FEHB 2010 Open Season

[PessOptimist]

And if you have really waited until the last minute:

The FSAFEDS call center will be open on Monday 12/14, the last day of Open Season, from 9 am to12 midnight EST. (1-877-372-3337)

The BENEFEDS call center will be open Monday, 12/14, the last day of Open Season, as stated in the Attachment - from 9am to 12 midnight EST. (1-877-888-3337)

 

[XL-entLady]

Don't forget that TODAY is the last day your can make health, dental or vision insurance changes for next year!

Lady

 

[fabijo]

A couple years ago I switched from BCBS Standard to BCBS Basic. For 2010, I'm switching to GEHA for a $15 savings each pay check and a lower copay. My family is still young and we don't have medical issues yet, so I didn't go very far with researching all the details in those aspects. I just looked at the basic stuff with copays deductibles.

 

[Guest2]

Over the years, I've used USHealthcare / Amerihealth / Aetna and BCBS.
Based on affordability, I can no longer have an HMO (which I prefer). Even
BCBS is now out of the affordabilty loop. After researching the Plans at the
PlanChoice's website, my three top choices ended up = MHBP, APWU and GEHA.
I've seen meds (for me) as low as $690 per year and as high as $1300. When
I completed this exhausting comparison, the differences per year were as little
as $200 per year. MHBP Won 1st place and GEHA came in 2nd. I switched to
MHBP Value Plan for 2010.

Members, please be careful to read the fine print under prescriptions. Some require
you to meet a $3500 Yearly Deductable "FIRST" before benefits kick in. "POOH" ! :suspicious:

 

[grandma]

...still researching health insurance for myself - standard. My Mailhandlers fee increasing by $30/month ! :notrust: I've never had an issue with them except when I picked up Medicare as my primary, and it turns out there are nearly 40 Million :laugh: with my name - & they Both spent nearly a whole year battling out who I was & who was responsible! But it finally did get cleared up -
CountryBoy, you mentioned in a post I found from last December that you didn't think GEHA was much of an option. Can you clarify that for me? Is there anyone reading that can give me a word on the dependability & forthrightness of GEHA? I haven't laid its paper work out side-by-side with MH yet, but just off the top GEHA reads fine -
but if the $80.22 vs $166.01 indicates a severe difference in service I needn't spend time digging further into the GEHA !:suspicious:
Thanx to all....

 

[Buster]

After reviewing the Basic and Standard options with BCBS..I switched to the Basic...saving me more than $2600/year in biweekly premiums and deductables....I suggest if anyone is on the fence on which is the best bang for the buck..Call your State's BCBS rep (# on the back of your insurance card) They will help you decide without bias...Everyone's case is special.

 

[XL-entLady]

Been spending lots of time with the spreadsheets and finally made my decision. ....

If it hadn't been for the physical therapy limitation I'd have stayed with Aetna HDHP. With a premium cost of less than $15 a month after adding back in the HSA, it's hard to beat. But the two month cap on physical therapy changes the whole picture for me. Because weekly physical therapy is now going to be just a normal part of my world.

It looks like I'm going to be going with Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard next year. And staying with GEHA Dental and FEPBlue Vision.

FWIW,
Lady

Is a Lady allowed to change her mind? :embarrest:

I found a new facility that will allow me to do my hydrotherapy without additional cost to me. That means that I will be able to stay with Aetna HDHP instead of changing to BCBS. That will save me almost $200 a month in premium and co-pay costs.

Life is good.

Lady

 

[XL-entLady]

Been spending lots of time with the spreadsheets and finally made my decision.

I looked at my costs for the last 12 months - 20% of my income - gulp! I considered my routine doctor visits, specialist costs, generic, formulary and non-formulary Rx costs, and those darn physical therapy visits. Actually they're hydrotherapy and I love them. They really ease those tied up muscles.

If it hadn't been for the physical therapy limitation I'd have stayed with Aetna HDHP. With a premium cost of less than $15 a month after adding back in the HSA, it's hard to beat. But the two month cap on physical therapy changes the whole picture for me. Because weekly physical therapy is now going to be just a normal part of my world.

It looks like I'm going to be going with Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard next year. And staying with GEHA Dental and FEPBlue Vision.

FWIW,
Lady

 

[Steadygain]

BC/BS - reduces payments to half with same or more benefits
$109 biweekly

Dental Ins. (first time getting)
MetLife PPO - High Option
Self
$15 biweekly

Getting $5,000 Implant next yr (one tooth) -- will cost $800
Plus includes services we usually pay $600 or better

 

[Show-me]

Thanks for the reminder and the link, my friend! How is my favorite bear, huh?

It was interesting for me to use your link tool. Last year I saved about $100 a month by switching from BCBS to Aetna. But I'm going to need to start going to weekly physical therapy sessions. And by using the Smart Choice link and following up on what I learned there, I found out that Aetna caps PT visits to 20 a year. So I'm probably going to have to switch insurances again. Maybe back to BCBS because they allow 75 PT visits a year.

It's such a blessing that we have options that work for so many different personal situations. I love government benefits!

Life is good!

Lady

You said it Sister, good to see you back.

