FEHBP 2009 Open Season

[HappyGoLucky]

I, too am unhappy with BCBS. If you don't mind me asking...what did you switch to?

 

[roskopfm]

you really should concern Humana HMO, the cost savings are more than 50%, why not put some of that cash in your pocket for a change. I have had it four years and have had no problems. I have a large choice of doctors and can go to any pharmacy I want. No Deductable and $20 co pay, the per paycheck amount is less than 50% compared to Blue Cross.

 

[XL-entLady]

Here is the official BAL (benefits administration letter) on the belated enrollment announcement.

http://www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/bals/2008/08-406.pdf

Lady

 

[Guest2]

Extended Enrollment for 2009 FEHB Open Season
December 9, 2008


According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the agency is taking steps to provide additional protections for federal employees participating in the FEHB Program who have non-emergency surgeries performed by out-of-network physicians. The agency has asked FEHB carriers to re-evaluate their benefits for non-emergency surgeries. OPM states they are taking this action in response to concerns over a change in coverage in the Blue Cross Blue Shield out-of-network reimbursement that would have established a $7,500 co-pay for out-of-network surgeries. OPM stated they negotiated this change to address situations where enrollees could be billed tens of thousands of dollars for non-emergency surgeries performed by out-of-network providers, a practice known as balance billing.

What This Means To You

According to OPM, federal employees may make belated Open Season enrollment changes to their FEHB Program, Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) if FEHB benefit changes affect their enrollment decisions in these programs.

Employees will have an extended enrollment opportunity through January 2009 to make any enrollment changes in these programs.
Also, if employees make a belated Open Season change to their enrollment, the effective dates of the belated change will vary among the programs. Depending on the timing of the change and the employee's pay periods, it may take one or more pay periods for the federal benefits deductions/allotments to be adjusted to match the new election.
Emlpoyees need to know that if they make a belated Open Season change and if they have claims for services incurred in 2009 under their former plan, they and/or their provider may be responsible for reimbursing the former plan for any benefits paid.

Effective Dates OPM states that belated FEHB changes will take effect the first day of the pay period that starts on or after January 1, 2009. Belated FEDVIP changes will take effect January 1, 2009. Belated FSAFEDS changes will take effect on January 1, 2009, or the day after the change is received, whichever is later.

 

[Guest2]

I'm here "To Protect and Serve"

 

[XL-entLady]

Alevin, Squale and KevinD,

Thank you all for taking the time to express your appreciation for the information on this thread!

One of the things I just adore about this MB is the way we so quickly become a family. We all look out for each other and help each other out on a variety of issues, not just (just?!) financial subjects. You just gotta love this site! Tom, you and the moderators provide an invaluable service here!

And Allie, great to see your posts again!

You all take care and thanks again,
Lady

 

[alevin]

Lady, it sounds like good old fashion effective communication and giving
one the ability to make an informed decision has given many of us reason
to step back and take pause. I don't know if you realise the impact you've
had on other peoples lives. If not, let me give you a clue;

You have unselfishly shared such vital information with the membership
that each and everyone of us personally benefited from your kindness.
Whether it gave us reason to look closer at the fine print or gave us a
little more pocket change, when all of us need it the most. Your efforts
deserve so much more then we could possibly repay. I have no doubt
you will hear this from every member who stopped by your thread and
took advantage of its content. From me and my family, I wish to thank
you for creating this thread and showing all of us the power we have
in making a positive difference in the lives of others.

Adding my 2cents. I sat up and paid attention over the weekend when I read the "fine print" here and on SB's page. Had been snoozing along in BSBC the past 20 years tolerating premium increases. the part about out of network docs got my attention, and surgeries. My dermatologist is currently out of network AND out of town, periodic skin pre-cancer scalpel work and biopsies will count as "surgery" at full cost if I go to see him this coming year (haven't been in the past year, tho would have been a good idea-always got something going on in that arena. Soo, now I get to make informed decision about changing doctors thanks to you, Lady.

