With the initial Affordable Care Act health insurance enrollment period set to begin October 1, there still seems to be some confusion among federal employees and retirees regarding the relationship between that program and the FEHB. Those eligible for FEHB coverage remain eligible for it, and the Obamacare startup – assuming it survives a congressional Republican effort to stop it — will not affect them with this limited exception: members of Congress and their personal staffs (although not other legislative branch employees) will have to leave FEHB and get their health insurance through the exchange system or through another source such as a spouse’s employment. That involves only a small part of the FEHB population, although a highly visible one. Other FEHB-eligible persons are free to leave FEHB if they wish but it is not expected that many if any will do so; instead, the focus for them will remain on the regular benefits open season for FEHB that starts November 11.
