DATES

The 1999 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) open season will be held from November 8 through December 13, 1999.

BALs

As we proceed with our preparations for the 1999 open season, we will issue a series of Benefits Administration Letters (BALs) to give you information about ordering open season material, significant FEHB plan changes for 2000, suggested open season notices for your employees, and other useful information that will enable you to conduct a successful open season at your agency.

FEHB GUIDES

There will be no change from last year in the quantity of FEHB Guides that agencies will receive.

AUDIO CASSETTES

OPM will not be involved in the ordering of brochure audio cassette tapes for the visually impaired. Agencies must order these tapes directly from the open fee-for-service plans. We will include a list of plan contacts from whom you may order the tapes when we send you the BAL on ordering and distribution.

EMAIL HOTLINE

Our Internet email hotline will enable us to answer agencies' open season questions quickly and efficiently. If you have any questions about an open season BAL, or any other questions about open season, just send your question to hotline@opm.gov. Be sure to include your phone number, in case we need to call you.

The email hotline is intended for the use of agency headquarters Insurance Officers only. Personnel offices should direct their questions to their headquarters Insurance Officers, and employees should direct their questions to their personnel offices. Employees may also obtain information about the FEHB open season by visiting the FEHB web site described below. In addition, they may contact us by email through the Feedback feature on the web site, or at FEHB@opm.gov.

OPM WEB SITE

All 2000 FEHB Guides, all health plan brochures, and the News Release announcing the 2000 premiums will be available from OPM's FEHB web site (www.opm.gov/insure). The Guides and brochures will be available in PDF format for downloading and printing, as well as a text version suitable for the visually impaired.

In addition, the web site will contain a version of the FEHB Guide designed specifically for the electronic environment. It will contain links from the plans' names to the plans' brochures in both PDF and text formats. It will also contain links from the FEHB Guides and the brochures to plan web sites for additional information about the plans, as well as links to other related web sites. The web site will also offer information about the Patient's Bill of Rights.

Abby L. Block, Chief Insurance Policy and Information Division

Download Letter as PDF File: