Transitioning enrollees from FEHB to PSHB includes a contract with Maximus for customer service. Image: chainarong06/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe inspector general’s office at OPM has raised concerns about customer service for Postal Service employees and retirees in their transition from the FEHB to the new Postal Service Health Benefits program.
In a report issued just ahead of the open season running November 11-December 9 for 2025 health coverage, the IG said that OPM “does not have comprehensive documented plans, policies, and procedures for the operation” of the customer support function in the upcoming open season and beyond.
“Although OPM has provided some documentation regarding its process for the customer support experience, the lack of a substantial overall plan may result in inadequate customer support for Postal Service members,” it said.
The report is the latest in a series from the IG looking into OPM’s process for setting up the PSHB and carrying out the requirement to migrate all postal employees and retirees into it effective in January. That includes a contract with the Maximus company to operate a helpline to respond to basic questions about the PSHB and to assist with technical issues and enrollments.
However, the IG said that it discovered during its audit work in the summer that the planned customer service team for retirees “consisted of 16 customer support specialists to assist approximately 650,000 annuitants.” After the IG “expressed concern about the low number of specialists” to OPM management, the agency initially responded that “it was not focused” on the contractor’s staffing levels “but would instead rely on its contract with Maximus to ensure that annuitants were receiving the necessary customer support.”
“OPM explained that if Maximus is unable to handle the customer support at the required performance levels, OPM contingency plan is to leverage resources” from its own retirement information office and postal health benefits team. The former has 160 customer support agents and the latter has 10 employees, the report said.
The IG said that while such planning is in place, OPM “does not have a comprehensive documented plan, policies or procedures for the operation of the customer support experience for the PSHB customers . . . Without such clearly defined documentation there is a higher risk that customer support will be inadequate to meet demand, particularly during this inaugural open season.”
In response, OPM pointed to the planning it has done and the potential for using its own employees to supplement the customer service contractor. The IG replied in turn that “While we agree OPM has documented some plans, mainly through flowcharts, we continue to stress the need for a comprehensive documented policy and procedure.”
Responding to this article, OPM also added: “OPM is committed to a seamless transition for all Postal Service employees, annuitants, and their families. We have made a number of updates since the summer and have a robust customer service plan ready for Open Season.”
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