United States

Office of

Personnel Management

The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency

Retirement and Insurance Service

Benefits Administration Letter

 

Number: 99-411 Date: September 29, 1999 

Subject: 1999 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Significant Plan

Changes

PURPOSE

This letter transmits lists of significant events affecting certain plans during the upcoming FEHB open

season. Please note that some of these events will require action on the part of agencies and

enrollees. Also note the plans that are dropping out of the Program at the end of 1999. Since

employees in these plans must enroll in new plans during open season if they are to continue

insurance coverage in 2000, we ask that you distribute this list widely within your agencies. 

TERMINATIONS

Attachment 1: Plans Dropping Out of FEHB for 2000

Attachment 2: Plans Terminating its Standard Option

Attachment 3: Plans Reducing Their Service Areas by Terminating an Enrollment Code

1. What must employees do? Employees in terminating plans (Attachment 1) or in

terminating codes (Attachment 3) must choose a new health plan during open season.

2. Transfer members in the Standard Option to High Option of the plan listed in

attachment 2.

3. New coverage. Coverage under an enrollee’s new health plan will be effective the first

day of the pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2000: for most employees this will be

January 2, 2000. Enrollees will remain covered and receive benefits under the old plan until

coverage under the new plan becomes effective.

 

Civil Service Federal Employees Federal Employees Federal Employees

Retirement Group Life Health Benefits Retirement

System Insurance Program System
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

2

4. Plan Notification. The plans in Attachments 1 and 3 have been instructed to notify

enrollees of the need to select new health plans for 2000. However, some plans’ enrollment

and address lists may not be up to date.

5. What must agencies do? Agencies must notify employees in these terminating plans and

enrollment codes to select new plans or lose coverage.

We strongly recommend that you distribute copies of these lists to each employee, along with

your agency’s notice about open season.

We also recommend that you follow up with employees in these plans to remind them to

select new plans.

6. Belated changes. Some employees still might not get the word to change plans during

open season. We encourage you to be liberal in accepting belated open season changes from

employees enrolled in terminating plans/enrollment codes.

SERVICE AREA REDUCTIONS

Attachment 4: Plans Significantly Reducing Their Service Areas Without Terminating an Enrollment

Code.

Enrollees in the service areas being terminated must elect new health plans for 2000.

Enrollees who do not choose new health plans will have to travel to their plan’s remaining

service area to receive full benefits.

Attachment 5: Plans Splitting a Service Area

Enrollees in these plans must complete a Standard Form (SF) 2809 to enroll in the new code

for their service area or elect another health plan during the open season. Enrollees in the old

code will have to travel to their plan’s remaining service area to receive full benefits from the

plan.

Agency Action Required. We strongly recommend that you distribute a copy of these lists to each

employee, along with your agency’s notice to employees about open season. If you don’t distribute

the lists, remind employees to check their new health plan brochures carefully to see if there has been

any changes to their plans’ service areas that will affect them.
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

3

OTHER SERVICE AREA CHANGES

Attachment 6: Service Area Consolidations

These plans are consolidating their service area; i.e., changing from one or more enrollment

areas to one. The service areas will remain the same, but they will be included under one

enrollment code. Enrollees in the “departing” enrollment code(s) will be transferred

automatically to the remaining enrollment code.

Attachment 7: New plans entering the Program for 2000

Attachment 8: Service Area Expansions With a new Enrollment Code

Attachment 9: Significant Service Area Expansions Without new Enrollment Codes

Agency Action Required. Be sure to include these new plans and expanded service areas when you

count the number of eligible employees and place your orders for brochures.

MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES

Attachment 10: Plan Mergers

These plans are merging with another plan at the end of 1999. Enrollees in the “old” plans

will be transferred automatically to the “new” plans and need take no action. Enrollees in the

old plans, must choose different plans during open season if they do not wish to be transferred

to the new plans.

Attachment 11: Plan Name Changes

Attachment 12: Enrollment Code Changes

Attachment 13: Plans Adding a Point of Service Product

Attachment 14: Plans Dropping a Point of Service Product

This plan is dropping its Point of Service Product (POS) for 2000. Enrollees who use the

POS Option may want to consider change plans during open season.

Abby L. Block, Chief

Insurance Policy

 and Information Division
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

4

ATTACHMENT 1

PLANS DROPPING OUT OF FEHB FOR 2000

Employees in these plans who do not change health plans during open season will not have

health benefits for 2000.

