusted to match your new election. If you make a belated Open Season change and you have FEHB claims for services incurred after January 2, 2009, under your former plan, you and/or your provider may be responsible for reimbursing the former plan for any benefits paid. If you have elected a new plan, that plan may consider your claims for the retroactive period of coverage, depending on the plan provisions, although this may require that you and/or your provider resubmit the claims to the new plan.

Effective Date

Belated FEHB changes will take effect on January 3, 2009.

Note: Depending on the timing of your enrollment/change, you may owe retroactive FEHB premiums, which will be deducted from your pay. For most employees premiums will be paid on a pre-tax basis. If you do not make an FEHB election, any coverage you currently have will continue for 2009.

If this notice does not affect you, there is no need to take action.

Please Post on All Bulletin Boards Through January 31, 2009.

(page 2 of 2)

 

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Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program

Dental and Vision Insurance Open Season
November 10 to December 8, 2008
www.BENEFEDS.com

Belated elections are being accepted for FEDVIP through January 2009

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has authorized a belated enrollment opportunity through January 2009.

This means that you can:

  • Enroll in a Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) dental plan and/or a FEDVIP vision plan if you are not already enrolled for 2009.
  • Change your FEDVIP dental plan enrollment and/or your FEDVIP vision plan enrollment for 2009.
    • WARNING: If you have already received benefits for 2009 under your current 2009 FEDVIP enrollment and you change to a different FEDVIP plan, you and/or your provider may be responsible for reimbursing the former plan for any benefits paid. If you have elected a new plan, that plan may consider your claims for the retroactive period of coverage, depending on the plan provisions, although this may require that you and/or your provider resubmit the claim to the new plan.
  • Cancel your FEDVIP dental plan enrollment and/or your FEDVIP vision plan enrollment for 2009.
    • WARNING: If you have already received benefits for 2009 under your current 2009 FEDVIP enrollment and you cancel your FEDVIP participation, you and/or your provider may be responsible for reimbursing the former plan for any benefits paid.

Find program information for FEDVIP on the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov and on the Intranet at http://blue.usps.gov; click Open Season Benefits Election Extended Deadlines!, or visit www.BENEFEDS.com, or call BENEFEDS at 877-888-FEDS (877-888-3337), TTY 877-889-5680. Dental and/or vision insurance enroll- ment changes may be made via the Internet at www.BENEFEDS.com through December 31, 2008, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Employees may continue to access www.BENEFEDS.com through January 2009 to obtain plan information and to enroll via the secure e–mail offered on the website. Employees without access to the Internet, and employees who wish to enroll after December 31, 2008, may call 877-888-FEDS (877-888-3337). Employees who are deaf or hard of hearing may place a TTY call to 877-889-5680.

Effective Dates

Enrollments, changes, and cancellations will be effective on January 1, 2009. These actions do not affect your enrollment(s) for the 2008 plan year.

Depending on the timing of your enrollment/change/cancellation, it may take one or more pay periods for your FEDVIP deductions to be adjusted to match your new election, and for your new FEDVIP plan to know about your enrollment so that you can receive services/payment of claims.

Note: Depending on the timing of your enrollment/change, you may owe retroactive premiums back to January 1, 2009. For employees who are making their first election of a dental or vision plan through the belated enrollment opportunity (and not for employees who are changing their plan election), OPM has advised that retroactive premiums cannot be paid on a pre-tax basis. If you owe retroactive premiums and you receive a direct bill in the mail from BENEFEDS, you must pay the direct bill. If you do not, your FEDVIP coverage will be cancelled.

If you do not make a FEDVIP election, any coverage you currently have will continue for 2009.

If this notice does not affect you, there is no need to take action.

Please Post on All Bulletin Boards Through January 31, 2009.

 

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Flexible Spending Accounts 2008 Open Season

Enrollment for 2008 FSAs begins: November 10, 2008
Enrollment ends: December 28, 2008 (5:00 P.M. CT)
Enrollments are effective: January 1, 2009

FSA belated elections accepted through Jan. 31, 2009, 5:00 p.m. CT

Why Belated Elections are Being Accepted

Since the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) authorized belated enrollment for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, you may make belated Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Open Season elections if the FEHB benefit changes affect your FSA enrollment decision.

How to Make a Belated Enrollment Election

Timely FSA Open Season enrollment changes can be made through PostalEASE until Dec. 28, 2008, 5:00 p.m. CT. Access the PostalEASE Web:

Or call 877-477-3273 and select option 1.

