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Washington, D.C.—The head of the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees today applauded a decision by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to extend throughout the month of January the open season for federal employees to enroll in, or make changes to, aspects of their health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). The prior deadline was yesterday.

“This is both an important step and the right decision by OPM,” said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). “It clearly was necessary given the widespread confusion caused by numerous changes in insurance coverage under the most popular plan—Blue Cross/Blue Shield—and in particular the projected out-of-pocket cost of non-emergency surgery using non-participating health care providers under the standard option.” That was projected by Blue Cross/Blue Shield to be as much as $7,500 per surgery.

In large part due to the advocacy of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and its chairman, Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), federal employees and their families will have much-needed additional time to consider and absorb these changes and make the best decisions. NTEU will continue to monitor OPM’s negotiations with insurance companies on this issue.

OPM has asked all insurance carriers participating in the FEHBP to review coverage for elective surgeries and submit to the agency revised plans to cover out-of-network, non-emergency surgeries as a way to address this major source of confusion and concern.

At the same time, OPM has said it will not permit the carriers to make changes in 2009 premiums or in other types of benefits for the coming year.

President Kelley noted that while the out-of-network charge was the impetus for the extension, federal employees also will have additional enrollment time in the dental and vision insurance plans as well as the flexible savings account program, since all of these are tied to the FEHBP.

As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.