It’s easy to acknowledge that changes in health and wellness can happen to just about anyone. But what’s often harder to recognize is the importance of changing health insurance to match individual needs as they fluctuate over time.

Zach Rawn, director of the Compass Rose Health Plan, has experienced those changes in life — and transitions in health insurance needs — firsthand.

“When I graduated college, when I took my first job, when I was going through the differentials on signing up for health care coverage, I was really looking at the premium for more essential coverage for just myself,” Rawn said during Federal News Network’s 2025 Open Season Exchange. “As I got married, had a child, then I started thinking, I need more benefits. I need something more robust.”

That range of benefits is exactly what longtime federal health carrier Compass Rose aims to offer to its enrollees. Over time, Compass Rose has continually expanded to more and more federal employees.

Now in plan year 2025, for the first time ever, Compass Rose has opened its offerings to all individuals eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.

“We really feel that the feds deserve exceptional options for health insurance, and that’s what we believe we can offer for every stage of life,” Rawn said.

‘Unique’ benefits, rewards at Compass Rose

Compass Rose’s eligibility expansion to all feds now means more individuals can get access to the carrier’s broad range of plan options, which Rawn said fit a variety of individual needs.

“We offer some unique benefits, like massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, free telehealth,” Rawn said. “We also have a robust rewards program for those in our high option plan.”

The carrier’s rewards program offers benefits to enrollees who take certain steps for maintaining their own health and well-being.

That includes “some easier items that people are probably already doing, but we want to give you credit for doing that,” Rawn said. “Maybe add a primary care provider visit, do a cost calculator for one of your prescription drugs or be part of our coaching program. Those type of things really, I believe, set us apart.”

During Open Season, Rawn recommended federal employees use plan brochures and other member-facing materials to pick out a couple of plans that might be good options for their health care needs. They can use the Office of Personnel Management’s plan comparison tool to measure what they expect they’ll need access to in the coming year, compared against premium costs.

“Just spend a little bit of time comparing different plans, what you think you might need as far as care [and] where you are in life,” Rawn said. “Are you single, newly in the workforce, looking for a lower premium because you don’t believe you’ll need too much care? Or are you a father of three, with a wife and family, and you think you will need a little bit more care?”

Addressing individual needs in FEHB

Compass Rose aims to be attentive to all of its enrollees, regardless of situation. In one example, Rawn shared a story of a member who had been to the emergency room and was sent home, but she was still experiencing symptoms that didn’t appear to be part of her initial diagnosis.

“Her husband was able to get in touch with our nursing team, and they really convinced them to get care immediately,” he said. “Working with our nurses, she was able to get to the hospital — and it turned out that she had had a stroke, which wasn’t part of the original diagnosis. … But working with our nursing team, they were able to really make them understand that they needed to go back to the ER.”

For those who have questions about Compass Rose or their health insurance generally, Rawn said the carrier’s customer service center is equipped and ready to answer all sorts of questions.

“Whether you’re calling for a simple question or it’s going to be a long call, you’re not rushed off the phone,” he said. “We’re trying to help figure out how to help you, how to get the resources you need and provide any education as needed.”

Discover more articles and videos now on Federal News Network’s 2025 Open Season Exchange event page.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.