As a valued employee of the United States Postal Service, your health benefits are a priority. It has come to our attention that some Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plans are adjusting their service areas for the upcoming 2010 plan year. This may impact your healthcare coverage depending on your location and current plan. It’s crucial to understand these changes and take timely action if needed.
Recently, some employees may have received notifications regarding these service area reductions. However, not all recipients will be affected. To determine if your coverage is impacted, we strongly advise you to carefully review the table provided below, consult your specific health plan brochure, and for the most personalized information, contact your health plan directly.
Should your current FEHB plan reduce its service area, and you choose not to make a new plan election during the Open Season (November 9–December 15, 2009), it’s important to understand the implications. After January 1, 2010, accessing full benefits may require you to seek medical care within your plan’s remaining service area.
To ensure continuous and convenient healthcare coverage, you have the opportunity to elect a new FEHB plan. The most efficient way to manage your benefits election is through United States Postal Service Lite Blue (https://liteblue.usps.gov). LiteBlue provides direct access to PostalEASE, the platform for making your FEHB elections.
To make a new election, you will need to complete a PostalEASE FEHB Worksheet. This worksheet can be found within your 2010 Guide to Benefits, which is being mailed to your address of record during this Open Season. Once you have your worksheet, you can access PostalEASE through LiteBlue and enter your election.
Alternatively, you can also access PostalEASE through several other methods: Employee Self-Service Kiosks located at USPS facilities, the Employee Service Line at 877-477-3273 (option 1, or TTY: 866-260-7507), or through theBlue page (http://blue.usps.gov). You can also submit your completed worksheet directly to the Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) by the Open Season deadline: December 15, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Any new plan coverage you elect will take effect on January 2, 2010.
For detailed information about available plans, we encourage you to visit the Office of Personnel Management’s website at www.opm.gov/insure/health. Plan brochures and comprehensive details are readily available there.
If you have further questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the HRSSC directly at 877-477-3273, option 5. They are available to provide support and clarify any concerns you may have regarding these FEHB service area changes and your enrollment options through United States Postal Service Lite Blue and PostalEASE.
Plans Reducing Their Service Areas Without Terminating Enrollment Codes
| State | Plan Name | 3-Digit Plan Code | Area Dropped |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | PacifiCare of California | CY1, CY2 | Entire counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Marin, Placer, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo |
| California | Anthem Blue Cross | M51, M52 | Entire counties of Butte, El Dorado, Lake Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, San Benito, and Tulare |
| Connecticut | Aetna Open Access | JC1, JC2 JC4, JC5 | Entire state of Connecticut |
| Florida | Humana CoverageFirst | QP1, QP2 | Entire counties of St. Lucia, Indian River, and Okeechobee |
| North Carolina | Aetna Open Access | JN1, JN2 JN4, JN5 | Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham areas and entire counties of Anson, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Durham, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Orange, Rowan Union, and Wake |
| Pennsylvania | Aetna Open Access | P31, P32 P34, P35 | Entire counties of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill, and York |
| Texas | PacifiCare of Texas | GF1, GF2 | Entire counties of Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Rockwell, Tarrant, and Wise |
| Texas | FirstCare | CK1, CK2 | Entire counties of Andrews, Armstrong, Bailey, Borden, Brewster, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Cochran, Collingsworth, Cottle, Crane, Crosby, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Donley, Ector, Floyd, Gaines, Garza, Glasscock, Gray, Hale, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hockley, Howard, Hutchinson, King, Lamb, Lipscomb, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Midland, Motley, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Pecos, Reagan, Reeves, Roberts, Scurry, Sherman, Terry, Upton, Ward, Wheeler, Winkler, and Yoakum |
| Virginia | M.D. IPA | JP1, JP2 | Entire cities of Chesapeake, Clifton Forge, Covington, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Norton, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Radford, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Waynesboro, and Williamsburg; and Entire counties of Accomack, Allegheny, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Buckingham, Charlotte, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Mathews, Middlesex, Montgomery, Nelson, Northampton, Patrick, Pulaski, Roanoke, Southampton, Surry, Tazewell, and York |
— Compensation, Human Resources, 9-10-09
