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OPM.gov / Insurance / Tribal Employers / HR Personnel
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HR Personnel

 

Overview

Tribal Benefits Officer and Tribal Human Resource (HR) Personnel will find resources to help with the day-to-day activities of the FEHB Program. A comprehensive list of other resources can be found on the References Page.

Benefits Officer

Each tribal employer must designate a person to serve as the Tribal Benefits Officer. The Tribal Benefits Officer is responsible for explaining the FEHB Program to tribal employees and other eligible persons, determining individual eligibility for FEHB enrollment and effective dates of health benefits actions, keeping the Contacts page in Tribal Insurance Processing System (TIPS) up to date, and other related matters.

A Tribal Benefits Officer can also delegate responsibility for counseling and advising tribal employees and inputting FEHB enrollment data to Tribal HR Personnel.

Any changes to the designated Tribal Benefits Officer (TBO) should be reported to OPM and NFC at your earliest convenience.

More information on the Tribal Benefits Officer can be found in Chapter 1, Introduction, of the Tribal FEHB Handbook.

Tribal Benefits Administration Letters

The table below provides PDF links to the Tribal Benefits Administration Letters (BALs) from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) about the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.

600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
2023 BALS in this series have not yet been issued.
700 Series – Federal Benefits Open Season Announcements for Tribal Employees
BAL Number Date Subject
23-701 10/2023 2023 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1 – FEHB Significant Events Changes
Attachment 2 – Federal Benefits Fast Facts

Tribal Benefits Administration Letters Archive

You have reached a collection of archived material.

The content available is no longer being updated and as a result you may encounter hyperlinks which no longer function. You should also bear in mind that this content may contain text and references which are no longer applicable as a result of changes in law, regulation and/or administration.

2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012

The table below provides PDF links to the Tribal Benefits Administration Letters (BALs) from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) about the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.

2022 Benefits Administration Letters

600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
22-601 01/2022 FEHB Coverage of COVID-19 Over-the-Counter Tests, Vaccines, and Therapeutics
700 Series – Federal Benefits Open Season Announcements for Tribal Employees
BAL Number Date Subject
22-701 09/2022 2022 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees Announcement
Attachment 1 – Helpful Resources
22-702 10/2022 2022 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Ordering and Distributing Materials and Conducting the Open Season
Attachment 1 – Inform Employees and Provide Information
Attachment 2 – Tribal Fast Facts: What to Consider During Open Season
Attachment 3 – Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
22-703 10/2022 2022 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1 – FEHB Significant Events Changes
Attachment 2 – Federal Benefits Fast Facts

2021 Benefits Administration Letters

600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
21-601 11/2021 Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Removal of Ineligible Family Members from Enrollments
Attachment 1 – Tribal Employer Request for Verification of Family Member Eligibility
Attachment 2 – Receipt of Eligibility Verification Documents
Attachment 3 – Verification Documents Not Received
Attachment 4 – Information Provided Does Not Verify Family Member Eligibility
Attachment 5 – FEHB Family Member Eligibility Documents
21-602 11/2021 Family Member Eligibility Verification for Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Coverage
Attachment 1 – CL 2021-06 Family Member Eligibility Verification for Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Coverage
Attachment 2 – FEHB Family Member Eligibility Documents
Attachment 3 – Information Provided Does Not Verify Family Member Eligibility
700 Series – Federal Benefits Open Season Announcements for Tribal Employees
BAL Number Date Subject
21-701 09/2021 2021 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1 – Helpful Resources
21-702 10/2021 2021 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Ordering and Distributing Materials and Conducting the Open Season
Attachment 1 – Inform Tribal Employees and Provide Information about the FEHB Open Season
Attachment 2 – Tribal FastFacts: What to Consider During the FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees
Attachment 3 – Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
21-703 10/2021 2021 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan
Attachment 1 – FEHB Significant Events Changes
Attachment 2 – Federal Benefits Fast Facts

2020 Benefits Administration Letters

700 Series - FEHB Open Season Guidance for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
20-701 09/2020 2020 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1 – Helpful Resources
20-702 10/2020 2020 Federal Benefits Open Season for Tribal Employees: Ordering and Distributing Materials and Conducting the Open Season
Attachment 1 – Inform Tribal Employees and Provide Information about the FEHB Open Season
Attachment 2 – Tribal Fast Facts: What to Consider During Open Season
Attachment 3 – Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
20-703 11/2020 2020 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1 – FEHB Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 2 – FastFact

