Open Season is the only period in which federal employees can change their health insurance coverage without having a qualifying life event, such as the birth of a child or marriage. During Open Season, employees can change their Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan, Federal Flexible Spending Accounts Program, or Federal Employees Dental & Vision Insurance Program.
Employees who are satisfied with their current benefits should still review any applicable plan changes and explore coverage options.
Please note: the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program and the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program do not participate in the annual open season.
- Read Federal Benefits Open Season Highlights from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
- Bookmark OPM's Open Season website.
- Review and compare healthcare and dental/vision plans. If you make no changes, FEHB and FEDVIP enrollments rollover automatically. Use the online comparison tool to explore a better plan.
- Check all your systems and test your log in capability:
- Login to your Employee Personal Page, where all Federal Employees Health Benefits plan changes will be made. If you lost or forgot your EPP password, request a new one here.
- Login to BENEFEDS, where all dental and vision plan changes will be made.
- Login to the Flexible Spending Account (FSAFEDS) system.
- Use the Employee Personal Page to review current benefit elections and verify home mailing address.
- Use the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) to verify your beneficiary designation information.
- Review the Circle 'Round Your Benefits diagram and OPM's Open Season website for Active Federal Employees.
- Attend the Virtual Benefits Open Season Health Fair (date to be determined) to discuss benefits questions with specialists and meet health, dental, vision, and Flexible Spending Account vendors.
- Ask yourself these questions:
- What are my family’s health, dental, and vision needs for next year?
- Will my current plan still be available next year? Find out which plans are leaving the FEHB program at the end of 2024.
- Will my current plan’s benefits or premiums change next year?
- Could I save money with a FSAFEDS flexible spending account?
Register to attend the 2024 Virtual Benefits Fair to chat with carriers, review 2025 plan details, and get the information you need in one convenient online location.
The Virtual Benefits Fair will be available throughout the Federal Benefits Open Season, from November 11 to December 9, 2024.
Employees should check for significant changes for FEHB (medical), FSAFEDS (Flexible Spending Account), or FEDVIP (dental and vision) plans.
Several medical plans are leaving the FEHB Program at the end of 2024. Enrollees in these terminating plans must make a positive election into another FEHB plan during Open Season or they will be enrolled in GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan Elevate (the lowest-cost nationwide plan option for 2025 as determined by OPM).
Coverage under an enrollee's new health plan will be effective the first day of the pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2025. Enrollees will remain covered and receive the 2024 benefits of the old plan until the new plan becomes effective.
In some cases, the enrollee share of premiums for the Self Plus One enrollment type will be higher than for the Self and Family enrollment type. Enrollees who wish to cover one eligible family member are free to elect either the Self and Family or Self Plus One enrollment type. Carefully check the 2025 rates of your current plan and any other plan choices you are considering for 2025.
Employees should make all Open Season FEHB changes via their My EPP page if:
- They are enrolling in coverage for the first time
- Going from one FEHB plan to another
- Cancelling their FEHB election (employees should keep in mind the five-year coverage rule for those close to retirement)
- Changing coverage amount (i.e., self only to self + family or self + one)
Employees should submit their Open Season FEHB SF-2809 changes to RABAS via the Retirement and Benefits App if:
- They do not have a self-service button
- Employee is keeping the same plan but adding or removing a family member
- Employee should indicate family member being added or removed in “Remarks” section of SF-2809 (Full name, date of birth, last four of social and remark adding/removing)
FEHB: Health Benefits
If you do nothing, your current plan will rollover automatically unless it is leaving the FEHB Program at the end of 2024.
FEDVIP: Dental and Vision
If you do nothing, your current plan will rollover automatically.
FSAFEDS: Flexible Spending
1. Enroll, Re-enroll, Change Elections
If you do nothing, you will not be enrolled in FSAFEDS in 2025. Enrollments do not rollover.
Employees should NOT submit an open season change if:
- They are retiring prior to 1/1/2025
- They should submit their open season election form with their retirement package
- The employee is transferring agencies prior to 1/1/2025
- The FEHB election will not transfer with them, they should contact their new HR office and inform them of their Open Season election wishes
- If you have a new employee transferring in from another agency, they should inform the individual handling their onboard paperwork of their Open Season election wishes
- Employee is expecting to experience a qualifying life event prior to 1/1/2025
- Employee should submit their FEHB change as a QLE change to ensure correct effective date