My only other out of network provider is my dentist, who I really like. Again, thanks to you, I get to make a concious choice about what's more important-cost or choice. thank goodness I had already bumped up my Flex Savings Account last Friday even before I realized this other stuff was going on. I knew about the premium increase already, just not the other stuff. Thanks again for the whop upside the head.

 

[Guest2]

That is exactly what I was looking for! Although after working through it, the top 3 options were all HDHPs. Maybe I need to look more into those for next year...

I found that my need to keep my premiums to a minimum, resulted in the
same HDHP type plans when doing their extensive questionaire. I really
liked their out-of-pocket analysis. When I entered a firm need for three
prescriptions and used (1) under all other entries, it became very clear
that I used answers which leaned towards cost savings within the
questionaire portion. But the Out-Of-Pocket analysis gave me a better
view of what reality would look like, should such emergencies exist.
I also found the SmartChoice website extremely valuable and hope they
keep it in existance for next year.

 

[ChemEng]

https://www.plansmartchoice.com/registration.aspx

This may be what you're looking for. Hope it helps.

Lady

That is exactly what I was looking for! Although after working through it, the top 3 options were all HDHPs. Maybe I need to look more into those for next year...

 

[KevinD]

+1 to what SB said.

 

[Guest2]

For those of you who may not have visited Squale's home thread for a few days (and if you haven't, you're missing out, he's one of the very best) I just wanted to make sure that you get a chance to see this article on the change in coverages that BCBS is proposing for 2009.

Pay special attention to the information at the very bottom of the article that starts out, "Other noteworthy changes...."

http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/showpost.php?p=197651&postcount=2670

Lady

Lady, it sounds like good old fashion effective communication and giving
one the ability to make an informed decision has given many of us reason
to step back and take pause. I don't know if you realise the impact you've
had on other peoples lives. If not, let me give you a clue;

You have unselfishly shared such vital information with the membership
that each and everyone of us personally benefited from your kindness.
Whether it gave us reason to look closer at the fine print or gave us a
little more pocket change, when all of us need it the most. Your efforts
deserve so much more then we could possibly repay. I have no doubt
you will hear this from every member who stopped by your thread and
took advantage of its content. From me and my family, I wish to thank
you for creating this thread and showing all of us the power we have
in making a positive difference in the lives of others.

 

[XL-entLady]

I have had Blue Cross for my entire federal career and for the past three years in retirement. I switched to GEHA standard coverage because its less than 50% Blue standard. I just hope I do not need hospitalization because then I would likely pay more out of pocket.

I could not find the typical cost for semi-private hospital room and and board. I needed this to do a fair comparison. With GEHA I pay 15%, after $350 deductable, and with Blue Cross Standard $200 per admission, and $100X5 for Blue Cross Basic (max $500). I did a GOOGLE on "cost for hospital room semi-private", but cannot find anything.

I wonder if that is because costs vary so wildly from place to place that there is no median cost?

I probably didn't pay as much attention to that as I should have. My medical costs are always prescription drugs and tests (like 3 hours in an MRI tube a couple of times a year ).

Please let us know if you find out anything. Thanks!

Lady

 

[XL-entLady]

I need to do better on the cost benefit analysis with regards to my health insurance. Right now I use BCBS, but only because I have been since day 1.

I wish there were some online planning tool that took the different expenditure types coupled with the different plan premiums and output the best cost plan for those expenditures.

https://www.plansmartchoice.com/registration.aspx

This may be what you're looking for. Hope it helps.

Lady

 

[EW_ret]

I have had Blue Cross for my entire federal career and for the past three years in retirement. I switched to GEHA standard coverage because its less than 50% Blue standard. I just hope I do not need hospitalization because then I would likely pay more out of pocket.

