MEMORANDUM
DATE: November 3, 2023
TO: Federal Personnel and Payroll System User Group Representatives
FROM: Christine Zertuche-Rocha, Chief, Payroll Operations Division
SUBJECT: 2023 Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season and Terminating Plans
Please share this information with the Serving Personnel Office (SPO) and all appropriate staff. This year’s open season will run from Monday, November 13 through Monday, December 11, 2023. The Open Season Benefits Administration Letter (BAL) 23-401 can be found at Benefits Administration Letters (opm.gov). In this BAL and attachments, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) describes the terminating plans and plans that are reducing areas of coverage.
Employees under these plans should make a new valid health benefit plan election through Employee Express http://www.employeeexpress.gov/ or through their SPO contact during open season. The Benefits Processing Branch (BPB) will provide a query to each SPO of impacted employees no later than November 10, 2023. Please contact these employees to inform them that their current plan is being terminated or their coverage area is being reduced.
If these employees do not make an election during open season, the SPO will need to transfer these employees to the lowest cost provider per the Benefits Administration Letter and our Client Interface Guide. The lowest cost provider for 2023 is the GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan Elevate Option. To complete this transfer, the SPO needs to enter the most current Standard Form 2809, Health Benefits Election Form, information into FPPS under the FEHB command. This is the only way to properly build the information in FPPS and in the OPM and health benefit carrier’s databases.
If the SPOs have any questions regarding this information, they may contact Duke Dupre, Chief, BPB, at (303) 969-7487 or by email at duke_dupre@ibc.doi.gov.