An official letter from OPM confirmed that agencies are still required to process incoming FEGLI (Federal Employee Group Life Insurance), FEHB (Federal Employee Health Benefits), and FLTCIP (Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program) paperwork amidst the Coronavirus COVID-19 emergency. Contractors are also still required to perform their duties in regards to FEDVIP (Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Plan) obligations. The correspondence from OPM was released a day after the new acting OPM director Michael Rigas advised agencies to administer the Oath of Office to new employees remotely when possible. So as hiring and onboarding are still taking place, one of the transactions explicitly allowed related to the health programs is the acceptance of new enrollees. The letter also specifically instructs agencies to keep:
a) processing enrollment changes due to a Qualifying Life Event (QLE),
b) performing certifications of FEGLI coverage, and
c) accepting documents such as beneficiary designation forms.
Until June 30th, however, some items that are part of normal procedure will be shelved for a later date if it is not “practicable” due to the Coronavirus crisis. Examples of these types of activities include verification steps- such as confirming the identity of an employee’s relative for family member eligibility as it pertains to health or life insurance benefits, or reviewing the veracity of a QLE for FEGLI coverage alterations. It is probably important to note this is not an invitation to commit fraud- the verification and confirmation steps will take place and if a statement was falsified- the repercussions may be severe for the perpetrator. (This also means to ensure such paperwork is properly filled out before submission- even more-so than usual for a mistake might not get caught for a while!)
Until Next Time,
**Written by Benjamin Derge, Financial Planner. The information has been obtained from sources considered reliable but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Benjamin Derge and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. Links are being provided for information purposes only. Expressions of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize, or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors
FEGLI Transactions During Covid-19
FLTCIP Transactions During Covid-19