Federal Benefits FastFacts

The Federal Benefits FastFacts provides basic information about the Federal Benefits Programs administered by the Insurance Services Programs at OPM. We will issue FastFacts throughout the year so be sure to check back with us.

Federal Employees Health Benefits Handbook

The FEHB Handbook is a source of detailed guidance on the FEHB Program for both agency officials and enrollees.

Enrollment Form (SF 2809)

The Health Benefits Election Form.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the answers to many questions about the FEHB Program.

Benefits Administration Letters

Keep up to date with the Federal benefits programs.

Quick Guide to FEHB, FEDVIP, FLTCIP, FSAFEDS, and FEGLI

The Quick Guide provides answers to 37 common questions and enables you to see the similarities and differences of these programs.

The FEHB Program and Medicare Booklet

This booklet answers questions about how the FEHB Program and Medicare work together to provide health benefits coverage to active or retired Federal employees coverage by both programs.

Patients' Bill of Rights

In March of 1997, President Clinton appointed the Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry (Commission) to advise him on changes occurring in the health care system. He asked the Commission to recommend measures necessary to promote and assure health care quality and value, and protect consumers and workers in the health care system. The Patients' Bill of Rights is the result of that commission.

Regulations

See the regulations which govern the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

Legislation

Legislation for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

A Handbook for Attorneys on Court-ordered Retirement, Health Benefits and Life Insurance

Attorney Handbook to guide them through court ordered retirement, health benefits and life insurance.

Directory of Agency Headquarters Benefits Officers

A list of the headquarters level agency Benefits Officers.

FedFlex Plan Document

The FedFlex Plan Document that governs pre-tax programs sponsored by OPM, including flexible spending accounts (FSAFEDS), health benefits premium conversion (FEHB), and dental and vision insurance (FEDVIP).

Open Season Resources

• Federal Benefits Open Season Manual 
• FastFacts What to Consider 
• FastFacts Open Season is Coming 
• Federal Benefits Working Together 
• 2024 Federal Benefits Open Season Highlights 

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has Government wide responsibility and oversight for Federal benefits administration. These pages contain the  Benefits Administration Letters (BALs) used for program administration. The BALs provide guidance to agencies on various aspects of Federal administration.

For prior year BALs, please visit our BAL pages.

Benefits Administration Letters (BALs)

For prior year BALs, please visit our BAL pages.

The U.S. Government Printing Office website will allow you to access the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program regulations and link Federal Employees Health Benefits Program regulations.

Once in this website, select Title 5; then select Chapter 1 Parts 700-1199; then select Part 890 for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or Part 891 for Retired Federal Employees Hleath Benefits.

PDF documents downloaded from this site will be named "get-crf", and will not have the standard .PDF file ending. You will need to either tell your browser to use Adobe Acrobat to read the file, or save it to your hard disk and rename it, including adding the file extension "PDF", in order to view it.

Regulations Documents

Code of Federal Regulations
Title 5 - Administrative Personnel
Chapter I - Office of Personnel Management

Part 890 - Federal employees health benefits program

• 890.101 Definitions; time computations.
• 890.102 Coverage.
• 890.103 Correction of errors.
• 890.104 Initial decision and reconsideration on enrollment.
• 890.105 Filing claims for payment or service.
• 890.106 Delegation of authority for resolving certain contract disputes.
• 890.107 Court review.
• 890.108 Waiver of requirements for continued coverage during retirement.
• 890.109 Exclusion of certain periods of eligibility when determining continued coverage during retirement.
• 890.110 Enrollment reconciliation.
• 890.201 Minimum standards for health benefits plans.
• 890.202 Minimum standards for health benefits carriers.
• 890.203 Application for approval of, and proposal of amendments to, health benefit plans.
• 890.204 Withdrawal of approval of health benefits plans or carriers.
• 890.205 Nonrenewal of contracts of health benefits plans.
• 890.301 Opportunities for employees who are not participants in premium conversion to enroll or change enrollment; effective dates.
• 890.302 Coverage of family members.
• 890.303 Continuation of enrollment.
• 890.304 Termination of enrollment.
• 890.305 Reinstatement of enrollment after military service.
• 890.306 Opportunities for annuitants to change enrollment or to reenroll; effective dates.
• 890.307 Waiver or suspension of annuity or compensation.
• 890.308
• 890.401 Temporary extension of coverage and conversion.
• 890.501 Government contributions.
• 890.502 Employee withholdings and contributions.
• 890.503 Reserves.
• 890.504 Disposition of contingency reserves upon reorganization or merger of plans.
• 890.505 Recurring premium payments to carriers.
• 890.601 Coverage.
• 890.602 Opportunity to change enrollment.
• 890.603 Effective date.
• 890.605 Persons confined on effective date.
• 890.701 Definitions.
• 890.702 Payment to any licensed practitioner.
• 890.801 Introduction.
• 890.802 Definition.
• 890.803 Who may enroll.
• 890.804 Coverage.
• 890.805 Application time limitations.
• 890.806 Opportunities for former spouses to enroll and change enrollment; effective dates of enrollment.
• 890.807 Termination of enrollment.
• 890.808 Employing office responsibilities.
• 890.901 Purpose.
• 890.902 Definition.
• 890.903 Covered services.
• 890.904 Determination of FEHB benefit payment.
• 890.905 Limits on inpatient hospital and physician charges.
• 890.906 Retired enrolled individuals coinsurance payments.
• 890.907 Effective dates.
• 890.908 Notification of HHS.
• 890.909 End-of-year settlements.
• 890.910 Provider information.
• 890.1002 Definitions.
• 890.1003 Standards for OPM determinations of excessive charges, overprescribing, and services or supplies of a poor quality in connection with claims presented under this chapter.
• 890.1004 Standards for determining either the period of debarment or the amount of civil monetary penalties or assessments.
• 890.1005 Effective dates and notices.
• 890.1006 Payment of claims for service or supplies furnished by debarred providers.
• 890.1101 Purpose.
• 890.1102 Definitions.
• 890.1103 Eligibility.
• 890.1104 Notification by agency.
• 890.1105 Initial election of temporary continuation of coverage; application time limitations and effective dates.
• 890.1106 Coverage.
• 890.1107 Length of temporary continuation of coverage.
• 890.1108 Opportunities to change enrollment; effective dates
• 890.1109 Premium payments.
• 890.1110 Termination of enrollment or coverage.
• 890.1111 Employing office responsibilities.
• 890.1112 Denial of continuation of coverage due to involuntary separation for gross misconduct.
• 890.1113 The administrative charge.
• 890.1201 Purpose.
• 890.1202 Definitions.
• 890.1203 Coverage.
• 890.1204 Effective date of coverage.
• 890.1205 Change in type of enrollment.
• 890.1206 Cancellation of coverage.
• 890.1207 Termination of coverage.
• 890.1208 Premiums.
• 890.1209 Responsibilities of the U.S. Department of State.
• 890.1210 Reconsideration and appeal rights.
• 890.1301 Purpose.
• 890.1302 Duration.
• 890.1303 Eligibility.
• 890.1304 Enrollment.
• 890.1305 Termination and cancellation.
• 890.1306 Government premium contributions.
• 890.1307 Data collection.
• 890.1308 Carrier participation.

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Part 891 - Retired federal employees health benefits

• 891.102 Definitions.
• 891.103 Eligibility.
• 891.104 Responsibilities of retirement offices.
• 891.105 Correction of errors.
• 891.106 Reconsideration.
• 891.201 Election.
• 891.202 Change of election.
• 891.301 Suspension and termination.
• 891.401 Government contributions.
• 891.402 Withholdings.
• 891.501 Standards for uniform plan.
• 891.502 Standards for carrier of uniform plan.

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The links below retrieve documents from the U.S. Government Printing Office via the GPO Access website

• § 8901. Definitions
• § 8902. Contracting authority
• § 8902a. Debarment and other sanctions
• § 8903. Health benefits plans
• § 8903a. Additional health benefits plans
• § 8903b. Authority to readmit an employee organization plan
• § 8904. Types of benefits
• § 8905. Election of coverage
• § 8905a. Continued coverage
• § 8906. Contributions
• § 8906a. Temporary employees
• § 8907. Information to individuals eligible to enroll
• § 8908. Coverage of restored employees and survivor or disability annuitants
• § 8909. Employees Health Benefits Fund
• § 8910. Studies, reports, and audits
• § 8911. Advisory committee
• § 8912. Jurisdiction of courts
• § 8913. Regulations
• § 8914. Effect of other statutes