State Plan Name Code

Alabama VIVA 4B

Arkansas QualChoice 8Q

Arkansas Prudential HealthCare HMO-Arkansas VY

California Omni Healthcare HN

Colorado QualMed of Colorado 2D

Colorado Antero Healthplans 9X

Connecticut Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Connecticut, Inc. DM

Connecticut Prudential HealthCare HMO Connecticut 8C

District of Columbia United Health Care of the Mid-Atlantic BL

Florida Health Options FR, FN, D7

Florida PCA Family Health Plan of Florida FQ

Florida PCA Health Plans of Florida PJ

Illinois John Deere Family Healthplan, Inc. 1J

Illinois United HealthCare Select H8

Illinois BCI HMO 3B

Indiana United Healthcare of Kentucky DU

Indiana BCI HMO 3B

Iowa United HealthCare of the Midlands NF

Iowa Mutual of Omaha Companies Exclusive Healthcare, Inc. 9Y

Iowa John Deere Family Healthplan, Inc. 1J

Kansas United HealthCare of the Midwest 4M

Kentucky United HealthCare of Kentucky DU

Louisiana SmartPlan 8D

Louisiana Gulf South Health Plan LY

Louisiana Vantage Health Plan, Inc. 7V

Maryland United HealthCare of the Mid-Atlantic BL

Massachusetts United HealthCare of New England VF

Missouri United HealthCare MidWest 4M

Missouri United HealthCare Select H8

Minnesota Altru Health Plan 2R

Montana Yellowstone Community Health Plan 2Y

Nebraska United HealthCare of the Midlands NF

Nebraska Mutual of Omaha Companies Exclusive Healthcare, Inc. 9Y

Nevada Hometown Health Plan 4H

New Mexico HMO New Mexico 5H

New York Health Source HMO NY XL

North Carolina Personal Care Plan 4X
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

5

North Carolina Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of North Carolina QT

North Carolina Wellpath Select 2E

North Dakota Altru Health Plan 2R

Ohio HealthAssurance Ohio 5X

Ohio Prudential HealthCare HMO Midwest AY

Ohio HealthFirst RF

Oregon Providence Health Plan SD

Puerto Rico PCA of Puerto Rico 5P

Rhode Island United Healthcare of New England VF

South Carolina Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of North Carolina QT

South Carolina Wellpath Select 2E

Texas Prudential Healthcare HMO-Austin UN

Texas Health First 8E

Texas Certus HealthCare, L.L.C. 3Y

Texas Prudential Healthcare HMO-El Paso 6P

Texas Rio Grande 4Z, 4Y

Texas Scott and White Health Plan UF

Texas HMO Blue 5Q, 5R

Virginia Priority Health Care W7

Washington NYLCare Northwest 8N

Washington Providence Health Plan SD

Washington QualMed Washington Health Plan TM

West Virginia PrimeONE 9W
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

6

ATTACHMENT 2

PLANS TERMINATING ITS STANDARD OPTION

State Plan Name Code

District of Columbia, Maryland,

Virginia

George Washington University Health Plan E5
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

7

ATTACHMENT 3

PLANS REDUCING THEIR SERVICE AREAS

BY TERMINATING AN ENROLLMENT CODE

Enrollees in these enrollment codes who do not change health plans during open season will

not have health benefits for 2000.

State Plan Name Code Terminated

Delaware AmeriHealth HMO, Inc. SP

Florida Foundation Health 5C

Florida Aetna U.S. Healthcare 8A

Massachusetts Kaiser Permanente K1

Michigan Physicians Health Plan U5

Michigan Physicians Health Plan U6

Michigan Physicians Health Plan U7

New Hampshire Kaiser Permanente K1

New Hampshire Aetna U.S. Healthcare UJ

New York Blue Choice HMO 5K

Vermont Kaiser Permanente 8M
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

8

ATTACHMENT 4

PLANS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THEIR SERVICE AREAS

WITHOUT TERMINATING AN ENROLLMENT CODE

Enrollees in the area being dropped who do not change health plans during open season

will have to travel to their plan’s remaining service area to obtain medical care in order to

receive full benefits from the plan in 2000.

