The Federal Employee Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act of 2004 provided OPM the opportunity to establish arrangements under which supplemental dental and vision benefits are made available to Federal employees, retirees, and their dependents.
Dental and vision benefits are available to eligible Federal and Postal employees, retirees, and their eligible family members on an enrollee-pay-all basis. This Program allows dental insurance and vision insurance to be purchased on a group basis which means competitive premiums and no pre-existing condition limitations. Premiums for enrolled Federal and Postal employees are withheld from salary on a pre-tax basis.
Enrollment takes place during the annual Federal Benefits Open Season in November and December. New and newly eligible employees can enroll within the 60 days after they become eligible.
Eligible individuals can enroll in a dental and/or vision plan. They may enroll in a plan for Self Only, Self plus one, or Self and Family coverage. Eligible family members include your spouse and unmarried dependent children under age 22. This includes legally adopted children and recognized natural children who meet certain dependency requirements. This also includes stepchildren and foster children who live with you in a regular parent-child relationship. Under certain circumstances, you may also continue coverage for a disabled child 22 years of age or older who is incapable of self-support.
FEDVIP rules and FEHB rules for family member eligibility are NOT the same.
Changes in dependent eligibility under healthcare reform (Affordable Care Act) do not affect eligibility for children under FEDVIP.
Employees must be eligible for the FEHB Program in order to be eligible to enroll in Federal Employees Dental/Vision Program (FEDVIP). It does not matter if they are actually enrolled in FEHB - eligibility is the key. Annuitants do not have to be eligible or enrolled in the FEHB Program.
Questions
For enrollment/premium questions regarding dental and vision insurance, please contact BENEFEDS at 1(877)888-3337. To enroll in FEDVIP, please visit www.BENEFEDS.com (external link).
