This letter outlines the changes we have made in the electronic enrollment system (Employee Express and Macon-Hub) and modifies FEHB Carrier Letters 1999-041, dated August 30, 1999 and 2000-42, dated September 1, 2000.

Please note the following changes:

        OPM-Macon has updated the individual file layout.

        US MINT agency is no longer being serviced by the Deptartment of Treasury, but will become its own agency.

        The Macon-Hub will transmit corrective enrollment actions generated by the FEHB Centralized Enrollment Clearinghouse Project (CLER).

Individual File Layout

Enclosure 1 shows the Individual File Layout. Changes that are new for 2002 are boldfaced and marked with an *. Note: The most significant changes are:

1.      The FTP server to pick up transactions is changing from 205.131.174.20 to FTP://WWW.EEXINFO.EMPLOYEEEXPRESS.GOV or IP ADDRESS 198.79.62.10. The current USER-ID and PASSWORDS will work on the new FTP server.

2.      File name formats are changing. As many of you know that Macon-Hub will also be processing corrective actions for the FEHB Centralized Enrollment Clearinghouse Project (CLER). All CLER 2809 & 2810 actions will be provided to you in separate files.

CURRENT FILE NAME NEW FILE NAME

<mmddyyyy>.10.pgp <mmddyy>C9.10.pgp for CLER 2809's

<mmddyy>C0.10.pgp for CLER 2810's

<mmddyy>E9.10.pgp for EEX/HUB 2809's

3.      The Employee Name field is increasing from 41 bytes to 50 bytes.

4.      The dependents fields have been expanded to list an additional 5 dependents.

Federal Agencies Participating in Electronic Enrollment Transfers. Enclosure 2 lists the agencies that will participate in Employee Express or transmit data through the Macon-Hub.

Receiving Your Electronic Enrollments

For review, you currently have an FTP connection with OPM-Macon. If you have questions, please call OPM-Macon. Either Chris Selle (478/744-2115), Sidney Beach (478/744-2320) or Jim Watson (478/744-2197) will be able to assist you.

For the pull technique, OPM-Macon will send you an email notifying you that they have posted new enrollment data in your account for you to pick up. They will send this email to your official plan contact and your enrollment contact, as well as the OPM contract specialist. Although you should check the FTP server every week for enrollment changes, these e-mails will remind you to pick up enrollment changes.

OPM-Macon will post your enrollment change report for Employee Express to the FTP server every Sunday from the beginning of November 2001 through the end of January 2002. After that, OPM-Macon will provide you a file only when there is data to transmit.

Again this year, we expect you to process enrollment change information quickly and efficiently. Let me emphasize again the importance of processing electronic enrollments once you receive them. Electronic processing is a contractual requirement and you are accountable for it.

If you have questions regarding the FEHB and Employee Express, please contact Eric Figg at OPM at 202/606-4083 or via email at edfigg@opm.gov.

Sincerely, Abby L. Block Assistant Director    for Insurance Programs

Enclosures

1. Enclosure 1, Individual File Layout   
2. Enclosure 2, Participating Federal Agencies   

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