The 2011 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season is scheduled for November 14 through December 13, 2011, 5 p.m. Central Time (CT). Many open season changes may be made via self-service on PostalEASE. During this open season, eligible employees may make any one, or a combination of, the following changes:
n Enroll if not enrolled.
n Change from one plan to another plan.
n Change from one option to another option.
n Change from Self Only to Self and Family.
n Change from Self and Family to Self Only.
n Cancel enrollment.
n Change from pre-tax to post-tax payment of health insurance premiums, or vice versa.
Enrollment changes and new enrollments made during the 2011 Open Season will be effective January 14, 2012 (Pay Period 3-12).
The 2012 Guide to Benefits for (1) Non-APWU Career employees (RI 70-2); (2) APWU Career employees (RI 70-2A); (3) Postal Career Executive Service employees (RI 70-2EX); (4) Postal Inspection Service and Office of Inspector General (OIG) employees (RI 70-2IN); and (5) Certain temporary (noncareer) employees (RI 70-8PS) will be mailed from the national level to each employee’s address of record. Each 2012 Guide to Benefits includes:
n An overview of FEHB Program eligibility requirements and election choices during open season.
n Overviews of the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), Flexible Spending Accounts Program (FSA), Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI), and Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP).
n A comparison of biweekly premium costs of participating plans.
n An explanation of the pre-tax payment feature, including a current listing of qualifying life events.
n FEHB member survey results provided by the individual health plans.
n Information about plans that are committed to the use of health information technology, healthcare quality, and price/cost information.
n PostalEASE FEHB Worksheet and PostalEASE Health Savings Account (HSA) Worksheet for employees enrolled in High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) who wish to make pre-tax payroll contributions to their HSAs.
Employees will also receive the 2012 Guide to Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP BK-1).
To assist in publicizing this FEHB Open Season, all installations are asked to post on bulletin boards the open season notice provided on page 47 of this Postal Bulletin and leave it posted through December 13, 2011.
The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) open season notice provided on page 45 of this Postal Bulletin should be posted on bulletin boards through December 12, 2011.
The Material Distribution Center (MDC) will make an automatic distribution of most fee-for-service brochures to all customer service district offices, processing and distribution centers, airport mail centers, bulk mail centers, the Office of Inspector General, selected Postal Inspection Service divisions, and selected Headquarters field units.
The Rural Carrier Benefit Plan brochure will be distributed automatically only to district and area Human Resources offices. Additional copies may also be requisitioned from the MDC.
The following items may be requisitioned from the MDC:
n RI 70-2, 2012 Guide to Benefits for Non-APWU Career USPS Employees — PSN 7690-03-000-3774.
n RI 70-2A, 2012 Guide to Benefits for APWU Career USPS Employees — PSN 7690-15-000-0575
n RI 70-2EX, 2012 Guide to Benefits for Postal Career Executive Service Employees — PSN 7690-15-000-0576
n RI 70-2IN, 2012 Guide to Benefits for USPS Inspectors and Office of Inspector General Employees — PSN 7690-09-000-9077.
n RI 70-5, 2012 Guide to Federal Benefits for Temporary Continuation of Coverage and Former Spouse Enrollees — PSN 7690-03-000-3772.
n RI 70-8 PS, 2012 Guide to Benefits for Certain Temporary (Non-career) USPS Employees — PSN 7690-03-000-3754.
n FEDVIP BK-1, 2012 Guide to Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program for USPS employees (including law enforcement) — PSN 7610-09-000-9112.
Order these items directly from plan sponsors:
n Brochures for health maintenance organizations (HMOs), point-of-service (POS) plans, and high deductible and consumer-driven health plans.
These two forms are available on the Postal Service™ PolicyNet website:
n PS Form 8201, Pre-Tax Health Insurance Premium Waiver/Restoration Form for Career Employees.
n PS Form 8202, Pre-Tax Health Insurance Premium Election/Waiver Form for Noncareer Employees.
To find these forms, go to http://blue.usps.gov; under “Essential Links,” click Forms, or contact the Human Resources Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273, option 5; TTY 866-260-7507.
Publication 12, Health Benefits Open Season Administrative and Processing Information (November 2011), addresses FEHB Open Season administrative issues. It contains the following information:
n Open season materials, including details of when and how to requisition a residual supply of materials.
n Eligibility requirements for coverage.
n A list of FEHB health plan withdrawals and other significant plan changes.
n Comprehensive medical plan (HMO) contact information.
n Personnel processing information.
n Open Season publicity materials.
Publication 12 will be available on the Postal Service PolicyNet website:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.
n Under “Essential Links” in the left-hand column, click PolicyNet.
n On the PolicyNet page, click PUBs.
— Compensation,
Labor Relations, 11-3-11
