United States 

Office of 

Personnel Management 

The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency

Retirement and Insurance Service 

Benefits Administration Letter 

Number: 01-204 Date: February 9, 2001 

Subject: Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Opportunity for 

Enrollees of M-Care Health Plan, Enrollment Code EG, to Change Enrollment 

M-CARE, enrollment code EG, in the State of Michigan, recently notified us of a serious provider 

network problem in Battle Creek, Michigan. A large physician group (Integrated Health Partners 

Physician Hospital Organization) canceled participation in the M-CARE network. Consequently, 

members do not have adequate access to Plan providers in the Battle Creek, Michigan area. 

We are authorizing an opportunity for all affected M-CARE enrollees to change enrollment. The 

opportunity to change enrollment will begin immediately and continue through March 1, 2001. 

Agencies may apply the cutoff date liberally if necessary. The effective date of all enrollment 

changes will be the first day of the pay period in which an enrollee makes the change. 

The Plan will send the attached notice to all affected enrollees advising them of the provider 

network disruption shortly. 

Note: If enrollees are uncertain whether or not they are affected by the provider network disruption, 

please have them contact M-CARE at 1-800-658-8878. In the event that a member needs care prior 

to switching plans, they should contact M-CARE directly. 

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. 

Abby L. Block, 

Assistant Director 

 for Insurance Programs 

Attachment 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Civil Service Federal Employees Federal Employees Federal Employees 

Retirement Group Life Health Benefits Retirement 

System Insurance Program System 
2

United States

Office of 

Personnel Management Washington, D.C. 20415 

In Reply Refer To: Your Reference: 

TO ALL FEDERAL ENROLLEES OF M-CARE IN BATTLE CREEK MICHIGAN 

This important notice is being sent to you by M-CARE at the request of the Office of Personnel 

Management. 

M-CARE, enrollment codes EG1 and EG2, recently lost a large physician group in Battle Creek, 

Michigan. Integrated Health Partners Physician Hospital Organization will cancel participation in 

the M-Care network as of April 1, 2001. Some of the providers have already closed their practices 

to M-CARE enrollees. If you live in Battle Creek, you do not have adequate access to M-Care 

providers. You MUST transfer to another participating health plan.

A special open enrollment period is effective immediately and continues for 30 days. Please 

contact your personnel office to obtain a 2001 Guide to Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans. 

You may request brochures directly from the health plans at the phone numbers appearing in the 

Guide. You may also visit our 2001 FEHB web site (www.opm.gov/insure) to view a plan’s 

brochure or the FEHB Guide to help you choose a health plan and learn about your transitional care 

rights. 

 IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE 

Please take a copy of this letter to your personnel office and complete a new Health Benefits 

Registration Form (SF 2809). The effective date of the new coverage will be the first day of the 

pay period in which you change health plans. 

 IF YOU ARE AN ANNUITANT

Annuitants under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement 

System (FERS), should call toll free at 1-888-767-6738 between Monday through Friday from

7:30 am – 5:30 pm E.S.T to make their enrollment changes. Please have your CSRS or FERS 

annuity claim number and your social security number when calling our toll-free number. If you 

are an annuitant of another Federal retirement system, you must contact that system for assistance. 

We apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for your cooperation, in this matter. 

 U.S. Office of Personnel Management 

 Office of Insurance Programs