Dental and vision benefits are available to eligible federal and postal employees, retirees, and their eligible family members. Both dental and vision insurance can be purchased on a group basis which means competitive premiums and no pre-existing condition limitations.
Eligibility
Federal Employees
If you are a federal or postal employee and are eligible to enroll in FEHB and your position is not excluded by law or regulation, you are eligible to enroll in the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Program (FEDVIP). It doesn’t matter if you’re enrolled in FEHB—the key is eligibility.
Annuitants
You are eligible to enroll if you:
- Retired on an immediate annuity under CSRS/FERS/another retirement system for government employees.
- Retired for disability under CSRS/FERS another retirement system for government employees.
FEDVIP enrollment will continue into retirement is you retire on an immediate annuity or disability under a covered retirement system, regardless of the length of time you had FEDVIP coverage as an employee.
There is no requirement to have coverage for 5 years of service prior to retirement to continue coverage into retirement, like with FEHB.
FEDVIP coverage will end if you retire on MRA+10 and postpone the receipt of your annuity. You can enroll in FEDVIP again when you begin to receive your annuity.
Survivor Annuitants
If you are a survivor of a deceased federal or postal employee or annuitant and are receiving an annuity, you may enroll or continue your existing enrollment.
Receiving OWCP
You are eligible to enroll in FEDVIP or continue coverage into compensation status from the Department of Labors’ OWCP.
Family Members
A spouse and unmarried dependent children under 22 are eligible family members. This includes legally adopted children, stepchildren, and foster children. Also, under certain circumstances, you may continue coverage for a disabled child 22 years or older who is incapable of self-support.
FEDVIP and FEHB rules for family member eligibility are NOT the same.
Not Eligible
The following are not eligible for FEDVIP coverage regardless of FEHB eligibility or receipt of an annuity or portion of an annuity:
- Deferred annuitants
- Former spouses of employees or annuitants
- FEHB Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) enrollees
- Anyone receiving an insurable interest annuity who is not also an eligible family member
- Temporary, seasonal, or intermittent employees whose positions are excluded
Enrollment
You must use BENEFEDS to enroll or change enrollment for FEDVIP plans. If you are currently enrolled in FEDVIP and don’t want to change plans or options, your enrollment will continue automatically. Opportunities to cancel FEDVIP coverage are very limited. To cancel, you must do so during the annual Federal Benefits Open Season.
3 Types of Enrollment
Self-Only—covers you as the enrolled employee or annuitant. You may choose a self only enrollment even though you may have a family, but your family members won’t be covered.
Self-Plus One—covers you as the enrolled employee or annuitant. You may choose one eligible family member to be covered as well.
Self and Family—covers you as enrolled employee or annuitant and all your eligible family members. You must list all family members when enrolling.
Check out opm.gov for plan information, rates, and premiums.
