Healthcare & Insurance Insurance FAQs

Yes.  Your FEHB plan is considered your primary insurance, even if they have little or no benefits.  Not all FEDVIP plans issue ID cards, but you should let your provider know what coverage you have. 

Most vision plans cover laser eye surgery with a discount.  Review the plan brochures to learn if a discount is available.  You can download each plan’s brochure at www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/dental-vision/plan-information/.

No. The Affordable Care Act does not apply to FEDVIP coverage.  Your child is no longer eligible for coverage upon their 22nd birthday.

No. For FEHB and FEDVIP, if you and your eligible family members are satisfied with the coverage that you have now, then you do not have to do anything.  Keep in mind that premiums and benefits change each year, so you should check the plan brochures.  All FEHB and FEDVIP plan brochures are on our website at www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/.

Update your personal information at www.BENEFEDS.com or 1-877-888-3337. Once your name has been changed through BENEFEDS, you may contact your plan for a new ID card.

All FEDVIP dental plans provide benefits for all classes of service.  The percentage paid for specific classes may vary, so check each plan’s brochure for specific coverage information: www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/dental-vision/plan-information/.   Also, if you have health insurance under FEHB, please keep in mind that the extraction of impacted wisdom teeth may be considered a surgical benefit under your FEHB plan.  If the extraction of wisdom teeth is covered under your FEHB plan, then your FEHB plan will pay its benefit before your FEDVIP plan pays its benefit.

Orthodontia restrictions and waiting periods differ between plans. Check the FEDVIP plan brochures to see what the waiting period and restrictions are. Many of the plans have a waiting period of up to 12 months

It depends. You must contact BENEFEDS in order to change your address: www.benefeds.com or 1-877-888-3337, TTY 1-977-889-5680. If you change your residential ZIP Code, then your dental premiums may also change. Premium changes are prospective to the date the enrollee notifies BENEFEDS of the address change. Generally, changes are effective on the first day of the pay period following the one in which BENEFEDS receives the change. There will be no premium collection or refund because of an address change. Vision premiums are not based on where you live.

Yes, retirees/annuitants are eligible to participate in a FEDVIP dental plan, a FEDVIP vision plan, or both. Retirees must have retired with an immediate annuity (a FERS Minimum Retirement Age plus 10 annuity, postponed, counts as an immediate annuity). Those in receipt of a deferred annuity are not eligible to enroll in FEDVIP. Retirees can cover their eligible family members with a Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment. More information is available on types of enrollments and eligible family members

You may enroll on the Internet at www.BENEFEDS.com. BENEFEDS is a secure enrollment website sponsored by OPM. For those without access to a computer, please call 1­-877-­888-­FEDS (1­-877-­888­-3337) (TTY number, 1­-877-­889-­5680). You cannot enroll in a FEDVIP plan using the Health Benefits Election Form (SF 2809) or through an agency self­service system, such as Employee Express, MyPay or Employee Personal Page. However, those sites may provide a link to BENEFEDS.