2019 Benefits Administration Letters

700 Series - FEHB Open Season Guidance for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
19-701 09/2019 2019 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1 – Helpful Resources
19-702 10/2019 2019 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Ordering and Distributing Materials and Conducting the Open Season
Attachment 1 - Inform Tribal Employees and Provide Information about the FEHB Open Season
Attachment 2 - Tribal FastFacts
Attachment 3 - Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
19-703 10/2019 2019 Federal Benefits Open Season: FSAFEDS, FEDVIP and FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1 - FEHB Program
Attachment 2 - Federal Benefits FastFacts

2018 Benefits Administration Letters

700 Series - FEHB Open Season Guidance for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
18-701 09/2018 2018 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1 – Helpful Resources

2017 Benefits Administration Letters

600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
17-601 09/06/2017

Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Enrollment of Seasonal, Part-time, or Intermittent Tribal Employees

700 Series – 2017 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees
BAL Number Date Subject
17-704 10/2017 2017 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1: FEHB Program
Attachment 2: Federal Benefits FastFacts
17-703 10/2017

2017 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Conducting the Open Season

Attachment 1: Inform Tribal Employees and Provide Information about the FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees

Attachment 2: Going Green

Attachment 3: What to Consider During the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season for Tribal Employees (November 13 – December 11, 2017)

Attachment 4: Advise Tribal Employees on the FEHB Program

Attachment 5: Process FEHB Enrollment Actions

17-702 09/2017 2017 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 1: Going Green – View Your FEHB Brochure Online or Contact Your Plan for a Paper Brochure
Attachment 2: Easy to Use Chart for Ordering and Distributing FEHB Materials
Attachment 3: FEHB Plan Contacts for Ordering Brochures
Attachment 4: Open FFS FEHB Contacts for Ordering Materials for the Visually Impaired
Attachment 5: FEHB Plan Contacts for Organizing Open Season Fairs
Attachment 6: FEHB Plan Tribal Liaisons
17-701 09/2017 2017 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees Announcement
Attachment 1: Checklist for 2018 Open Season Plan Year
Attachment 2: Helpful Resources for Open Season for Tribal Employees

2016 Benefits Administration Letters

700 Series – FEHB Open Season Guidance for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
16-704 10/17/2016 2016 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1: FEHB Program
Attachment 2: Federal Benefits FastFacts
16-701 08/18/2016 2016 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1: Checklist for 2016 Plan Year
Attachment 2: Helpful Resources
600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
16-601 03/03/2016 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Enrollment Options Following the Termination of a Plan or Plan Option Final Rule Published

2015 Benefits Administration Letters

700 Series – FEHB Open Season Guidance for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
15-704 10/15/2015 2015 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1: FEHB Program
Attachment 2: Plan and Service Area Termination FastFacts
15-703 10/09/2015 2015 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Conducting the Open Season
Attachment 1: Inform Tribal Employees and Provide Information about the FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees
Attachment 2: Going Green
Attachment 3: Tribal FastFacts What to Consider During the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season for Tribal Employees (November 9 – December 14, 2015)
Attachment 4: Advise Tribal Employees on the FEHB Program
Attachment 5: Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
15-702 09/29/2015 Open Season for Tribal Employees: Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 1: Going Green
Attachment 2: Easy to Use Chart for Ordering and Distributing FEHB Materials
Attachment 3: FEHB Contacts for Ordering Brochures
Attachment 4: Open Fee-for-Service (FFS) FEHB Plan Contacts for Ordering CDs for the Visually Impaired
Attachment 5: FEHB Contacts for Organizing Health Fairs
Attachment 6: FEHB Plan Tribal Liaisons
15-701 09/02/2015 2015 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1: Checklist for 2016 Plan Year
Attachment 2: Helpful Resources
600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
15-602 11/05/2015 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for Tribal Employees: Self Plus One Operational Issues
15-601 09/17/2015 Tribal Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Self Plus One Final Rule Published

