By Dena Levitz
Federal News Radio

After the honeymoon, federal government employees can come back to work and change more than just their marital status.

They can now also enroll in or switch dental and vision plans right away. Same goes for feds who have returned to work after certain periods of leave without pay.

Previously they would have had to wait until the period known as Open Season to take these actions. But the Office of Personnel Management, in a final rule that came out Wednesday, made it official that current employees or retirees can change enrollment under the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) “when they experience these life events.”

The amendment kicks in August 15.

“These expanded enrollment opportunities are intended to better align FEDVIP with specific Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) qualifying life events (QLE),” the Federal Register states.

OPM, in December 2013, issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to get the ball rolling on this amendment. According to the Federal Register, OPM did not receive any comments or objections to this regulation.

FEDVIP is available to eligible federal and Postal employees, retirees, and their family members on an enrollee-pay-all basis. This program essentially makes it possible for these enrollees to purchase dental and vision insurance on a group basis with competitive premiums and no pre-existing condition limitations for enrollment.

In explaining the rule, OPM examined possible financial impacts and determined that the regulation will not have a major impact “because the regulation only adds flexibility to the current enrollment process.”

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