FSA Open Season Likened to Early Enrollment

Office of Personnel Management officials are likening the open season running through June 20 for enrolling in the new government-wide flexible spending account program to the early enrollment opportunity last spring for the Long Term Care Insurance Program that preceded the general open season that ran during the last six months of the year. Officials say that their main focus on educating employees about the program will occur in the autumn, when the FSA open season for the 2004 plan year will be conducted. For the present open season covering the last six months of this calendar year, officials say the primary interest will be among those who already are familiar with how FSAs work, either through prior employment or through a spouse’s employment with a company that offers such plans. Enrollment is available through a website www.fsafeds.com and a toll-free phone line, (877) 372-3337. (Note: Actual enrollment will be delayed due to uncertainty over whether enrollees will have to pay fees as originally planned; officials hope to have that issue resolved soon. Also, uncertainty has arisen over the status of employees whose agency payroll systems may not be able to process deductions as of July 1; that issue, too, is being addressed).