As always, if current enrollees make no changes in FEHB or FEDVIP, they will retain the same coverage next year. Image: Valery Evlakhov/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffNext Monday (December 9) is the last day of the current open season to enroll or change coverage for 2025 under the FEHB health insurance program and the FEDVIP vision-dental insurance program, or to newly enroll or re-enroll in the FSAFEDS flexible spending account program. Meanwhile, the enrollment period for PSHB has been extended through Friday, December 13 at 11:59PM EST.
As always, if current enrollees make no changes in FEHB or FEDVIP, they will retain the same coverage next year, subject to new premium rates and coverage terms. The situation is more complicated, though, for Postal Service employees and retirees who are being moved into the new PSHB launching in January, since that program has fewer carriers than the FEHB.
OPM has said that 90 percent of postal employees and retirees currently enrolled in the FEHB will have parallel plans in the PSHB. If they do nothing in the open season, their coverage will carry over into the parallel PSHB plan. Those currently in FEHB plans that will have no parallel in the PSHB will be enrolled by default in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield FEP Blue Focus plan if they make no election during the open season.
A similar consideration applies in the FEHB, where the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association plan will drop out and will be available only in the PSHB. Several regional plans also are dropping out or reducing their coverage areas. Affected enrollees who make no new election will be enrolled by default in the GEHA Elevate plan.
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.
In contrast to FEHB and FEDVIP, a new enrollment is required each year for those who want a health care flexible spending account, a dependent care account, or both in the following year. The dependent care maximum remains $5,000 while the health care maximum is $3,300.
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