Among the plans are offerings from carriers that make up the large majority of FEHB enrollees. Image: The Image Party/Shutterstock.com By: FEDweek Staff
OPM has conditionally approved 32 carriers for the new Postal Service Health Benefits program for postal employees and retirees that is to launch in calendar year 2025 as a carve-out to the FEHB.
The approval is “contingent upon successful benefits and rate negotiations. PSHB carrier applicants represent a mix of fee-for-service plans and health maintenance organizations. Their service areas vary from nationwide to specific regions and all have years of experience” in the FEHB program, OPM said.
While the number of carriers is well below the 158 plan choices in the FEHB, among the plans are offerings from carriers that make up the large majority of FEHB enrollees—of whom the postal population constitutes about a fifth.
The 2022 law ordering the new postal health program required that “to the greatest extent practicable,” the PSHB on its must include plans offered by each FEHB insurer that had a plan that enrolled at least 1,500 USPS employees or retirees in January 2023, and that such plans generally are to have equivalent benefits and cost-sharing requirements.
Those provisions apply only for the 2025 plan year, however, leaving participation and coverage requirements more uncertain for the future. Also uncertain is the impact on premiums for both those in the new program and those remaining behind in the FEHB, who will be split into separate premium pools.
Also under that law, enrollees whose current FEHB plan is not in the PSHB may choose to enroll in a new plan in this fall’s open season for 2025 coverage. If they make no choice, they will be enrolled by default in the lowest-cost, nationwide PSHB plan that is not a high-deductible health plan and does not charge an association or membership fee, with the same enrollment type (self only, self and family, or self plus one) as the 2024 FEHB plan.
The plans are:
Carrier | Type (Health Maintenance Organization / Fee-for-Service )
Aetna: HDHP, Aetna Direct, Aetna Advantage | HMO
Aetna: Open Access HMO and Aetna Saver | HMO
Aetna: CDHP and Value | HMO
American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Health Plan | FFS
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Service Benefit Plan| FFS
Capital Health Plan | HMO
CareFirst BlueChoice | HMO
Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) Employee Organization | FFS
Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) Indemnity Benefit Plan | FFS
Health Alliance Plan of Michigan | HMO
Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) | HMO
Independent Health Association, Inc. | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Colorado | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Fresno California | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Hawaii | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Northern California | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Northwest | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Southern California | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Washington Core | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Washington Options Federal | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Georgia | HMO
Kaiser Permanente – Mid-Atlantic | HMO
Mail Handlers Benefit Plan | FFS
Medical Mutual of Ohio | HMO
National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Health Benefit Plan | FFS
Rural Carrier Benefit Plan| FFS
Triple-S Salud| HMO
UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Inc. – Choice Plus Primary| HMO
UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Inc. – Choice Plus Primary WF| HMO
