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Federal employees will have more insurance plans to choose from this year. The Office of Personnel Management yesterday announced new insurance carriers for participants in the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP).
In the 2021 plan year, the number of dental carriers will increase from 10 to 12. The number of vision carriers will increase from 4 to 5. Although enrollees have to pay the full cost of the premiums for dental and vision insurance, they benefit from group rates that OPM negotiates.
In a 2019 survey of federal benefits, FEDVIP enrollees indicated solid levels of satisfaction with the benefit. Collectively, OPM says that 6.9 million federal employees, members of he military, retirees and family members are covered under the dental and vision insurance programs.
Federal employees may enroll, cancel or change their enrollment during the Federal Benefits Open Season from Nov. 9 to Dec. 14. During this time, NTEU members will once again have free, exclusive access to the Consumers’ Checkbook Online Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees and Annuitants. Checkbook helps users pick the right health care plan by comparing costs, looking at quality ratings, and examining flexibility on issues like choice of doctors. Read more and see a complete list of carriers here.