After Dec. 28, 2008, 5:00 p.m. CT and until Jan. 31, 2009, 5:00 p.m. CT, mail PostalEASE FSA worksheets to the HR Shared Service Center (HRSSC), P.O. Box 970400, Greensboro, NC 27497-0400, or fax them to the HRSSC at 651-994-3543. Worksheets for this belated enrollment postmarked after Jan. 31, 2009, or faxed on that date after 5:00 p.m. CT will be returned to employees unprocessed.

Find the PostalEASE FSA worksheet in the Nov. 2008 FSA brochure (mailed to employees in Nov.), on the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov and on the Intranet at http://blue.usps.gov. Click Open Season Benefits Election Extended Deadlines! then FSA.

Belated FSA Enrollment Effective Dates

You cannot seek reimbursement from the 2009 FSA for the expenses of service or items received before the effective date of your participation. Maximum and minimum election amounts will be prorated.

 

Date and Time Open Season Enrollment Is Processed in PostalEASE or Belated Enrollment Is Received by HRSSC

Effective Date of FSA Participation and First Date to Receive Services or Items That Can Be Reimbursed From 2009 FSA

Maximum FSA Contribution Amount

FSA Open Season enrollment by Dec. 28, 2008, 5:00 p.m. CT

Jan. 1, 2009

$5,000

Belated enrollment from Dec. 28, 2008, 5:01 p.m. through Jan. 2, 11:59 p.m. CT

Jan. 3, 2009

$4,807

Belated enrollment from Jan. 3, 2009, 12:01 a.m. through Jan. 16, 2009, 11:59 p.m. CT

Jan. 17, 2009

$4,615

Belated enrollment from Jan. 17, 2009, 12:01 a.m. through January 30, 11:59 p.m. CT

Jan. 31, 2009

$4,423

Belated enrollment from Jan. 31, 2009, 12:01 a.m. through Jan. 31, 5:00 p.m. CT

Feb. 14, 2009

$4,230

Process for Employees Who Elect an FSA Contribution Higher Than the Maximum Permitted Amount

For this belated enrollment period only, if an election is submitted with an FSA contribution that is higher than the permitted maximum, the HRSSC will process the election for the highest possible amount.

Please Post on All Bulletin Boards Through January 31, 2009.

(page 1 of 2)

 

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FSA Rule for Employees Who Elect an Increased Health Care FSA Contribution Amount

An FSA rule will apply to employees who make a Health Care FSA election and subsequently elect an increased Health Care FSA contribution amount. Employees can only be reimbursed up to the original Health Care FSA contribution level for the expenses of eligible services or items received before the effective date of the increase. After that, the full increased amount is available.

FSA Rule for Employees Who Elect a Decreased FSA Contribution Amount

An FSA rule will apply to employees who make an FSA election and subsequently elect a decreased FSA contribution amount. The FSA contribution may be decreased no lower than either the amount already contributed in 2009 (plus any contributions missed because of low pay or leave without pay) or the amount claimed, whichever is higher. The decreased contribution amount may be adjusted upward if needed to reflect claims that were in processing when the decreased amount was elected.

Process for Employees Who Elect a Decreased FSA Contribution Lower Than the Minimum Permitted Amount

For this belated enrollment period only, if an election is submitted with an FSA contribution that is lower than the permitted minimum, the HR Shared Service Center will process the election for the lowest possible amount.

Reminder — the Dependent Care FSA is not for the Health Care Expenses of Your Dependents

To cover those, enroll in the Health Care FSA. The Dependent Care FSA is used to cover eligible expenses for your qualified dependents as explained in the FSA brochure and permitted by the IRS, such as payments to day care centers, nursery schools, summer day camps, and elder care centers. If you enroll for the Dependent Care FSA and do not have eligible Dependent Care expenses, under IRS “use it or lose it” rules for FSAs, you will lose your Dependent Care FSA contributions.

More FSA Program and Belated Enrollment Information

Find this on the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov and on the Intranet at http://blue.usps.gov. Click Open Season Benefits Election Extended Deadlines! then FSA. Then, if you need help with your belated enrollment request, call the HR Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273, and select option 5. TTY is 866-260-7507.

Questions about the FSA Program, Covered Expenses, and How FSAs Work

Call the FSA hotline at 800-842-2026. TTY is 888-697-9056 (advance call to hotline encouraged).

If this notice does not affect you, there is no need to take action.

Please Post on All Bulletin Boards Through January 31, 2009.

(page 2 of 2)

 

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