State Plan Name Code Area Dropped

California Health Net LB Calaveras, Shasta,

Tuolumne

California PacifiCare of

California

CY Counties of Sutter, Yuba,

Amador, Colusa, Humbolt,

Lake, Mendocino, Tehama,

Monterey, Glenn, Nevada

Florida Humana Medical

Plan

7F

EE

JH

Lake County

Brevard, Collier, Desoto,

Hardee, Highlands, Monroe

Citrus, Hernando

Florida HIP Plan of Florida K7 Tampa counties of

Hernando, Hillsborough,

Pasco, Pinellas

Idaho Group Health

Cooperative of Puget

Sound

VR Benewah, Bonner, and

Shoshone, counties

Illinois American HMO,

Illinois

AC Grundy, Hardin, Jackson,

Jersey, LaSalle, Madison,

Marion, Mercer, Randolph,

Saline, St. Clair, and

Williamson counties

Illinois PersonalCare’s HMO GE Coles, Clark, Crawford,

Cumberland, Edgar,

Effingham, and Shelby

counties of Illinois

Kansas Preferred Plus of

Kansas

VA Brown, Jefferson,

Pottawatomie, and Shawnee

counties

Minnesota Health Partners

Classic

53 Minnesota counties of Crow

Wing, Douglas, Kandiyohi,

Pope, and Todd
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

9

Minnesota Health Partners HQ Minnesota counties of

Becker, Beltrami, Big Stone,

Blue Earth, Brown, Cass,

Chippewa, Cottonwood,

Crow Wing, Dodge,

Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore,

Freeborn, Hubbard, Jackson,

Kandiyohi, Lincoln,

Mahnomen, Martin, Mower,

Murray, Nicollet, Nobles,

Norman, Ottertail,

Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Red

Lake, Redwood, Renville,

Sibley, Stevens, Swift,

Todd, Traverse, Wadena,

Waseca, Watonwan, Wilkin,

Winona, Yellow Medicine

Mississippi PrimeHealth of

Alabama, Inc.

AA All of Mississippi

New York Well Care of New

York, Inc.

(See attachment 11

for plan name

change)

X4 Connecticut

North Dakota Health Partners HQ North Dakota

Ohio PacifiCare of Ohio R8 Dayton, Ohio

Oklahoma PacifiCare of

Oklahoma

2N Southwestern Oklahoma

counties of Cado, Cotton,

Custer, Greer, Harmon,

Jefferson, Kiowa, Stephens,

Tillman, Washita, and

Comanche counties

Jackson counties of Blair

and Warren City
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

10

Oklahoma Prudential

HealthCare HMOOklahoma City

RR Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver,

Beckham, Bryan, Carter,

Choctaw, Cimmaron, Coal,

Cotton, Custer, Ellis, Grant,

Greer, Harmon, Harper,

Hughes, Jackson, Johnston,

Kay, Kiowa, Murray, Noble,

Pushmataha, Roger Mills,

Stephens, Texas, Tillman,

Washita, and Woods

counties

Oregon PacifiCare of Oregon SS Jackson County of Medford

Oregon

South Carolina Aetna U.S.

Healthcare

3G South Carolina

Texas Humana Health Plan

of Texas

TW Archer, Baylor, Bell,

Brazos, Clay, Coryell, Falls,

McLennan, Montague,

Wichita, and Wilbarger

counties

Texas FIRSTCARE CK Callahan, Coke, Coleman,

Comanche, Concho,

Crockett, Eastland, Fisher,

Haskell, Irion, Jones, Kent,

Knox, McCullough,

Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels,

Schleicher, Shackelford,

Stephens, Sterling,

Stonewall, Sutton, Taylor,

Throckmorton, and Tom

Green counties.

Washington PacifiCare of

Washington

WB Pend Oreille, Stevens,

Spokane, Island, and Skagit

counties

Washington Group Health

Cooperative of Puget

Sound

54 Adams, Chelan, Clallam,

Douglas, Ferry, Grant,

Klickitat, Lincoln,

Okanogan, Pend Oreille, and

Stevens counties.
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

11

ATTACHMENT 5

PLANS SPLITTING A SERVICE AREA

Enrollees in these plans under the 1999 enrollment codes shown below should check their

plan brochures to determine which 2000 code they should be under. Enrollees in these

1999 codes who should change, but do not, will have to travel to the area served by their

enrollment code to obtain medical care and to receive full benefits from the plan.

