The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”) issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register today that, if finalized,
- would change the annual FEHB Program Open Season from the Monday of the second full workweek in November through the Monday of the second full workweek in December, to November 1st through November 30th of each year, and
- would allow FEHB employee organization sponsored plans and FEHB comprehensive medical plans (or HMOs) to offer three options, without the current requirement that one of the options be a high deductible health plan.
Surprisingly (to me at least) OPM intends for the Open Season schedule to change this year. OPM also proposes to make a couple of regulatory changes that are mandated by federal statute. OPM is accepting public comments on this proposed rule until June 18, 2010.