2014 Benefits Administration Letters

700 Series – FEHB Open Season Guidance for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
14-704 10/09/2014 2014 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1: FEHB Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 2: Plan and Service Area Termination FastFacts
14-703 10/09/2014 2014 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Conducting the Open Season
Attachment 1: Inform Tribal Employees and Provide Information about the FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees
Attachment 2: Going Green – View Your FEHB Brochure Online or Contact Your Plan for a Paper Brochure
Attachment 3 Tribal FastFacts What to Consider During Open Season
Attachment 4: Advise Tribal Employees on the FEHB Program
Attachment 5: Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
14-702 10/08/2014 2014 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 1: Going Green – View Your FEHB Brochure Online or Contact Your Plan for a Paper Brochure
Attachment 2: Easy to Use Chart for Ordering and Distributing FEHB Materials
Attachment 3: FEHB Plan Contacts for Requesting Brochures
Attachment 4: Open Fee-for-Service (FFS) FEHB Plan Contacts for Ordering Compact Discs for the Visually Impaired
Attachment 5: FEHB Plan Contacts for Organizing Open Season Fairs
Attachment 6: FEHB Plan Contacts of Tribal Liaisons
14-701 08/12/2014 2014 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1: Tribal FastFacts: What to Consider During Federal Employees Health Benefits Open Season
Attachment 2: FEHB Open Season Checklist
Attachment 3: Helpful Resources for FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees
600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
14-608 11/20/2014 Revised policy in reference to tribal employer participation in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program
14-607 10/27/2014 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Initial Enrollment Opportunity for Tribal Employer: Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 1: Easy to Use Chart for Ordering and Distributing FEHB Materials
Attachment 2: FEHB Plan Contacts of Tribal Liaisons
Attachment 3: FEHB Plan Contacts for Requesting Brochures
Attachment 4: FEHB Plan Contacts for Organizing Health Benefits Fairs
Attachment 5: Open Fee-for-Service (FFS) FEHB Plan Contacts for Ordering Compact Discs for the Visually Impaired
14-606 10/27/2014 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Conducting the Initial Enrollment Opportunity
Attachment 1: Advise, Inform, and Provide Information to Employees on the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and the Initial Enrollment Opportunity (IEO)
Attachment 2: FEHB Program Tribal FastFacts: The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for Tribal Employees
Attachment 3: FEHB Program Tribal FastFacts: Selecting a Health Plan During the Initial Enrollment Opportunity for Tribal Employees
Attachment 4: FEHB Initial Enrollment Opportunity for Tribal Employees Poster
Attachment 5: Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
14-605 10/20/2014 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Modification of Eligibility to Certain Employees on Temporary Appointments and Certain Employees on Seasonal and Intermittent Schedules
14-604 10/09/2014 Coverage of Children of Same-Sex Domestic Partners
Attachment 1: Step by Step Instructions for FEHB Enrollment Changes
Attachment 2: Enrollee Fact Sheet
Attachment 3: FEHB Declaration of Domestic Partnership
Attachment 4: Tax Certification and List of Fair Market Value Amounts for FEHB
Attachment 4b: Annual Imputed Income per Child for 2014
Attachment 5: : List of States Where Same-Sex Marriage is Allowed for Plan Year 2014
14-603 06/16/2014 New Online Web Portal for Entering SF 2809 Forms for Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) Enrollment
14-602 04/15/2014 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Self Plus One Enrollment
14-601 04/14/2014 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Family Member Audit

2013 Benefits Administration Letters

700 Series – FEHB Open Season Guidance for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
13-704 09/26/2013 2013 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1: FEHB Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 2: Plan and Service Area Termination FastFacts
13-703 09/26/2013 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Conducting the Open Season
Attachment 1: Inform Tribal Employees and Provide Information about the FEHB Open Season
Attachment 2: Going Green – View Your FEHB Brochure Online or Contact Your Plan for a Paper Brochure
Attachment 3: Tribal FastFacts: What to Consider During the FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees
Attachment 4: Advise Tribal Employees on the FEHB Program
Attachment 5: Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
13-702 09/26/2013 2013 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 1: Going Green – View Your FEHB Brochure Online or Contact Your Plan for a Paper Brochure
Attachment 2: Easy to Use Chart for Ordering and Distributing FEHB Materials
Attachment 3: FEHB Plan Contacts for Requesting Brochures
Attachment 4: Open Fee-for-Service (FFS) FEHB Plan Contacts for Ordering Compact Discs for the Visually Impaired
Attachment 5: FEHB Plan Contacts for Organizing Open Season Fairs
Attachment 6: FEHB Plan Contacts of Tribal Liaisons
13-701 07/26/2013 2013 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1: Tribal FastFacts: What to Consider During Open Season
Attachment 2: FEHB Open Season Checklist
Attachment 3: Helpful Resources for FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees
600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
13-602 08/27/2013 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and the Individual Shared Responsibility Provision of the Affordable Care Act: The Requirement to Maintain “Minimum Essential Coverage” (MEC)
Attachment 1: Health Care Reform FEHB FastFacts
13-601 07/19/2013 Coverage of Same Sex Spouses

