Civil Service Federal Employees Federal Employees Federal Employees

Retirement Group Life Health Benefits Retirement

System Insurance Program System

United States

Office of

Personnel Management

The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency

Retirement and Insurance Service

Payroll Office Letter

 

Number: P-99–28 Date : December 17, 1999

SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL PROCESSING GUIDANCE FOR "FEGLI 99" OPEN SEASON

As you know, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) held a Federal Employees Group Life

Insurance (FEGLI) open enrollment period from April 24 through June 30, 1999. Coverage

elected during the “FEGLI 99” open enrollment period will become effective with the first pay

period beginning on or after April 23, 2000. Thus, unlike previous open enrollment periods, an

entire year will elapse between the beginning of the "FEGLI 99” open enrollment period and the

effective date of newly elected coverage. In view of this circumstance, this letter provides

additional guidance regarding the processing of “FEGLI 99” open enrollment period elections.

Our Office of Insurance Programs developed a special "FEGLI 99" Open Enrollment Period Election

Form for “FEGLI 99” -- RI 76-27. Employees were not permitted to use the SF 2817 to make “FEGLI

99” open enrollment period elections. Agency personnel officers were instructed to hold the

agency copy of the RI 76-27 in the employee’s Official Personnel File, until it is needed for payroll

processing. We have learned that some agency personnel offices have, however, forwarded the

agency copy of the RI 76-27 to payroll offices for processing. In fact, some payroll offices have

already loaded “FEGLI 99” election information into their systems.

Those payroll offices that have taken custody of the agency copy of the RI 76-27 and,

particularly those that have loaded “FEGLI 99” open enrollment period elections into their

systems, must be aware of the need to take immediate action when the following events

transpire before the effective date:

· The employee does not meet pay and duty status requirements as of the effective date of

the election -- see Benefits Administration Letter Number 99-205 for the requirements.

· The employee retires before the new coverage goes into effect

· The employee starts receiving compensation before the effective date of the new coverage

· The employee dies before the new coverage goes into effect -- the coverage certified on the

SF 2821 will be based on the “old” coverage.

· The employee transfers to another agency before the election becomes effective.
 

Civil Service Federal Employees Federal Employees Federal Employees

Retirement Group Life Health Benefits Retirement

System Insurance Program System

-2-

· The employee voids his/her open enrollment election

Where the agency copy of the RI 76-27 resides in the payroll office, the personnel offices must

immediately inform the payroll office upon the occurrence of any of these events. In all cases,

the open enrollment period election must be voided. Those payroll offices that have already

loaded “FEGLI 99” open enrollment period elections into their systems must take action to

remove them. Upon being informed of the occurrence of any of the forementioned events,

payroll offices must immediately return the agency copy of the RI 76-27 to the initiating

personnel office. The initiating personnel office must then annotate the “Remarks” section of

the RI 76-27 to state that the election is void and the reason therefor.

Also, please be aware of the circumstance upon which an employee, who made a “FEGLI 99”

open enrollment election on the RI 76-27, later submits a SF 2817 canceling his/her FEGLI

coverage. The cancellation of FEGLI coverage must take precedence over the “FEGLI 99”open

enrollment election. The SF 2817, therefore, must be processed within normal time frames, and

the RI 76-27 election voided. The “Remarks” section of the RI 76-27 will be annotated to state

that the employee subsequently cancelled FEGLI coverage.

If you should have questions regarding the matters discussed in this letter, please call us on

(202) 606-0606 or email us at finance@opm.gov. 

Robert A. Yuran, Chief

Financial Policy Staff

Retirement and Insurance Service