Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and PostalEASE
The United States Postal Service is now using
PostalEASE to enter Federal Employee Health Benefit
(FEHB) Program Open Season enrollments and
changes. By using PostalEASE for health benefits, and
by sending information to health insurance companies
electronically instead of via paper forms as in past open
seasons, the Postal Service expects that employees who
make health benefits changes will get their new insurance
cards more quickly. All the information you need
for using PostalEASE is included in the FEHB
PostalEASE Worksheet found on pages 25 to 27of this
Guide. Just follow the instructions to:
- Enroll
- Change Enrollment
- Cancel Enrollment
- Review or change your pending Open Season transaction
- Review or update your dependent information
- Review your current enrollment information
- Receive a copy of a health benefits election that
was processed using PostalEASE
If you want to make a change for the 2008 plan year,
you may do so during the annual FEHB Open Season,
which is from November 12 through December 11,
2007, at 5:00 PM Central Time. If you currently have an
FEHB enrollment and you do not want to make any
changes, do nothing. Your coverage will continue
automatically.
Please do not wait until late in the Open Season to
enter your choice via PostalEASE. If you select Self
and Family coverage, then you'll need to enter information
about your dependents. Although this will take
extra time, providing this information is required under
FEHB regulations. Just complete the FEHB PostalEASE
Worksheet and follow the instructions carefully.
All Open Season Self Only enrollments, changes to Self
Only coverage, and cancellations, should be entered as
employee "self service" transactions using PostalEASE.
Since dependent information is not required, such
transactions are simple. Most Self and Family enrollments
can also be completed as employee self service
transactions, although they require additional information.
The easiest way to do this is via the PostalEASE
Employee Web, which is available through the Blue
page or on a kiosk. Many Self and Family
transactions can also be completed by telephone. If
you are unable to enter your dependent information
via the telephone, the PostalEASE system will refer you
to the Web, a kiosk, or the Human Resources Shared
Service Center (HRSSC). PostalEASE provides the
enrollment date, processing date, and effective date
when you complete your transaction. You may delete
or change a pending transaction until it is processed. If
you are newly eligible for FEHB as a career employee,
you may also use PostalEASE during the first 60 days
after your date of appointment.
This Guide contains important FEHB policy information that used to be provided to you as part of the SF
2809 Health Benefits Election Form. Be sure you understand
how your health benefits work, including information
on which family members are eligible, how you
pay for your health benefits premiums using pre-tax
dollars, and the limitations on making a health benefits
change outside of Open Season. As a reminder, to continue
health benefits coverage during retirement, you
must have had five consecutive years of FEHB coverage
immediately prior to your retirement. If you need
help understanding any of this information, or you
need help using PostalEASE, you should contact the
HRSSC for assistance on 1-877-477-3273, option 5.