Federal Benefits 

FastFacts 

The 2010 Federal Benefits 

Open Season is coming!

 What is Open Season? This is

the time for you to think about your 

health, dental, vision, and tax-saving 

needs and to make changes to or enroll in 

one of the Programs. The Programs that 

participate in the annual Open Season are 

the:

* Federal Employees Health 

Benefits Program (FEHBP), 

* Federal Employees Dental 

and Vision Insurance Program 

(FEDVIP), and 

* Federal Flexible Spending 

Account Program (FSAFEDS). 

 Why should you care? This is 

the time to make elections you usually 

can’t make any other time of the year. All 

health or dental or vision plans are not 

alike. Open Season is about exercising 

your right of choice. Failure to consider 

your health plan choices could leave you 

without the healthcare services or supplies 

you need or with a premium you can’t 

afford; dental and/or vision coverage can 

fill in the gaps of any coverage you now 

have or pay for services you now don’t 

get; and a flexible spending account lets 

you save money and pay less tax. 

 Can you sit out this Open Season 

and do nothing? 

 * If you are already enrolled in 

FEHBP and FEDVIP, those enrollments 

will continue automatically (although 

benefits and premiums may change. 

Also, be sure to check that your plan is 

still participating.) If you do nothing this 

Open Season and are later unhappy with 

your 2011 benefits or premiums, you 

cannot cancel or change your enrollment 

until the next Open Season. 

* If you already have an FSAFEDS 

account, it will not continue 

automatically; you must reenroll. 

 How will health care reform (the

Affordable Care Act – ACA) affect me 

for 2011? The ACA: 

* changes the eligibility rules for 

coverage of children under the FEHB 

Program; 

* changes coverage of over-thecounter medicines or drugs under 

FSAFEDS; and 

* extends coverage of children’s 

health care expenses under FSAFEDS. 

* increases the penalty for health 

savings account (HSA) withdrawals prior 

to age 65 that are not used for qualified 

medical expenses. 

The ACA does not impact FEDVIP. 

 For more information on ACA changes, 

go to www.opm.gov/insure and follow 

the link for health care reform. 

 What are some things you should 

think about this Open Season? 

 * you must be covered by the 

Program for the five years of service 

before retiring to continue FEHBP 

coverage into retirement; 

 * there are no waiting periods and no 

pre-existing condition limitations under 

FEHBP, even if you change plans; 

 

 

Open Season runs from November 8 through December 13, 2010. 

You can find 2011 plan information on our website beginning early November. 
 Where can you go for more detail 

on the choices available to you? 

* there are many choices under 

FEHBP and FEDVIP to meet your needs; 

* For FEHBP information go to 

www.opm.gov/insure/health, the 2011 

Guide to Federal Benefits, or the 2011 

Plan brochures. 

* you may enroll in FEDVIP and/or 

FSAFEDS even if you are already 

enrolled in FEHBP. 

 FEDVIP * For FEDVIP go to 

www.opm.gov/insure/dental/index.asp or 

www.opm.gov/insure/vision/index.asp, 

the 2011 Guide to Federal Benefits, or 

the 2011 Plan brochures. 

* your coverage will continue into 

retirement automatically, without a five 

year enrollment requirement, if you 

retire on an immediate annuity; 

* participating dental and vision 

providers may be different from your 

health plan’s providers; 

* For FSAFEDS go to 

www.FSAFEDS.com, call 1-877-372-

3337, the 2011 Guide to Federal Benefits 

or the FSAFEDS Program Brochure. * you can cancel your coverage only 

during Open Season, or deployment to 

active military duty;  How do you make an Open Season 

election? FEHB: employees - use the 

Health Benefits Election form (SF 2809) 

or use an online self-service system; the 

Human Resources Office of your agency 

can help you. Retirees - go to 

https://retireefehb.opm.gov or call 1-877-

888-3337, TTY 1-877-889-5680.

* FEDVIP always pays benefits 

secondarily to your FEHBP insurance; 

* you can submit copays and 

deductibles to your FSA account. 

FSAFEDS 

* there are three accounts from 

which to choose - a dependent care 

account, a health care account, and a 

limited expense health care account; 

Dental or vision under FEDVIP: 

everyone - go to www.BENEFEDS.com or 

call 1-877-888-3337, TTY 1-877-889-

5680. 

* participating lowers your taxable 

income; 

* you can pay for your FEHB and 

FEDVIP copays and deductibles. Flexible spending accounts under 

FSAFEDS (employees only), go to 

www.FSAFEDS.com or call 1-877-372-

3337, TTY 1-800-952-0450. 

* not open to retirees. 

 How much do these Programs 

cost? You can find the 2011 health 

insurance rates at 

www.opm.gov/insure/health/rates 

 Where can I find additional 

information?

* Visit www.opm.gov/insure; 

* Find us on Facebook at 

www.facebook.com/fedbenefits; 

* Follow us on Twitter at 

http://twitter.com/FedEmployeeBen; 

or 

* See your Human Resources Office. 

You can find 2011 dental rates at 

www.opm.gov/insure/dental/rates 

You can find 2011 vision rates at 

www.opm.gov/insure/vision/rates 

For FSAFEDS go to www.FSAFEDS.com

to see how much you may contribute. 

 Open Season runs from November 8 through December 13, 2010. 

You can find 2011 plan information on our website beginning early November.