Some Benefit Changes Bear Watching

While both the FEHB and FEDVIP benefits offerings are relatively stable from 2008 to 2009, there are some changes in certain plans in each to watch for in the current open season. In the FEHB program, some plans for example have added hearing benefits for adults, increased required copayments for doctors visits and for brand-name prescription drugs, while in some cases sweetening benefits for mail order and generic drugs in order to encourage enrollees to use them. In the FEDVIP program, some carriers are making changes including eliminating waiting periods for orthodontic coverage, eliminating annual deductibles, increasing annual benefit maximums or adding coverage for implants on the dental side, while adding certain benefits on the vision side. There are two FEDVIP carrier name changes: in the vision program, Spectera will become UnitedHealthcare Vision, and in the dental program, CompBenefits will become Humana/CompBenefits. That plan also is expanding its service area into Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah.