Health Benefits for Open Season 2023
The Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) open season period begins on Monday November 14,2022 through Monday December 12, 2022. The open season allows all federal employees, including letter carriers, to sign up or change their health benefit plan for 2023. Active carriers do this through Postal Ease on the Lite Blue page. Annuitants must do this through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website.
All NALC members are encouraged to take a look at your plan The NALC Health Benefit Plan for excellent coverage, rates, incentives and wellness for you and your families. The plan once again utilizes the CIGNA Open Access Plan as the provider network. A visit to our website, NALCHBP.org has a provider link to see if your doctors or facilities are part of the PPO network. You just enter your zip code and name of the provider or the specialty you are looking for.
The premium rates for 2023 are as follows for active carriers:
HIGH OPTION CDHP VALUE OPTION
Self Only $102.98/pay period $55.73/pay period $$45.74/pay period
Self plus 1 $241.73/pay period $122.95/pay period $100.90/pay period
Self& family $211.30/pay period $132.03/pay period $108.40/pay period
The premium rates per month for retirees are as follows:
Self only $223.12 $120.74 $99.10
Self plus 1 $523.75 $266.40 $218.62
Self & family $457.82 $286.06 $234.88
If you are an annuitant, please remember that the high option plan is the ONLY option that matches up with Medicare benefits. The NALC plan for prescriptions is administered through CVS Caremark again in the coming year. This benefit meets or exceeds Medicare requirements, so retirees do not need to apply for Medicare part D if they choose the NALC plan.
A new choice is available for our retirees. NALC is offering a Medicare Advantage Plan which is offered through Aetna. Since this is a different network retirees must first make sure their doctors and providers are in the Aetna network. Secondly, to enter this plan the retiree must have both Medicare Parts A and B. This plan has vision and dental coverages. If a retired member and their Medicare covered spouse are able to choose this plan, they would receive a $75 reimbursement of their Medicare B premiums per person per month. This is a brand-new offering. The network of doctors and facilities could be very different from your present plan. The coverage and costs could be as well. More information is available on the OPM website www.opm.gov. Check very carefully all information before making a decision on this plan.
A reminder to our retirees, if you are not signed up for Medicare part B and are 65 or older do not sign up for Part B at this time. As we all know the Postal Reform requirement for those carriers 65 and older to sign up for Medicare does not kick in until 2025. If you do this now you could be penalized for each year you did not sign up at the time of retirement and turning 65. There will be a 2024 sign up period for all postal retirees when one may sign up for Part B and all penalties will be waived.
Again, this year Carrier Assistants (CCA’S) should stick with the USPS Healthcare Plan until such a time as to their conversion to career status.
Any carrier may compare plans on the OPM website using their comparison tool at opm.gov. When you look at the benefits and costs, you’ll find that the NALC Health Plan is the best choice. The new brochure can be seen at the website nalchbp.org.
Happy Thanksgiving and best wishes for the coming holiday season for you and yours.
