Lack of Publicity Another Factor

Lack of publicity was another factor working against FSA enrollment for the 2003 plan year, officials say. With the contract to the carrier not awarded until early in the year, there simply wasn’t time to launch an extensive educational campaign, they say. However, for the calendar year 2004 plan year, information on FSAs will be part of standard FEHB plan brochures, and both OPM and the carrier, SHPS, Inc., will be conducting more outreach. One agency where the take-up rate was especially high was the IRS, officials note, so one theme of the campaign could be: what do IRS employees know about saving on taxes that you don’t?