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.
Related Information
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.
Related Information
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.
BAL Number | Date | Subject |
---|---|---|
2023 BALS in this series have not yet been issued. |
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The content available is no longer being updated and as a result you may encounter hyperlinks which no longer function. You should also bear in mind that this content may contain text and references which are no longer applicable as a result of changes in law, regulation and/or administration.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
BAL Number | Date | Subject |
---|---|---|
22-601 | 01/2022 | FEHB Coverage of COVID-19 Over-the-Counter Tests, Vaccines, and Therapeutics |
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
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
2019 Benefits Administration Letters
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
BAL Number | Date | Subject |
---|---|---|
18-701 | 09/2018 | 2018 FEHB Open Season for Tribal Employees: Announcement |
Attachment 1 – Helpful Resources |
2017 Benefits Administration Letters
BAL Number | Date | Subject |
---|---|---|
17-601 | 09/06/2017 |
2016 Benefits Administration Letters
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 |
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
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
2013 Benefits Administration Letters
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
Each year, OPM provides the following BALs for guidance on the Federal Benefits Open Season.
- Open Season: Announcement - We will inform you with general information about the upcoming Open Season. Anticipated Issue Date: Last week of July.
- Open Season: Rider Information - We will inform you how to order the FEHB Guide for Tribal Employees. Anticipated Issue Date: First week of August.
- Open Season: Ordering and Distribution of Material - We will inform you how to order and distribute Open Season materials. Anticipated Issue Date: Early September.
- 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.
- 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.