Employees who wish to have a dependent care and/or health care flexible spending account in 2025 must make a new election during the open season. Image: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffWhile most of the attention focuses on health insurance during the annual benefits open season—this year November 11-December 9—the open season also provides employees and retirees the opportunity to elect or change vision and/or dental coverage in the FEDVIP program, and for employees to begin or renew flexible spending accounts for the new year.
The split off of Postal Service employees and retirees from the FEHB program into the new Postal Service Health Benefits program does not affect eligibility or other rules under the FEDVIP or FSA programs.
In FEDVIP, premiums will increase on average by 3 percent for dental plans and 1 percent for vision plans. FEDVIP has 12 dental carriers providing 23 plan options; seven of the carriers and 14 of the options are nationwide. All five vision plans are national, providing two options each.
As with the FEHB program, in FEDVIP an existing enrollment will continue next year unless changed, subject to the new premium rates and any changes in benefits. But unlike FEHB, retirees who are not already enrolled can elect vision, dental or both types of coverage under FEDVIP.
Employees who wish to have a dependent care and/or health care flexible spending account in 2025 must make a new election during the open season. Maximums will be $5,000 (individually or for a couple) for dependent care accounts and $3,300 (individually) for health care accounts.
Both are “use or lose” although with protections. For dependent care accounts there is a grace period of 10 weeks into the following year to use up the designated money, and in health care accounts up to $660 of money unspent in 2025 can be carried over into 2026. The individual must have an account in the following year to use those features, however.
The open season does not apply to the other two federal insurance programs, the FEGLI life insurance program and the FLTCIP long-term care insurance program. FEGLI conducts open seasons only rarely, although new enrollments or coverage changes are allowed at other times in certain circumstances.
The FLTCIP is not accepting new applications for enrollment or changes in existing enrollment through the end of this year. An announcement is expected late in the year regarding the future of that program.
Workforce Policy, Agency Funding Decisions Still Pending as Congress Nears Exit
Open Season for 2025 Soon Coming to a Close
TSP to Offer In-Plan Roth Conversions in 2026
With Christmas Holiday on a Wednesday, Precedent is for Extra Time Off
TSP Millionaire Count Grows by Nearly 40,000 Year-to-Date
Medicare Announces Increases in Premiums, Deductibles for 2025
Early Marker Set for 2026 Raise: 3.8 Percent
Legal Challenges Expected as Trump Workforce Plans Take Shape
See also,
Open Season Brings Premium, Coverage Considerations
Best States to Retire for Federal Retirees: 2024
Is 2025 the Year to Open an HSA?
Are you Ready for Your Federal Retirement Under FERS