State Plan Name Code (1999) Code (2000)

Florida HIP Plan of Florida K7 K7 (Tampa) counties of

Hernando,

Hillsborough,

Pasco, Pinellas

3N South (Florida)

counties of

Broward, MiamiDade, Palm Beach
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

12

Pennsylvania HealthAmerica

Pennsylvania

26 - Greater

Pittsburgh,

Central

Pennsylvania,

South Central

Pennsylvania,

Northeast

Pennsylvania

26- Greater 

Pittsburgh area

only and

surrounding

counties of

Allegheny,

Armstrong,

Beaver, Butler,

Cambria, Fayette,

Greene, Indiana,

Lawrence, Mercer,

Somerset,

Washington, and

Westmoreland

SW- Central

Pennsylvania

counties of Blair,

Centre, Clinton,

Huntingdon,

Juniata, Mifflin,

Lycoming, Union,

Northumberland,

and Snyder; South

Central

Pennsylvania

counties of

Adams, Berks,

Cumberland,

Dauphin,

Lancaster,

Lebanon, Perry,

Schuykill, and

York; and

Northeast

Pennsylvania

counties of

Columbia, and

Luzerne.
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

13

ATTACHMENT 6

SERVICE AREA CONSOLIDATIONS –

TRANSFERRING TWO OR MORE ENROLLMENT CODES INTO ONE

Enrollees in an enrollment code being dropped will be transferred automatically to the

remaining code unless they choose a different health plan during open season.

State Plan Name Code(s)

Being

Dropped

Remaining Code

Arizona PacifiCare of Arizona 7R A3
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

14

ATTACHMENT 7

NEW PLANS ENTERING THE PROGRAM FOR 2000

State Plan Name Code General Location

California Universal Care, Inc. of

California

6Q Southern California

Florida Total Health Choice 4A Florida

Ohio Vantage Health Plan, Inc. 6A North Central Ohio

Pennsylvania UPMC 8W Pennsylvania

Virginia Piedmont Community

Healthcare (VA)

2C Lynchburg
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

15

ATTACHMENT 8

SERVICE AREA EXPANSIONS

WITH A NEW ENROLLMENT CODE

State Plan Name New Code General Location

Florida Humana Medical Plan 9D Pensacola

Kansas Aetna U.S. Healthcare 7K Kansas

Missouri Aetna U.S. Healthcare 6T Missouri

New York MDNY 8U New York
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

16

ATTACHMENT 9

SIGNIFICANT SERVICE AREA EXPANSIONS

WITHOUT NEW ENROLLMENT CODES

State Plan Name Code General Location of New Area

Arizona Premier HealthCare of

Arizona

9A, 9B Cochise, and Santa Cruise

Counties, parts of Lapaz and

Mohave counties

Florida Humana Medical Plan P5 Bradford, Columbia, Dixie,

Gilchrist. Levy, Putnam, Union,

Baker, Nassau

Kentucky Bluegrass Family Health 2B Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle,

Hickman, Livingston, Lyon,

Marshall, McCraken

Michigan Health Alliance Plan 52 Monroe, Lapeer, and Livingston

counties

Michigan M-Care EG North and Southern MI

New York Partners Health Plans 7Y St. Lawrence and Franklin county

Ohio The Health Plan of the

Upper Ohio Valley, Inc.

U4 Wirt, Wood, Ritchie, Pleasants,

and Barbour counties

Tennessee Prudential HealthCare

HMO

UA Coffee, Marshall and Maury

counties

Texas HMO Texas, L.C. UK, 2T Full counties of: Collin, Dallas,

Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt,

Johnson, Kaufman, Parker,

Rochwall, Tarrant, and Wise
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

17

ATTACHMENT 10

PLAN MERGERS

Enrollees in plans that merge will be transferred automatically to the surviving plan unless

they choose a different plan during open season.

State Merging Plans Codes Surviving Plans Codes

District of

Columbia

Aetna U. S. Healthcare

NLYCare/Mid-Atlantic

V8

JN

Aetna U.S. Healthcare JN

Guam Health Maintenance Life

(Guam)

PacifiCare Asia Pacific

(Guam)

28

JK

PacifiCare Asia Pacific

(Standard Option)

JK

Illinois Group Health Plan

Principal Health Care of

St. Louis (Principal)

MM

12

Group Health Plan MM

Maryland Aetna U. S. Healthcare

NLYCare/Mid-Atlantic

V8

JN

Aetna U.S. Healthcare JN

Michigan Paramount Health Care

(OH)

Medical Value Plan (MI,

OH)

U2

EV

Paramount Health Care

Note: Michigan will not

be served

U2

Missouri Group Health Plan

Principal Health Care of

St. Louis (Principal)

MM

12

Group Health Plan MM

Ohio Paramount Health Care

(OH)

Medical Value Plan (MI,

OH)

U2

EV

Paramount Health Care U2

Tennessee Heritage National

Healthplan, Inc. (IA, IL)

Heritage National

Healthplan, Inc. (TN,

VA)

3J

4T

John Deere Health Plan,

Inc. (formerly Heritage

National Healthplan, Inc.)

