Open Season Report
(Continued from p. 38) New HMO Plans. FEHBP HMO plans are available in every state. Four new HMO plans will be added to the FEHBP for 2014: • Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, Inc., codes BC and AE; • Total Health Care USA, code A5, in parts of Michigan; • Scott & White Health Plan, code A8, in parts of Texas; and • HealthKeepers, Inc., code A9, in parts of Virginia. New Service Area Choices. Five HMOs have new service areas with new enrollment codes: • Aetna Value Plan in most of AK, CA, HI, IN, OH, OK, SC, TX and WI, code JS4, JS5; • Humana Health Plan, Inc., in Arizona’s Maricopa and Pinal counties, code BF; and Pima
County, code C7; • Humana Medical Plan, Inc., in Florida counties of Flagler and Volusia, code EX; and Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole, code E2; • Humana Health Plan of Texas, Inc., in the counties of Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fayette, Ft. Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Waller and Wharton, code EW; and • Aetna Whole Health in Virginia in Essex, Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, King and Queen, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond and York, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson and Williamsburg, codes J91 and J92. New Option. Kaiser Foundation HP of California will offer a Basic option, codes KC1 and KC2.
Live Webcasts and More From OPM
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will host three live webcasts to give employees and retirees an opportunity to learn more about the federal benefits programs. They will begin with a PowerPoint presentation and will be followed by a live question-and-answer session. Employees and annuitants can email related questions to a panel of experts. Visit www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/openseason to view the webcasts live on their scheduled dates: • Introduction to Open Season, November 13, 1:30 p.m., EST • Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), November 14, 1:30, EST • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAFEDS) – For active federal employees only, November 19, 1:30 p.m., EST. Additional Information on Open Season is available from OPM: • On the Web: www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/openseason • On Facebook: www.facebook.com/fedbenefits (Get updates on Open Season and participate in discussions with other federal employees, retirees and their family members about federal insurance options.) • On Twitter: http://twitter.com/insurefeds. (Get the latest updates on Open Season by subscribing to the Federal Benefits Twitter account.) OPM also offers information about retirement and the health benefits programs at: • www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/fastfacts/thinkfehb.pdf • www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/fastfacts/thinkfedvip.pdf.
Service Area Reductions. Three plans will reduce service areas: • Aetna Open Access will terminate code IK (Chicago and North Indiana area); • HealthAmerica PA will terminate codes SW and YW (Central Pennsylvania); and • M.D. IPA will terminate service in Central Virginia and Richmond areas. Plan Terminations. Two HMO plans will drop out of the FEHBP after December 31, 2013: • Physicians Health Plan in Michigan, codes 9U4 and 9U5; and • Blue Choice in New York, codes MK1, MK2, MK4, MK5. The 1,824 federal enrollees in these plans must select new coverage during Open Season. All enrollees in an HMO should review their plan’s 2014 brochure to see if they still live or work in their plan’s service area.
Information Sources
Active Employees. Federal agencies will provide employees with Open Season information and sources for more information. Employees who do not receive Open Season information by November 11 should contact their personnel or administrative office. Annuitants and Survivor Annuitants. OPM will provide Open Season information to most eligible annuitants, survivor annuitants and former spouse annuitants. Those who do not receive Open Season notices by November 11 should contact OPM. Plans will not automatically send enrollees their 2014 brochure. You must request one or download it from the OPM website. —Federal Benefits Service Department
42
| n o v
2 013