Introduction

The Federal Employee Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act of 2004 requires OPM to establish arrangements under which supplemental dental and vision benefits will be made available to federal employees, retirees, and their dependents.

The new Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) will be available to eligible Federal and Postal employees, retirees, and their eligible family members on an enrollee-pay-all basis. This new Program allows dental and vision insurance to be purchased on a group basis which means competitive premiums and no pre-existing condition limitations. Premiums for enrolled Federal and Postal employees will be withheld from salary on a pre-tax basis.

Enrollment will take place during the upcoming FEHB open season Monday, November 13 through Monday, December 11, 2006. Coverage will be effective December 31, 2006.

Eligible individuals can enroll in a dental plan and/or a vision plan. They may enroll in a plan for self-only, self plus one, or self and family coverage. Eligible family members include an enrollee's spouse and unmarried dependent children under the age of 22, or if age 22 or older, incapable of self-support. The rules for family members' eligibility are the same as they are for the FEHB Program.

Employees must be eligible for the FEHB Program in order to be eligible to enroll in FEDVIP. It does not matter if they are actually enrolled in FEHB - eligibility is the key. Annuitants are eligible to enroll in FEDVIP no matter what their FEHB status is.

We will post more information as it becomes available. We have not signed contracts with the insurance carriers yet and we cannot provide information on benefits, premiums or enrollment at this time.

There will be an extensive informational campaign prior to and during the Open Season. If you have other questions, please send an email to FEDVIP@opm.gov.