The Office of Personnel Management just released guidance on the upcoming open season for choosing next year’s plans under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Federal employees will be able to select health, dental and vision insurance plans and enroll in a Flexible Spending Account between Nov. 9 and Dec. 14.
Anyone already enrolled in a health, dental or vision plan will stay enrolled in their current plan unless they choose to change or cancel it. But Flexible Spending Accounts don’t carry over from one year to another — enrollees must set up an account again if they want to keep directing pretax money to an account used to pay for medical and other expenses.
Last year’s open season was supposed to run from Nov. 10 to Dec. 8, but OPM extended it through January after Blue Cross Blue Shield tried to impose a controversial $7,500 deductible for out-of-network surgeries. OPM said that was a unique occurence, and doesn’t plan to extend this year’s open season.
