USPS Mail Handler Union (NPMHU) Requests OPM Extend Open Season

We represent over 50,000 postal employees and annuitants who are participating in the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program (“PSHBP”).

As you know, PSHBP Open Season started Monday, November 11th. From that beginning, participants have experienced numerous technical issues with its online Open Season resources. These issues have impeded the ability of participants to access the online site and to submit their registration for the upcoming year.

The most significant problem has been the inability of Postal employees to utilize Login.gov and, in particular, that Login.gov has failed in many instances to link employees’ postal and OPM identities and accounts. As a result, even ignoring incomplete or inaccurate plan information, employees are unable to enroll in any PSHBP plan electronically. The work-around the Postal Service has devised of calling PSHB Helpline is itself going to add uncertainty and delays to the enrollment process which negatively impacts the PSHBP carriers being able to complete their work before January 1st.

These serious and persistent problems are preventing postal employees and annuitants from enrolling in PSHB plans. Indeed, OPM has announced another round of system updates to Login.gov for this coming weekend. This situation is unacceptable, and we are calling for a brief extension to Open Season to ensure that employee have sufficient time to effectuate their enrollment. OPM has extended Open Season in prior years for far less impactful issues. Where, as here, the problems are literally preventing participant enrollment, extending Open Season for PSHBP participants is both necessary and warranted.

We therefore strongly urge OPM to extend Open Season for PSHBP participants by one week from Monday, December 9th to Monday, December 16th. Paul V. Hogrogian
President
National Postal Mail Handlers

Source: www.npmhu.org

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Federal Employee health care open season begins

Article Title: 'Open season' begins for federal employee health care

Snippet of Article: "...Even if a federal employee is happy with current health insurance, officials say it's probably a good idea to do at least a little research during "open season," which began Monday and runs through Dec. 12...."

Source: www.army.mil

More open season news

Article Title: Open season set for three civilian benefit programs

Snippet of Article: "...The Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148, extended the age children may remain covered under their parents' FEHB plans, self and family enrollment, to age 26. Those already enrolled in self and family coverage do not need to re-enroll during open season. New enrollees should contact their health benefits provider to add eligible children effective Jan. 1, 2011. Employees not enrolled in FEHB, or enrolled in self-only coverage, can elect self and family coverage to add newly eligible children during open season.
..."

Source: www.af.mil open season

Federal Benefits Open Season 2010

Article Title: Federal Benefits Open Season
Snippet of Article: "...the 2010 Federal Benefits Open Season.
This year’s Open Season will run from November 9 through December 14, 2009. ... The opportunity for you to choose health, dental, and vision insurance coverage for 2010, and whether contributing to a health and/or dependent care flexible spending account will save you money by using pre-tax contributions to pay your out-of-pocket costs. You should review your options for the following programs: ..."

Source: www.opm.gov

[tag]Federal,Government,Military,Retiree, [/tag]