Federal Benefits 

FastFacts 

The 2017 Federal Benefits 

Open Season is Coming! 

• What is Open Season? It 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 following: 

* Federal Flexible Spending 

Account Program (FSAFEDS), 

* Federal Employees Dental 

and Vision Insurance Program 

(FEDVIP), and 

* Federal Employees Health 

Benefits (FEHB) Program. 

• Why should you care? Open 

Season 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 health care 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. 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 

FEDVIP and FEHB, 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 2018 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 re-enroll. 

• What are some things you should 

think about this Open Season? 

FSAFEDS 

* There are 3 accounts from which to 

choose - a dependent care account, a 

health care account, and a limited 

expense health care account. 

* Participating lowers your taxable 

income. 

* You can pay for your FEDVIP and 

FEHB copays and deductibles. 

* Not open to retirees. 

FEDVIP 

* Your coverage will continue into 

retirement automatically, without a 

5-year enrollment requirement, if you 

retire on an immediate annuity. 

* Participating dental and vision 

providers may be different from your 

health plan’s providers. 

* You can cancel your coverage only 

during Open Season, or deployment to 

active military duty. 

* FEDVIP always pays benefits 

secondary to your FEHB insurance; 

* You can submit copays and 

deductibles to your FSA account. 

FEHB 

* You must be covered by the 

Program for the 5 years of service 

immediately before retiring to continue 

FEHB coverage into retirement. 

Open Season runs from November 13 through December 11, 2017. 

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* There are no waiting periods and 

no pre-existing condition limitations 

under FEHB, even if you change plans. 

* There are many choices under 

FEDVIP and FEHB to meet your needs. 

* You may enroll in FSAFEDS 

and/or FEDVIP whether or not you are 

already enrolled in FEHB. 

• How much do these Programs 

cost? 

* For FSAFEDS, you pay nothing. 

Go to www.FSAFEDS.com to see how 

much you may contribute. 

* You can find 2018 dental rates at 

www.opm.gov/healthcareinsurance/dental-vision/planinformation/#url=Premiums. 

* You can find 2018 vision rates at 

www.opm.gov/healthcareinsurance/dental-vision/planinformation/#url=Premiums. 

* You can find the 2018 health 

insurance rates at 

www.opm.gov/healthcareinsurance/healthcare/planinformation/premiums/. 

• Where can you find more detail 

on the choices available to you? 

For FSAFEDS go to 

www.FSAFEDS.com, the FSAFEDS 

Program Brochure or call 1-877-

FSAFEDS (372-3337). 

* For FEDVIP go to 

www.opm.gov/healthcareinsurance/dental-vision or 

www.opm.gov/healthcareinsurance/dental-vision/referencematerials, or the 2018 Plan brochures. 

* For FEHB information go to 

www.opm.gov/healthcareinsurance/healthcare/ or 

www.opm.gov/healthcareinsurance/healthcare/referencematerials, or the 2018 Plan brochures. 

• How do I make an Open Season 

election? 

*Flexible spending accounts under 

FSAFEDS (employees only): go to 

www.FSAFEDS.com or call 1-877-

FSAFEDS (372-3337) or TTY 1-866-353-

8058. 

*Dental or vision under FEDVIP: 

everyone - go to www.BENEFEDS.com or 

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

5680. 

*FEHB: Employees - use the Health 

Benefits Election Form (SF 2809) or use 

an online self-service system; your 

agency’s human resources office can help 

you. 

Retirees - go to Open Season Online at 

https://retireefehb.opm.gov or call Open 

Season Express at 1-800-332-9798, TTY 

1-855-887-4957. 

• Where can I find additional 

information? 

* Visit www.opm.gov/openseason; 

* Find us on Facebook at 

www.facebook.com/usopm 

* For Twitter News and Updates: 

https://twitter.com/usopm 

* For Twitter Questions: 

https://twitter.com/askopm 

* See your Human Resources Office. 

Open Season runs from November 13 through December 11, 2017.