United States 

Office of 

Personnel Management 

The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency

Benefits Administration Letter 

Number: 03-402 Date: September 17, 2003 

Subject: Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season 2003 Rider Information 

Attached is the September 2003 FEHB Open Season Rider. Your agency also should receive the rider 

through regular printing officer channels. Agencies may order the publications on the attached list by 

riding the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's requisition. Field and regional offices should submit 

your requirements to your department or agency Washington, DC, area headquarters printing office 

before the September 26, 2003, cutoff date. In order to provide products to our customers on a timely 

basis, this cutoff date will not be extended. Products will be shipped to agency distribution points 

beginning October 17. 

 Frank D. Titus 

 Assistant Director 

 for Insurance Services 

Attachment 
FEHB Open Season 2003 RIDER INFO

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is offering printed copies through the rider 

system of the following publications. OPM does not stock supplies of any of the 

publications. If you have any questions about this rider, please call (202) 606-0623. 

The cutoff date for ordering items from this rider is September 26, 2003. In order to provide 

products to our customers on a timely basis, this date will not be extended. Products will be 

shipped to agency distribution points beginning October 17. 

These publications will be made available on our website at 

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp. Since they can be downloaded and printed as 

needed, this may be a better alternative for items you need in smaller quantities. 

The actual cost of items will vary, depending upon the various specifications and quantity. 

However, the most economical way of obtaining bulk quantities is to ride OPM's printing 

requisitions. 

This is the revised November 2003 edition. The FEHB Guides provide summary information on the 

health plans participating in the FEHB Program, with information on the plans available in each 

state, rates, benefits, accreditation, and quality indicators. They also provide information on 

program features and enrollment instructions. 
 

RI 70-1, 

Guide to Federal Employees 

Health Benefits Plans: 

For Federal Civilian 

Employees 

This 52 page self covered publication is 216 x 280 mm (8 1/2" x 11") and is 

printed in one color ink, blue (PMS 287), on white sub. 50 offset book stock with a 

self cover. The previous printing cost was approximately $.30 per copy. 

 RI 70-5, 

Guide to Federal Employees 

Health Benefits Plans: 

For Temporary 

Continuation of 

Coverage (TCC) and 

former Spouse Enrollees

– Individuals Eligible To 

Enroll For: TCC or 

Coverage under the 

spouse equity law or 

similar statutes providing 

coverage to former 

spouses

This 52 page self covered publication is 216 x 280 mm (8 1/2" x 11") and is 

printed in one color ink, blue (PMS 287), on green sub. 50 offset book stock with 

a self cover. The previous printing cost was approximately $.30 per copy. 

 RI 70-6, 

 Guide 

to Federal Employees 

Health Benefits Plans: 

For Individuals 

Receiving Compensation 

from the Office of 

Workers’ Compensation 

Programs (OWCP)

This 52 page separate wraparound covered publication is 216 x 280 mm (8 1/2" x 

11") and is printed in one color ink, blue (PMS 287). The text is printed on a white 

sub. 50 offset book stock while the separate wraparound cover is printed on a 

White Vellum Finish Cover. The previous printing cost was approximately $.51 

per copy. 
 

RI 70-8, 

 Guide 

to Federal Employees 

Health Benefits Plans: 

For Certain Temporary 

Employees – Those 

eligible to enroll in the 

FEHB Program under 5 

U.S.C. 8906a 

This 52 page self covered publication is 216 x 280 mm (8 1/2" x 11") and is 

printed in one color ink, blue (PMS 287), on buff sub. 50 offset book stock with a 

self cover. The previous printing cost was approximately $.30 per copy. 

 RI 70-9, 

Guide to Federal Employees 

Health Benefits Plans: 

For Federal Retirees and 

Their Survivors

This 52 page self covered publication is 216 x 280 mm (8 1/2" x 11") and is 

printed in one color ink, blue (PMS 287), on white sub. 50 offset book stock with a 

self cover. The previous printing cost was approximately $.30 per copy. 

 

RI 70-10, 

 Guide 

to Federal Employees 

Health Benefits Plans: 

For Federal Civilian 

Employees – Large Print 

Only

This 52 page self covered publication is 280 x 432 mm (11" x 17") and is printed 

in one color ink, blue (PMS 287), on white sub. 50 offset book stock with a self 

cover. The previous printing cost was approximately $.58 per copy. 
Ordering, Cost Estimate and Distribution 

Information

Departments and agencies may order the publications listed 

in this issue by riding the OPM printing items indicated below. 

 Field and regional offices should submit their requirements 

to their department or agency Washington, DC, area 

headquarters printing officer before the cutoff date shown. 

Agencies may estimate costs by using the current GPO price 

list of printing services and the information given in the 

description of each publication. PLEASE NOTE: The U.S. 

Office of Personnel Management cannot provide agencies 

with the exact cost of the individual publications listed in this 

flyer. The cost agencies will pay is an actual production cost 

which varies greatly, depending upon the various 

specifications of the publication, especially the quantity. 

Individual unit cost can vary significantly, usually decreasing 

as the total quantity printed increases. Since we are unable 

to estimate the total quantity that agencies will order, 

accurate estimates are nearly impossible to gauge. 

OPM regrets this inconvenience; however, your 

agency headquarters printing officer may be able to 

assist you. 

Agencies may order a bulk supply from GPO and 

make their own distribution to component offices or 

have GPO make the distribution (distribution list 

should be attached to the Standard Form 1 

showing the number of copies to be sent to each 

address). The Unit of Issue is 25 per package, 

thus the smallest amount of an item that can be

ordered is 25. The total quantity of your order 

for each item must be divisible by 25.

NOTE: Field or regional activities should 

coordinate their requirements with their 

Washington, DC, area headquarters 

printing officer before submitting any

paperwork. GPO will return all requisitions 

sent directly from field or regional offices. 

Item No. 

FY 2003 

Publication Title ID 

Number 

Refer to

Edition 

Cutoff Date 

to GPO 

(SF 1) 

PLEASE NOTE: OPM has discontinued listing requisition numbers; instead, we are asking you to refer to the item 

number and title when ordering these publications. Please substitute the item number in the requisition number 

space on the SF-1. Thank you for your observance of this important change. 

 1264. FEHB Guide: For Federal Civilian Employees ............................................ RI 70-1 11/03 09/26/03 

 1265. FEHB Guide: For TCC & Former Spouse Enrollees .................................... RI 70-5 11/03 09/26/03 

 1266. FEHB Guide: For Individuals Receiving Compensation from OWCP .......... RI 70-6 11/03 09/26/03 

 1267. FEHB Guide: For Certain Temporary Employees ........................................ RI 70-8 11/03 09/26/03 

 1268. FEHB Guide: For Federal Retirees and Their Survivors .............................. RI 70-9 11/03 09/26/03 

 1269. FEHB Guide: For Federal Civilian Employees (LARGE Print) .................... RI 70-10 11/03 09/26/03 

Additional information on the publications listed in this issue, questions or suggestions regarding this CRIS Rider, may be 

obtained from the Center for Retirement and Insurance Service by calling (202) 606-0623.