Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Eligibility
As a Federal employee, you are eligible to elect FEHB coverage, unless your position is excluded by law or regulation. However, there are numerous special provisions for people in part-time or intermittent employment, temporary appointments, and specifically named positions. This chapter in the FEHB Handbook explains these provisions.
FEHB for Dependents
Family members eligible for coverage under your Self and Family enrollment are your spouse (including a valid common-law marriage) and children under age 26, including legally adopted children, stepchildren, and recognized natural (born out of wedlock) children. Foster children are included if they live with you in a regular parent-child relationship. A child age 26 or over who is incapable of self support because of a mental or physical disability that existed before age 26 is also an eligible family member. Your employing office will look at the child's relationship to you as the enrollee to determine whether the child is a covered family member.
Additional Information regarding eligibility, enrollment, plans, costs, and plan comparisons may be found under Health Care at https://www.opm.gov/insure.
Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program
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.
Federal Employees Dental/Vision (FEDVIP) rules and FEHB rules for family member eligibility are NOT the same. Employees must be eligible for the FEHB Program in order to be eligible to enroll in 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.
For enrollment/premium questions regarding dental and vision insurance, please contact BENEFEDS at 1-(877)-888-3337. To enroll in FEDVIP, please visit https://www.BENEFEDS.com.