Office of Personnel Management

Retirement and Insurance Service

1920 1954 1959 1986 

 

Benefits Administration Letter

Number: 97-203 Date: March 5, 1997 

SUBJECT: Special Enrollment Period for Enrollees in Prudential Healthcare 

 HMO - MA 

This is to advise you of a special enrollment period running from April 1 to April 30, 1997,

that OPM has authorized for enrollees in Prudential Healthcare HMO - Massachusetts

(Carrier Code 6M), which is withdrawing from the FEHB Program effective April 30,

1997. 

Attached for your information is a notice OPM sent to personnel offices of Federal

employees who live in the affected areas. This notice explains the circumstances where we

have authorized an enrollment opportunity for these employees. Employees who fail to

timely elect another health plan will be without an FEHB health plan. However, we

encourage agencies to use their authority to accept late elections when submitted through

no fault of the employee. 

Our source for personnel office addresses is the Central Personnel Data File (CPDF). If

your agency is not included in the CPDF, we cannot identify your field installations.

Therefore, we request that you send a copy of the attachment to each of your field

installations that have employees in the affected counties. The counties are listed in the

attachment. 

Abby L. Block, Chief

Insurance Policy 

 and Information Division

Attachment
United States

Office of

Personnel Management Washington, D.C. 20415

In Reply Refer To: Your Reference:

MEMORANDUM FOR AGENCY HEADS AND PERSONNEL OFFICERS IN

 MASSACHUSETTS

FROM: ABBY L. BLOCK, CHIEF

 INSURANCE POLICY AND

 INFORMATION DIVISION

Subject: Special Enrollment Period for Prudential Healthcare HMO - MA

Enrollees

 

Introduction This is to inform you that OPM is authorizing a special

enrollment opportunity for employees enrolled in the

Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plan,

Prudential Healthcare HMO - MA. The plan, carrier code

6M, is withdrawing from the FEHB Program effective

April 30, 1997. It serves employees in Massachusetts. 

 

Effect on employees Employees who fail to submit an Election of Health

Benefits SF 2809 will no longer have health insurance

through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)

Program

 

What can employees do? Affected employees must select a new health plan during

the special enrollment period if they wish to retain FEHB

health benefits. The change will be effective the first

payroll period after it is received but in no case later than

April 30, 1997.

 

How will employees learn

about this?

The plan is notifying the enrollees of the withdrawal and

advising them to contact their personnel office.
The agency is not expected to notify enrollees

individually, but we request that you display the attached

announcement in areas where employees are likely to see

it. In addition, personnel offices must advise enrollees

who ask about this withdrawal and must accept SF 2809's

from employees who are enrolled in the plan. Although

employees are required to submit an SF 2809 no later that

April 30, 1997, agencies may accept submissions that are

late through no fault of the employee. 

 

When can employees make

this change?

Employees who want to change their enrollment may 

submit an SF 2809 to their employing office from April 1

through April 30, 1997.

 

Processing the SF 2809 Please note in the "Remarks" that this is a special open

season change.

 

Attachment
United States

Office of

Personnel Management Washington, D.C. 20415

In Reply Refer To: Your

Reference:

ATTENTION:

Employees enrolled in the 

Prudential Healthcare HMO - MA health plan

Prudential Healthcare HMO - MA (Carrier Code 6M) is withdrawing from the Federal

Employees Health Benefits program effective April 30, 1997. 

Employees who are enrolled in this plan must enroll in a new health plan by April 30,

1997 to retain FEHB coverage. 

If you want to retain your health benefits, you must file a new Health Benefits

Registration Form (SF 2809) with your employing office no later than 

April 30, 1997.

Please contact your personnel office as soon as possible to learn of your health benefits

options and to get an SF 2809.