United States Office of Personnel Management 

The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency 

Tribal Benefits Administration Letter 

Number: 21-701 Date: September 2, 2021 

Subject: 2021 FEHB Open Season for Tribal 

Employees: Announcement 

Welcome to the first in our series of 2021 Open Season Tribal Benefits 

Administration Letters (TBALs). This TBAL provides general information 

about this year’s Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season for 

Tribal Employees. The annual Open Season is held every year from the 

Monday of the second full workweek in November to the Monday of the 

second full workweek in December. This year, Open Season runs from 

Monday, November 8, 2021 through Monday, December 13, 2021. 

COVID-19 Impact on Open Season 

The 2021 FEHB Open Season will take place as scheduled. The effective 

dates of Open Season enrollment actions will not be delayed due to COVID19. You are responsible for ensuring that your employees are aware of the 

dates of Open Season, how to make changes, and which changes they can 

make. We recognize that this may be another uniquely challenging Open 

Season and appreciate your efforts to ensure you are prepared to administer 

Open Season, including timely processing of enrollments and enrollment 

changes. 

We strongly encourage you to be creative regarding how you share 

information with employees. This may include information on your email 

signature line, lunch and learn sessions, and social media. 

Employees find Open Season fairs a valuable resource for getting Open 

Season information. Consider other ways to provide information to 

employees such as virtual events, webcasts, or webinars. Many health plans 

host virtual events to provide information about Open Season to their 
(Tribal) Benefits Administration Letter [21-701] 

2 

enrollees and others. You may contact health plans for ideas and 

suggestions on providing information. Health plan contact information is 

available on our website at www.opm.gov/plancontacts. 

Open Season Opportunities 

During Open Season, eligible tribal employees have the opportunity to make 

decisions about their FEHB benefits for the upcoming calendar year (2022). 

During the annual Open Season, eligible tribal employees can: 

• Enroll in the FEHB Program 

• Change their enrollment from/to Self Only, Self Plus One or Self and 

Family coverage 

• Change their enrollment to another FEHB plan or plan option 

• Cancel an existing enrollment in a health plan under the FEHB 

Program 

Tribal employees are entitled to make changes during Open Season even if 

they have been enrolled less than one year. Open Season changes take 

effect January 1, 2022. 

If tribal employees who are currently enrolled in an FEHB plan do nothing 

during Open Season, their FEHB enrollments will continue automatically as 

long as their plan continues to participate in the FEHB Program. Any benefit 

and rate changes take effect on January 1, 2022. 

Pre-Open Season Materials 

Attached to this TBAL you will find a list of Helpful Resources to help 

tribal employees consider and assess the various choices available to 

them as they make their Open Season benefits decisions. You are 

responsible for providing this to your tribal employees. Please 

distribute this attachment to tribal employees in mid-September. 

Upcoming Tribal BALs 

Through the TRIBALPROGRAMS Listserv, you will receive TBALs on the 

following topics in the upcoming months: 

• TBAL 21-702 - 2021 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: 

Ordering and Distributing Materials and Conducting the Open 

Season- We will inform you how to order and distribute FEHB Open 

Season materials. We will provide you with information on counseling 
(Tribal) Benefits Administration Letter [21-701] 

3 

tribal employees, carrier contacts, Open Season actions, effective 

dates, and tribal employer actions. 

• TBAL 21-703 - 2021 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: 

Significant Plan Changes - We will provide information on significant 

changes affecting certain FEHB plans (such as plan terminations) 

which you must communicate to your tribal employees. This TBAL 

also clarifies the actions that the Tribal Benefits Officer must take in 

certain situations such as when a tribal employee enrolled in a 

terminating plan or plan option fails to change plans during Open 

Season. We will release this TBAL following the announcement of the 

2022 premium rates. (If there are any subsequent changes, we will 

issue a follow-up TBAL.) 

The 700 series is dedicated to the FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees. 

You can find TBALs at www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/indian-tribes/hrpersonnel/#url=BALs. 

Timeline of Open Season Events 

What When 

BAL 21-702: Ordering and 

Distributing Materials and 

Conducting the Open 

Season 

Anticipated Issue Date: Early- Mid 

September 

2022 rates announced and 

posted on OPM website 

Late September 

BAL 21-703 Significant Plan 

Changes 

Anticipated Issue Date: Early-to midOctober 

Open Season information 

posted on OPM website 

Early November 

Where to Go for More Information 

Visit our website at www.opm.gov/tribalprograms to learn more about the 

FEHB Program. 

If you are not already receiving the TRIBALPROGRAMS Listserv, please 

subscribe by sending an email to tribalprograms@opm.gov. In the body of 

the email, please indicate that you would like to be added to the listserv and 

include your first and last name. 
(Tribal) Benefits Administration Letter [21-701] 

4 

If you have specific questions, please contact your Tribal Benefits Officer. If 

you are a Tribal Benefits Officer and have questions, please contact the 

Tribal Desk at tribalprograms@opm.gov or 202-606-2530. 

Sincerely, 

 

Laurie E. Bodenheimer 

Associate Director 

 Healthcare and Insurance