The Office of Personnel Management has announced that certain military retirees and family members can opt to join FEDVIP (the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program).
During the 2018 Federal Benefits Open Season, which begins November 12 and extends through December 10, current enrollees in the Tricare Retiree Dental Program (TRDP), will be eligible for the dental coverage currently offered to federal civil servants. Vision coverage will also be offered to retirees and family members if they were eligible for TRDP and who are enrolled in a TRICARE health plan. Coverage would begin January 1, 2019.
The TRDP transition to FEDVIP does not impact active duty uniformed service members. Their dental and vision coverage will still be provided by TRICARE. However, vision coverage will be available to their family members, if enrolled in a TRICARE health plan.
The change would allow retired members of the uniformed services and their eligible family members, as well as qualifying family of active duty uniformed service members, access to FEDVIP coverage, as defined above, for the first time. FEDVIP offers 10 different dental plans and four vision plans. Each family member must be enrolled in the same plan. They can opt for self-only, self-plus-one, or self and family coverage.
Retirees should know that the TRICARE Retiree Dental Plan (TRDP) ends on December 31, 2018. They can enroll in one of the FEDVIP dental plans during the upcoming open season for coverage beginning January 1, 2019. Enrollment in FEDVIP is not automatic. More information is available online at TRICARE.benefeds.com on the web.