 

[XL-entLady]

I gave this to everyone last year. It's that time again. I found this tool helped me to make a informed decision with comprehensive comparisons of each Plan and their costs.....at https://www.plansmartchoice.com/."

Thanks for the reminder and the link, my friend! How is my favorite bear, huh?

It was interesting for me to use your link tool. Last year I saved about $100 a month by switching from BCBS to Aetna. But I'm going to need to start going to weekly physical therapy sessions. And by using the Smart Choice link and following up on what I learned there, I found out that Aetna caps PT visits to 20 a year. So I'm probably going to have to switch insurances again. Maybe back to BCBS because they allow 75 PT visits a year.

It's such a blessing that we have options that work for so many different personal situations. I love government benefits!

Life is good!

Lady

 

[Guest2]

I gave this to everyone last year. It's that time again. I found this tool
helped me to make a informed decision with comprehensive comparisons
of each Plan and their costs.

"For your first session using the PlanSmartChoice™ application, you must access
the login page using the above steps. For subsequent sessions, you can access
the login page directly at https://www.plansmartchoice.com/."

Registration Is Required.
Good Luck !

 

[Steadygain]

Wow -- forgot about this and only because of Grandma did I remember.

Grandma reminds me a lot of Lady -- Smart as can be; thoughtful; reflective; looking out for others; communicates very well.

OK - We were using Health Insurance -- connected with HMOs in our area that cost a little more than $200 biweekly

Are switching to BC/BS for roughtly $130 biweekly and maintaining all the doctors we wanted and have been established with and they throw in Dental Check Ups to boot.

So on the whole we are trilled with being forced to change!!

 

[nnuut]

From an article in Fedsmith today:

"...federal employees have help when it comes to evaluating their options. For instance, OPM has a plan comparison tool on its Web site; other federal agencies provide Consumers Checkbook; most health plans have tools that detail their benefits; and the PlanSmartChoice decision support site is available free to all federal employees.
Fifteen minutes on a decision support Web site will help federal employees to become better health care consumers. By devoting a small amount of time to evaluating options, federal employees can ensure that they've chosen the medical plan that best meets their individual needs...."

http://www.fedsmith.com/article/2178/choosing-health-plan-have-you-pulling-your.html

I moved from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Aetna last year. And I did end up saving a bundle. But as I look at the coverages and what I am expecting to use next year, I may have to change insurances again. Study, study, study! :cheesy:

Lady

I changed last year myself from BCBS to Mail Handlers and saved about $1000, this year they both will cost about the same within $3 now BC $185 and MH $183 a pay day. What to do, What to do? When you figure it out let me know Lady!! Please.

 

[XL-entLady]

From an article in Fedsmith today:

"...federal employees have help when it comes to evaluating their options. For instance, OPM has a plan comparison tool on its Web site; other federal agencies provide Consumers Checkbook; most health plans have tools that detail their benefits; and the PlanSmartChoice decision support site is available free to all federal employees.
Fifteen minutes on a decision support Web site will help federal employees to become better health care consumers. By devoting a small amount of time to evaluating options, federal employees can ensure that they've chosen the medical plan that best meets their individual needs...."

http://www.fedsmith.com/article/2178/choosing-health-plan-have-you-pulling-your.html

I moved from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Aetna last year. And I did end up saving a bundle. But as I look at the coverages and what I am expecting to use next year, I may have to change insurances again. Study, study, study! :cheesy:

Lady

 

[Frixxxx]

She works for a health insurer. We pay no premiums, have a $5 copay for doctor visits, and $5 prescriptions.

This is one of many "Cadillac" insurance plans Obama wants to put the tax on! Oh well, it's been a good run.

Nice Plan!:nuts:

 

[Viva_La_Migra]

Wow, that's interesting. I assumed most of us were on the silver handcuffs (FEHB) plan. Are company plans getting better, or FEHB just getting too pricey?

She works for a health insurer. We pay no premiums, have a $5 copay for doctor visits, and $5 prescriptions.

This is one of many "Cadillac" insurance plans Obama wants to put the tax on! Oh well, it's been a good run.

 

[Frixxxx]

Wow, that's interesting. I assumed most of us were on the silver handcuffs (FEHB) plan. Are company plans getting better, or FEHB just getting too pricey?

I was in the private sector for a few years. I paid, at most, $150/month out there.....

I was shocked when I came back to Federal Service and saw the price tag. But I needed the job!

 

[Silverbird]

I use my wife's healthcare benefits. They're better than the government's. I'll go back on the government plan when I get within five years of retirement, so I can keep the coverage into retirement. Of course, if they go to single payer, then I probably won't need it, since I'll only be given pain pills until I die!

Wow, that's interesting. I assumed most of us were on the silver handcuffs (FEHB) plan. Are company plans getting better, or FEHB just getting too pricey?

 

[Viva_La_Migra]

PLan Information booklets are now posted for every state.

http://opm.gov/insure/health/planinfo/index.asp

I'm rummaging through the changes to my plan now........

I use my wife's healthcare benefits. They're better than the government's. I'll go back on the government plan when I get within five years of retirement, so I can keep the coverage into retirement. Of course, if they go to single payer, then I probably won't need it, since I'll only be given pain pills until I die!