WASHINGTON, D.C. – The 2023 Federal Benefits Open Season begins on November 13 and runs through December 11, 2023. Employees and annuitants can use Open Season to reassess their health, dental, and vision coverage and ensure their plans are cost-efficient and address the care enrollees and their families need.   

“Federal employees and annuitants should take advantage of Open Season to conduct a wellness and financial check-up for their health care coverage to ensure they are getting the most from their benefits,” said Kiran Ahuja, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). “From our data, less than 5 percent of federal enrollees change their health plans during Federal Benefits Open Season, which means our workforce could be leaving behind valuable savings.”  

OPM recently announced 2024 plans and premiums for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP).   

• For 2024, the FEHB Program has 68 carriers participating, offering a total of 158 plan choices. OPM asked FEHB carriers to focus on obesity, mental health and substance use disorder services, maternal health, gender-affirming care and services, and assisted reproductive technology. 
   
• For 2024, FEDVIP has twelve dental carriers providing 23 dental plan options across the program. Seven dental carriers offer 14 nationwide dental plan options available to all potential enrollees. Five vision carriers provide 10 nationwide vision plan options available to all potential enrollees.  
   
• Federal employees may use Open Season to elect to make pre-tax contributions to health care and/or dependent care flexible spending accounts under the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS). For this Open Season, OPM announced a major expansion of the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DCFSAs) to active-duty service members.  

BENEFITS HIGHLIGHT 

 Federal employees are encouraged to use FSAFEDS to consider tax savings by setting aside an annual amount they are projected to spend in out-of-pocket health, dependent care, dental and vision expenses. In 2022, less than 20% of employees across agencies utilize FSAs.  

In collaboration with the United States Department of Defense (DoD), OPM is expanding eligibility to eligible military personnel (active-duty service members and members of the Active Guard Reserve on Title 10 orders) effective January 1, 2024.  The DoD estimates that approximately 400,000 service members have eligible dependents and thus may be eligible for this benefit.   

PREPARING FOR OPEN SEASON  

Below are sample questions to help review your benefits and needs for health care coverage:  

What are my and/or my family’s expected health care needs for 2024?   

• Questions while reviewing your FEHB Program:Am I expecting a new baby? Do I need surgery? Will my medication needs change? Does my plan provide a pharmacy mail order option for prescriptions? 
  
  
• Questions while reviewing FEDVIP: Do I need routine dental care? Will I need a crown or root canal? Does my child need braces? Do I need glasses and/or contact lens? Am I considering laser vision correction surgery? 
  
  
• Questions while reviewing FSAFEDS:Do I have out-of-pocket expenses I need to consider, such as deductibles, copays, day care, elder care, or over-the-counter drugs and medicines? Does my child need braces or use acne treatment? Do I plan to send my children (under 13) to in-home care or summer camp? 

FAST FACTS  

• Established in 1960, the FEHB Program is the world’s largest employer-sponsored health benefits program.  
  
  
• The FEHB Program provides healthcare benefits for about 8.2 million individuals, including 2.2 million employees, 1.9 million annuitants, and an estimated 4.1 million family members. 
   
• The annual Open Season gives federal employees, annuitants, and other eligible individuals the opportunity to review their FEHB and FEDVIP plan options, make changes, and enroll for the upcoming benefit year that begins January 1, 2024.  

RELEVANT RESOURCES 

Please note that the below sites will be updated with 2024 plan information by November 13, 2023.  

• FEHB Plan Information 
• FEHB Plan Comparison Tool 
• FEHB Quality Healthcare Scores 
• FEDVIP Plan information 
• FEDVIP Plan Comparison Tool 
• Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS)  

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT AVAILABILITY  

Please contact media@opm.gov for more information.