1

THE RESOURCE COORDINATOR’S

ROLE IN OPEN SEASON

Open Season is the time for employees to review their

health, dental, vision, and tax-saving needs and make

changes to or enroll in these programs:

• Federal Employees Health Benefits(FEHB)

• Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance

Program (FEDVIP)

• Federal Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAFEDS)

To assist employees during this time, we ask you to read 

the Employee Instructions. This newsletter provides all 

the relevant information about Open Season. If you 

know of employees who may not receive emails, please 

print and mail them a copy of the Employee Instructions.

We also ask that you take the time to familiarize yourself 

with this Open Season webpage:

https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/open- season

When employees have questions, please directthem to 

these resources, in this order:

• Employee Instructions Handout

• https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/

open-season

FEDERAL BENEFITSOPEN SEASON

INFORMATION FOR RESOURCE COORDINATORS

OPEN SEASON

RUNS FROM

MONDAY

NOVEMBER

13, 2023

THROUGH

MONDAY

DECEMBER 11, 

2023

TABLEOF

CONTENTS

2

WHAT’S NEW 

IN 2024? 

FEHB

FEDVIP

FSAFEDS 

RESOURCES
FEDERAL BENEFITS OPEN SEASON

2

WHAT’S NEW IN 2024? 

PLAN CHANGES

HEALTH BENEFITS: Some health plans have dropped out of the FEHB 

program for 2024. If the plan you are currently enrolled in will not be 

participating next year, you must enroll in a different plan or you 

will be enrolled automatically in the GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan – 

Elevate Option (the lowest-cost nationwide plan for 2024 as 

determined by OPM). 

Be sure to review this list, as well as the 2024 premiums before you 

make your election to be sure that you fully understand the cost and

coverage of your plan via Premiums (opm.gov)

VISION AND DENTAL BENEFITS: There are a total of 23 dental plan 

options and 10 vision plan options in 2024 for employees to review 

during the upcoming Open Season. 

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT: For 2024, Flexible Spending Account 

enrollments can carry over up to $610 from year to year. In order to 

use those funds, you must re-enroll.

EMPLOYEE TOOLS

VIRTUAL BENEFITS FAIR: You may use the online marketplace for

OPM-sanctioned Federal employee benefit programs and carriers. The

Virtual Benefits Fair is available 24/7 during the entire Open Season.

You can access this fair by registering online here, confirming your 

email address, and setting a secure password.

Carriers will be available to answer questions and provide specific 

information during live chats at the following dates and times:

• Tuesday, November 14, 2023, from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. EST

• Tuesday, November 21, 2023, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST

• Thursday, November 30, 2023, from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. EST

• Thursday, December 07, 2023, from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. EST

HUMAN RESOURCES OPEN SEASON HELP: The Human Resources 

Office has a Benefits phone line available for questions. Please call 

(877) 374-7471 for assistance or email FSISHR1@usda.gov.

OPEN SEASON

PLAN CHANGES

DEADLINE FOR

CHANGES IS

MIDNIGHT

CENTRAL TIME

ON

12/11/2023

OPEN SEASON

FEHBELECTIONS

ARE EFFECTIVE

ON SUNDAY

1/14/2024

(PAY PERIOD 1/2024)
FEDERAL BENEFITS OPEN SEASON

3

FEDERAL EMPLOYEESHEALTH BENEFITS

CHOOSING A HEALTH PLAN

There are several tools available for employeesto help them choose a health plan. Some of these sites may 

not be updated by OPM until Open Season begins on 11/13/2023. 

1. OPM Plan Search Tool – This tool helps employees narrow down their choices by providing side-byside comparisons of the plans, including benefits, premiums, and quality indicators. You can also

access links to Individual FEHB Plan Brochures.

2. 2024 FEHB Plan Rates – Lists the rates for all FEHB plans by code for 2024 versus 2023.

3. FEHB Plan Brochures – has the links to all the plan brochures for detailed information on what each

plan covers and their websites.

Open Season FEHB elections are effective on 1/14/2024, which isthe first day of Pay Period 1 in 2024.

4. MAKING AN ELECTION

Employees are permitted to make only one health insurance election during open season. There are

two ways to make an election:

• The Employee Personal Page (myEPP)

• Form SF-2809 – Submit form to the HR Benefits team by email OR fax

You should encourage employeesto use myEPP. Please remind employees to keep a copy of their

electronic enrollment confirmation.

PLEASE NOTE THESE VERY IMPORTANT ITEMS:

1. If you know an employee that is planning on retiring on or before 1/13/2023 DO NOT USE myEPP.

They MUST submit a hard-copy SF-2809 to the HR Benefits team in order for their Open Season

change to process.

2. If you are unable to access myEPP due to not having access to a computer or due to extenuating

circumstances, you may complete a Health Benefits Election Form SF 2809(https://www.opm.gov/

forms/pdf_fill/sf2809.pdf) and submit it to the Benefits Section for manual processing. You must

use the current version of the form (November 2019). Older versions of the form are invalid. You

will need Acrobat Adobe Reader 8 or later to use this fillable form. Please view Appendix B on page

18 of this document for an example of a completed open season election prior to submitting your

form and insure that you have properly completed it. This will help avoid processing delays. Send 

the last two pages of the SF-2809 to us by emailing FSISHR1@USDA.GOV OR fax it to us at

(833) 840-9217. Remember to KEEP A COPY of the sent email OR the fax confirmation as proof of

your timely submission.

Please DO NOT SUBMIT the SF 2809 by email AND fax. Sending a form by fax AND email WILL CAUSE 

UNNECESSARY DELAYS IN PROCESSING THE ELECTION OF COVERAGE. 
FEDERAL BENEFITS OPEN SEASON

4

FEDVIPOPEN SEASON

DENTAL &VISION INSURANCE

The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program 

(FEDVIP) offers supplemental insurance for dental and vision

expenses not covered by your FEHB or other health plan. Since

FEDVIP plans are purchased on a group basis, you receive

competitive premiums and you are notsubjectto limitations on preexisting conditions.

FEDVIP enrollments automatically continue from one year to the

next just like FEHB enrollments. Open season is the time to enroll,

cancel, or change your FEDVIP coverage.

To find FEDVIP plan information, go to Plan Premiums (opm.gov).

FEDVIP premiums are paid through payroll deduction using pretax

dollars. This means your taxable income will be lower. You are

responsible for the full premium; the government does not pay a 

share of this supplemental insurance. 

There is no 5-year enrollment requirement for FEDVIP coverage so 

when you retire, your FEDVIP enrollment will automatically 

continue into retirement. 

FEDVIPENROLLMENT

To enroll, change, or cancel your enrollment in a FEDVIP plan, visit 

the BENEFEDS website at www.BENEFEDS.com or call 

(877) 888-3337. The FEDVIP plans will send confirmation of open

season enrollments to enrollees by mid-January.

BENEFEDS representatives are available to assist you and can be 

reached at (877) 888-3337 or TTY (877) 889-5680. 

Open season elections

are effective

January 1, 2024

FEDVIP

enrollments 

cannot be 

processed through 

myEPP or by

Human Resources.

You must enroll 

through 

BENEFEDS.

FEDVIP
FEDERAL BENEFITS OPEN SEASON

5

FSAFEDS OPEN SEASON

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS

FSAFEDS can help you save money by allowing you to set aside pretax 

funds to pay for eligible out-of-pocket dependent care and health care 

expenses:

• The Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA)

reimburses non-medical expenses associated with child care

or adult day care.

• The Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA)

reimburses eligible health care expenses.

• Employees covered by a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)

with a Health Savings Account (HSA) may enroll in a Limited

Expense HCFSA (LEX HCFSA) for their eligible dental and

vision expenses.

• The maximum limit is subject to change and will be

published by FSAFEDS. Carry over amounts can vary from

year to year.

THE FSAFEDS CALCULATOR

The FSAFEDS CALCULATOR can help employees determine how

much money to set aside. The minimum election for the flexible

spending accounts is $100. If employees enroll in FSAFEDS during 

open season, they will have from January 1, 2024, through December 31,

2024, to spend their FSAFEDS account. Employees can carry over up to 

$610 to the 2024 plan year, only if they enroll in FSA during 

Open Season this year. Any amount over $610 that is not used will be

forfeited.

For a list of frequently asked questions about the program, go to FSAFEDS

FAQs

FSAFEDSENROLLMENT

Enroll in FSAFEDS on line or by phone at (877) 372-3337. 

FSAFEDS representatives are available Monday through Friday, 9:00am

to 9:00pm EST. Call (877) 372-3337 or TTY (866) 353-8058 for

assistance. 

FSAFEDSOPEN SEASONELECTIONS ARE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2024. 

FSAFEDS 

Enrollments Carry 

Over Funds Vary 

From Year To 

Year.

BUT 

in orderto use 

those funds, you 

must re- enroll. 

You will have 

from 1/1/2024 to 

12/31/2024 to use 

that money. 

FSAFEDS

enrollments 

cannot be 

processed

through 

myEPP

or by 

Human 

Resources.

You must enroll 

through 

FSAFEDS.
FINAL REMINDERS

Open Season runs from 

Monday, November 13, 2023 through 

Monday, December 11, 2023.

You are permitted to make only one election for FEHB during

open season. Please refer your employees to the Employee

Instructions as their first point of reference.

CONTACT INFORMATION

(877) 888-3337

VISITOPM’S OPENSEASONWEBPAGE: 

https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/open-season

For FEDVIP, call BENEFEDS 

For Flexible Spending Account, call FSAFEDS (877) 372-3337

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

www.opm.gov/insure

www.fsafeds.com

www.benefeds.com
APPENDIX A

APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B

APPENDIX B
11/14/2022-12/12/2022.

833-840-9217

11/14/2022

APPENDIX B