3J
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

18

Texas Humana Health Plan of

Corpus Christi

Humana Health Plan of

Texas

TX

TW,

UE,

UR

Humana Health Plan of

Texas

TX,

TW,

UE,

UR

Virginia Aetna U. S. Healthcare

NLYCare/Mid-Atlantic

V8

JN

Aetna U.S. Healthcare JN

Virginia Heritage National

Healthplan, Inc. (IA, IL)

Heritage National

Healthplan, Inc. (TN,

VA)

3J

4T

John Deere Health Plan,

Inc. (formerly Heritage

National Healthplan, Inc.)

3J
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

19

ATTACHMENT 11

PLAN NAME CHANGES

State Plan Name (Old) Code Plan Name (New)

Arizona HealthPartners Health Plans,

Inc.

2S, TD United HealthCare of Arizona

Illinois Heritage National Healthplan,

Inc.

3J (Also 4T

that has

merged

with 3J)

John Deere Health Plan, Inc.

Iowa Heritage National Healthplan,

Inc.

3J (Also 4T

that has

merged

with 3J)

John Deere Health Plan, Inc.

New Jersey First Option Health Plan of

New Jersey

2F Physicians Health Services of

New Jersey, Inc.

Texas HMO Texas, L.C. UK, 2T Texas Health Choice, L.C.

Utah PacifiCare of Utah 9K Altius

Washington HealthPlus 8F Premera HealthPlus
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

20

ATTACHMENT 12

ENROLLMENT CODE CHANGES

Enrollees in these plans will be transferred automatically to the new code unless they

choose a different plan during open season.

State Plan Name Code (Old) Code (New)

Nationwide Alliance Health

Benefit Plan

YQ 1R

Oregon PacifiCare of Oregon SS 7Z

Washington PacifiCare of Oregon SS 7Z
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

21

ATTACHMENT 13

PLANS ADDING A POINT OF SERVICE PRODUCT

State Plan Name Code General Location

Illinois Mercy Health Plan 7M Illinois, Missouri

Missouri Mercy Health Plan 7M Illinois, Missouri

Nationwide APWU 47 Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul)

Nationwide APWU 47 Texas (Eastern and Central Texas)
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

22

ATTACHMENT 14

PLANS DROPPING A POINT OF SERVICE PRODUCT

Individuals who enrolled in these plans primarily to have access to the point of service

products they offered in the past may want to consider changing plans.

State Plan Name Code

Connecticut Physicians Health Services DP

District of

Columbia

Prudential HealthCare HMO Mid-Atlantic JB

Illinois American HMO Health Plan AC

Indiana American HMO Health Plan AC

Maryland Prudential HealthCare HMO Mid-Atlantic JB

Nationwide Postmasters 36

New York Physicians Health Services PD

Texas HMO Texas, L.C. 2T

Virginia Prudential HealthCare HMO Mid-Atlantic JB
Benefits Administration Letter 99-411

23

ATTACHMENT 15

CONTRACT CONSOLIDATIONS

State Plan Name (Old) Code Plan Name (New)

Ohio Prudential HealthCare HMOMidwest (Southwest Ohio)S3

Ohio Prudential HealthCare HMO

Midwest (Northern Ohio)

Q9

Prudential HealthCare HMO Midwest

(Southwest and Northern Ohio)

Oklahoma Prudential HealthCare HMOOklahoma CityRR

Oklahoma Prudential HealthCare HMOTulsaRS

Prudential HealthCare HMO

Tennessee Prudential HealthCare HMONashvilleUA

Tennessee Prudential HealthCare HMOMemphisUB

Prudential HealthCare HMOTennessee

Texas Prudential HealthCare HMOHoustonUP

Texas Prudential HealthCare HMOSan AntonioVX

Prudential Healthcare HMO