2012 Benefits Administration Letters

700 Series – FEHB Open Season Guidance for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
12-704 10/01/2012 2012 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: FEHB Program Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 1: 2013 FEHB Significant Plan Changes
Attachment 2: Plan and Service Area Termination FastFact
12-703 09/24/2012 2012 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Conducting the Open Season
Attachment 1: Inform Tribal Employees and Provide Information about Open Season
Attachment 2: Going Green - FEHB Brochure
Attachment 3: Tribal FastFacts What to Consider During Open Season
Attachment 4: Advise Tribal Employees on the FEHB Program
Attachment 5: Process FEHB Enrollment Actions
12-702 09/21/2012 2012 Federal Benefits Open Season: Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 1: Going Green - FEHB Brochure
Attachment 2: Easy to Use Chart for Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 3: FEHB Plan Contacts for Requesting HMO Brochure
Attachment 4: Open FFS FEHB Contacts for Ordering Materials for the Visually Impaired
Attachment 5: FEHB Plan Contacts for Organizing Open Season Fair
Attachment 6: FEHB Plan Contacts for Tribal Liaisons
12-701 07/25/2012 2012 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement
Attachment 1: Tribal FastFacts: What to Consider During Open Season
Attachment 2: FEHB Open Season Checklist
Attachment 3: Helpful Resources for FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees
600 Series – FEHB Insurance Policy and Process Issues for Tribal Employers
BAL Number Date Subject
12-604 11/06/2012 2013 Initial Enrollment Opportunity for Tribal Employer: Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 1: Easy to Use Chart for Ordering and Distributing Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Materials
Attachment 2: FEHB Plan Tribal Liaison Contacts
Attachment 3: FEHB Plan Contacts for Requesting Brochures
Attachment 4: FEHB Plan Contacts for Organizing Health Benefits Fairs
Attachment 5: FEHB FFS Contacts for Ordering Compact Discs for the Visually Impaired
12-603 11/06/2012 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Conducting the Initial Enrollment Opportunity
Attachment 1: Advise, Inform, and Provide Information to Tribal Employees on the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and the Initial Enrollment Opportunity (IEO)
Attachment 2: Tribal FastFacts FEHB Program
Attachment 3: FEHB FastFacts for Tribal Employees Selecting a Health Plan During the IEO
Attachment 4: Initial Enrollment Opportunity Flyer
Attachment 5: Processing FEHB Enrollment Actions
12-602 04/09/2012 Initial Enrollment Opportunity - Ordering and Distributing Materials
Attachment 1: Easy to Use Chart for Ordering and Distributing FEHB Materials
Attachment 2: FFS Plan Contacts
Attachment 3: HMO Plan Contacts
Attachment 4: Open FFS FEHB Contacts for Ordering Materials for the Visually Impaired
12-601 03/02/2012 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Conducting the Initial Enrollment Opportunity
Attachment 1: Inform Employees and Provide Information about the IEO
Attachment 2: FEHB FastFacts for Tribal Employees
Attachment 3: FEHB FastFacts for Tribal Employees Selecting a Health Plan During the IEO
Attachment 4: Initial Enrollment Opportunity Flyer
Attachment 5: Processing FEHB Enrollment

Each year, OPM provides the following BALs for guidance on the Federal Benefits Open Season.

  1. Open Season: Announcement - We will inform you with general information about the upcoming Open Season. Anticipated Issue Date: Last week of July.
  2. Open Season: Rider Information - We will inform you how to order the FEHB Guide for Tribal Employees. Anticipated Issue Date: First week of August.
  3. Open Season: Ordering and Distribution of Material - We will inform you how to order and distribute Open Season materials. Anticipated Issue Date: Early September.
  4. Open Season: Conducting the Open Season - We will provide you with information on counseling tribal employees, carrier contacts, Open Season actions, effective dates, and tribal employer actions. This BAL will also include the Tribal FastFacts: The Federal Benefits Open Season is Coming! and Tribal FastFacts: What to Consider During Open Season. Anticipated Issue Date: Mid-September.
  5. Open Season: FEHB Significant Plan Changes - We will provide information on significant events affecting certain plans which tribal employers must communicate to their tribal employees. Anticipated Issue Date: Late-September.

OPM provides continual guidance and information to Benefits Officers via OPM's listserv (including the Tribal Benefits Administration Letters). OPM strongly encourages every Benefits Officer and Tribe HR Personnel to subscribe. To subscribe to the listserv, email tribalprograms@listserv.opm.gov and type "Subscribe" in the email subject line.

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