Thread: FEHBP 2009 Open Season

Also remember to sign up for Flexible Spending accounts for Health Care and/or Dependent Care if you are eligible. Not using them is turning away free money. In short, they let you pay with pretax dollars, posttax expenses. If anyone has questions about how they work, feel free to ask here or drop me a PM.

I'm considering switching from BCBS to Mailhandlers and save about $850 a year! Still studing the handouts!

Originally Posted by nnuut

I'm considering switching from BCBS to Mailhandlers and save about $850 a year! Still studing the handouts!

Just a general comment--If you are looking at the HDHP's, make sure to study the plan in detail. They operate very differently from standard HMO/FFS plans. Not saying they are bad choice, just that they pass a certain amount of risk onto the customer that other plans do not while also having certain perks as well.

I know makes the decision harder, still haven't made up my mind! Study study

Originally Posted by ChemEng

Also remember to sign up for Flexible Spending accounts for Health Care and/or Dependent Care if you are eligible. Not using them is turning away free money. In short, they let you pay with pretax dollars, posttax expenses. If anyone has questions about how they work, feel free to ask here or drop me a PM.

As I'm sure you know, ChemEng, annuitants can't participate in flexible spending accounts (FSAFEDS). But when I was on the active payroll, my tax savings was hundreds of dollars, just from being enrolled in the program. I'll add my nudge to yours.

Folks, it takes just a minute to figure out your expected health costs for the year and then enroll. The savings can be substantial. It pays you a great "dollars per hour" in tax savings!

Lady

Originally Posted by nnuut

I'm considering switching from BCBS to Mailhandlers and save about $850 a year! Still studing the handouts!

Last year I almost switched too. But the spreadsheets said that the drug costs didn't quite make sense. Now this year, a specialist I have to see is not in the Mailhandlers provider directory.

So I, too, will study, study. And I'll mutter to myself.

Lady

Here's a caution. Don't use the comparison tool on the OPM website yet. It still has the 2008 information. A lot of the website information has not yet been updated, and a note on the site says that it will be available beginning November 3.

Lady

One other error noticed. They list some very strange 2008 Biweekly amounts in their new 2009 .Pdf files. They can't get anything right!

Anyone have BC/BS basic? if so, how do you like it etc.?

Originally Posted by clester

Anyone have BC/BS basic? if so, how do you like it etc.?

Clester, I had BCBS for several years until 2008. Prescription by mail looked
to be a great deal for quite some time. $35 per 90 day suppply. But I did
a evaluation of out of pocket expense (everyones different) and found that
Aetna (per year) would end up less expensive. I would suggest you look
at how many times you do a regular visit to your Primary Care Physician
and how many Prescriptions you will order for the year. By comparing each
one, you might be surprised of what you'll find. BCBS sends you a
Explanation of Benefits sheet each time you are billed. But only in a
perfect world. I've recieved Eof B's 8 months after a procedure and got
blind-sided because of the Specialists Billing Department. Getting a $800
bill (unexpectedly) 8 months after you paid a large bill already left a nasty
taste in my mouth. After a surgical procedure, I came to find out that in
New Jersey, an assistant anesthesiologist gets paid seperately and they
couldn't even justify the need for a assistant during a simple procedure.
I ended up paying it to keep up with my obligations as dictated by the
"Just Debts" policy. Hope this helps !

Thanks for the tip for BC/BS...as I have them. I knew the premium went up but hadn't checked the co-pay on prescriptions my wife and I need. I'll check it out in the 2009 brochure. I have thought of mailhandlers also but not sure they cover you if you're outside the US and I am currently in Asia and am covered by BC/BS. I have to pay first and then submit bills to the US. Thanks!