I could not find the typical cost for semi-private hospital room and and board. I needed this to do a fair comparison. With GEHA I pay 15%, after $350 deductable, and with Blue Cross Standard $200 per admission, and $100X5 for Blue Cross Basic (max $500). I did a GOOGLE on "cost for hospital room semi-private", but cannot find anything.

 

[ChemEng]

I need to do better on the cost benefit analysis with regards to my health insurance. Right now I use BCBS, but only because I have been since day 1.

I wish there were some online planning tool that took the different expenditure types coupled with the different plan premiums and output the best cost plan for those expenditures.

 

[XL-entLady]

http://www.opm.gov/insure/openseason/index.asp

Here is the official OPM notification that Open Season has been extended. It is my impression that this extension applies to employees and retirees alike.

I still switched my insurance over the weekend and I have not switched it back. I don't plan to switch back to BCBS unless they cancel their premium increases and their doubling of out of pocket drug costs and I don't think that will happen.

Interesting Open Season this year. They wait until 3 days before the closing date to start addressing these things? :blink: Ya' think they figured we weren't paying attention? :cheesy:

Well they found out they were wrong! :nuts:

Lady

 

[nnuut]

I switched to Mailhandlers this morning, if for no other reason than just to SPITE BCBS. Now they may change the $7,500 penalty to make it more visible or some other BS change. The 13% raise along with the rest of the cuts did it for me. I had Mailhandlers before (after Postmasters raised their prices) but they raised the price back then so I went with BCBS, I've gone 360 now!!:suspicious: Kinda like selling High and Buying Low.:laugh:

 

[XL-entLady]

The latest (that I can locate) in the continuing saga:

http://blogs.govexec.com/fedblog/2008/12/staying_open_a_little_longer.php

http://www.opm.gov/news/opm-to-prov...llees-who-use-outofnetwork-surgeons,1443.aspx

Note that the possibility of late enrollment changes is mentioned:
"Subscribers who want to change carriers after reviewing any additional information about plan benefits will have until the end of January 2009 to select a health plan but must first go to their personnel office and complete an enrollment request form and fill in “belated open season enrollment/change.”

Not sure how retirees like me would accomplish this. Does the extention apply to retirees?

“I am very pleased to see that OPM has heeded our advice and extended the open enrollment period. Federal employees and retirees need this extra time to reevaluate their health plans, and I appreciate that they will be given it,” stated Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)."

Rep. Cummings thinks so.

So am I going to stick with Blue Cross? I DON"T KNOW YET! :worried: If things like doubling the out-of-pocket cost for prescription drugs remains the same for 2009, I'm still switching to Aetna. And I'm still not sure that retirees have the Open Season extension. But I will be scrambling to find out before COB today.

I'll try to keep you all informed. Good luck,

Lady

P.S. If anyone gets any additional information, PLEASE share with us!

 

[XL-entLady]

For those of you who may not have visited Squale's home thread for a few days (and if you haven't, you're missing out, he's one of the very best) I just wanted to make sure that you get a chance to see this article on the change in coverages that BCBS is proposing for 2009.

Pay special attention to the information at the very bottom of the article that starts out, "Other noteworthy changes...."

http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/showpost.php?p=197651&postcount=2670

Lady

 

[MohammadXX]

The final day to make FEHB changes is Monday!

From Federal Soup message board____originally posted by sam8:

Because of the dust-up over BCBS Standard's 2009 change re: non-participating surgeons (the $7,500 out of pocket), OPM has announced, in essence, an extension of Open Season for health plans and an intent to provide additional protection for using out of network surgeons. Please see Breaking News at the OPM site: http://www.opm.gov/news/opm-to-prov...llees-who-use-outofnetwork-surgeons,1443.aspx and Joe Davidson's Dec. 5 Federal Diary column in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120502782.html
RECOMMEND CHECKING FOR DETAILS BEFORE ANYONE DELAYS TAKING OPEN SEASON ACTION, especially as OPM announcement (currently) does not reference retirees.[/QUOTE]rom Federal Soup message board: