What you need to know: federal health benefits

Premiums on the rise.

By Max Cacas
FederalNewsRadio

The Office of Personnel Management is out with new information for those participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program for 2009:

  • Enrollees with “self-only” coverage face an average increase of $4.83 every pay period next year. Family coverage will cost an average of $11.12 more per pay period. Both figures represent an average 7 percent increase over last year. Feds generally pay around 30 percent of a plan’s premium, with the government paying the remaining 70.
  • Open season, when feds can make changes to their portfolio of health and family-care plans, runs between November 10th thru December 8th.
  • There are new hearing benefits for adults, following the successful launch of a hearing benefit for children last year.
  • OPM is making minor changes to its web site, which includes a useful online tool for comparing the costs of different plans.
  • If you are enrolled in a Flexible Spending Account, you need to re-enroll for the program during the open season if you want to participatre in flex plans next year.

Feds are advised to consult OPM’s “Guide to Federal Health Benefits” and the newly revamped OPM Federal Benefits website for complete information on changes to FEHBP in the coming year.

——
On the Web:

OPM – 2008 Open Season Information

OPM – OPM Announces Open Season for Health Benefits, Dental and Vision Insurance, and Flexible Spending Accounts (news release)

(Copyright 2008 by FederalNewsRadio.com. All Rights Reserved.)

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.