I025 - Submission for Russell Egnor Media Awards - Writing - Feature - Brian Mcneal, NNSY Public Affairs Specialist - Your Federal Employee Health Benefit Options: Don't Just Check The Box - Released 11/1/14

1. 14 Service to the Fleet, November 2014
Have you ever seen the old Eddie Murphy
movie, The Distinguished Gentleman
(1992)? In the film, Murphy plays a con man
who runs for Congress using the name of
the longtime incumbent who recently died.
His campaign slogan for office was “The
Name you Know,” hoping voters would
simply check the box they grew accustomed
to checking at election time. Using name
recognition alone, Murphy’s character, Jeff
Johnson, went on to win the election.
Health insurance has been a hot-button
issue for the past several years and many
changes have made navigating through
the myriad of information very confusing.
According to the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM), on average, premium
rates for health insurance plans will see a 3.2
percent increase. To assist in determining
which option is best, you can use the Plan
Comparison Tool. When choosing a health
plan, OPM urges employees to consider
the total benefit package, including service,
cost, and provider availability. While one
plan may have a lower monthly premium
than a similar plan, there are other factors
to consider including deductibles, higher
cost ceilings in the event of major injury or
illness, and limitations.
Your Federal Employee
Health Benefit Options—
Don’t Just Check the Box!
Although the film is a comedy, it does
illustrate the dangers of putting a check in
a box because it’s the way you have always
done so. In fact, blindly putting a check in
the box this time of year costs many federal
employees hundreds of dollars annually. And
in some cases thousands of dollars in health
care expenditures.
November 10 marks the beginning of
Open Season, the time of year to ensure that
employees have the right health, dental or
vision insurance coverage. It is also time to
consider the money you can save on out-of-
pocket medical and dependent care expenses
for 2015.
Many Federal Employee Health Benefit
(FEHB) plans will see benefit and rate
changes for 2015 and some plans are
dropping out of the program, while others
are changing their service areas or coverage
options. It is wise to review your coverage
during this period to decide what coverage
and premium best suits your needs for the
upcoming year.
Employees can also use Plan Smart
Choice, which is available to all employees
at www.plansmartchoice.com/registration.
aspx. This tool allows you to create a side-
by-side comparison of your medical, dental
and vision plan options, as well as estimate
total health care costs and take advantage of
tax savings.
Although both give accurate information,
OPM officials strongly encourage
employees to not rely solely on these tools
when choosing a health plan. You should
also review the brochures as these describe
the services in greater detail. Brochures are
available on the OPM website at
www.opm.gov.
By Brian McNeal
Code 1160 Public Affairs Specialist

2. Service to the Fleet, November 2014 15
Health Savings Account
If you are relatively healthy and
infrequently visit the doctor, then maybe a
Health Savings Account (HSA) is right for
you. An HSA allows you to pay for current
health expenses and save for future qualified
medical expenses on a pre-tax basis. Funds
deposited into an HSA are not taxed, the
balance in the HSA grows tax free, and that
amount is available on a tax free basis to
pay medical costs. In order to qualify for an
HSA, federal employees must elect to use a
High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). An
HDHP features higher annual deductibles (a
minimum of $1,250 for Self and $2,500 for
Self and Family coverage) than traditional
health plans. With the exception of
preventive care, you must meet the annual
deductible before the plan pays benefits.
Plan Comparison Tool
This tool assists you in determining which health
careoption is best for you.
Plan Smart Choice
This tool allows you to create a side-by-side
comparison of your medical, dental and vision plan
options, as well as estimate total health care costs
and take advantage of tax savings.
Available to all employees at www.
plansmartchoice.
Health Savings Account (HSA)
An HSA allows you to pay for current health
expenses and save for future qualified medical
expenses on a pre-tax basis.
High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
An HDHP features higher annual deductibles
(a minimum of $1,250 for Self and $2,500 for Self
and Family coverage) than traditional health plans.
Before choosing this option, keep in mind
that HSAs and HDHPs tend to work best for
people who pay more in insurance premiums
than they use in health care; however, every
situation is different. There is no “one-size
fits all” solution, but an HSA combined with
an HDHP could be a compelling alternative
for the right set of circumstances. For more
information on an HSA, visit www.opm.gov/
healthcare-insurance/healthcare/health-
savings-accounts/.
Often overlooked, Open Season is an
important time of the year for federal
employees. There are many options in
tailoring care for you and your family and
the time invested could save you money
in the long run. For more information,
visit www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/
healthcare. Among other things, the money
you save could be used to purchase the DVD
The Distinguished Gentleman (just in case
you haven’t seen it).