Dental Plans For Federal Retirees

Address Inequitable Outcomes In The Military And Veteran Communities

The transition to civilian life can be especially challenging for those dealing with illness, injury or trauma.

Women in the military are being hurt, injured and medically released from military service at higher rates than men. There are also significant differences between the medical releases of men and women. Women are released for different reasons than men, reason that are still not recognized as service-related injuries. It takes longer for the federal government to adjudicate claims from military and veteran women, and women face challenges at the Veterans Review and Appeal Board related to gendered misconceptions about the nature of sexual assault and trauma.

Many aspects of military and veterans systems are gender-blind, resulting in systemic biases, research gaps and increased rates of injury and illness resulting in medical release for women. For a variety of complex structural and social reasons, the sex- and gender-specific issues and needs of women veterans have not been equitably addressed at the federal level in Canada.

Continued work and priority on prevention and addressing upstream risk factors that lead to poorer outcomes for some veterans is critical.

In addition, a committed application of sex- and gender-based analysis when we speak about veterans issues is imperative. Without consistent use of GBA+, there can be unintended consequences that result in inequitable outcomes for the men and women who served Canada.

Types Of Dental Coverage

FEDVIP dental insurance plans are serviced by private companies. These companies often offer both DHMO and PPO coverage. Lets take a look at the differences.

• Dental health maintenance organizations : DHMOs have a set network of dental service providers that accept your insurance. When you sign onto a DHMO plan, your insurance provider gives you a list of dentists in your network who accept your insurance plan. If you need dental work or services, you must go to one of the dentists in your network. Otherwise, you cannot use your benefits. DHMOs are usually the most affordable dental insurance options youll find but service areas can be quite limited.
• Preferred provider organizations : You can choose to see any dentist youd like if you have a PPO plan though you can almost always save money by visiting an in-network provider. PPO plans are usually more expensive than DHMO plans, but they might be worth the extra expense if you already have a dentist you like.

Types Of Fedvip Enrollment

A self only enrollment covers only the enrolled employee or annuitant. An eligible individual may enroll in self only even though he/she has a family, but the family members are not covered.

A self plus one enrollment covers the enrolled employee or annuitant plus one eligible family member. Eligible individuals may enroll in self plus one even though they have more than one eligible family member, but the additional family members are not covered. The enrollee must specify during the enrollment process which one eligible family member he/she wishes to cover under a self plus one enrollment. The enrollee may change the covered family member to another eligible family member during an open season or because of a qualifying life event.

A self and family enrollment covers the enrolled employee or annuitant and all eligible family members. Enrollees should list all eligible family members when they enroll. All of the enrollees eligible family members are automatically covered, even if the enrollee fails to list all of them when enrolling on Benefeds, but claim payments may be delayed for family members who were omitted.

Generally, dual enrollmentwhen an individual is covered under more than one FEDVIP dental enrollment or more than one FEDVIP vision enrollmentis prohibited except when elimination of the dual enrollment would cause a covered person to lose coverage.

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Companies With Employee Vaccination Requirements

Several companies have announced plans for mandatory vaccinations, including airlines, cruise lines, concert halls, health care facilities and restaurants. Some of the requirements may include mask and testing guidelines, and some may only apply to employees traveling internationally, working in the office or having face-to-face interactions with customers. If any of these applies to you, check with your employer for more details.

Here are some of the companies that have announced vaccination requirements for employees:

• Amtrak
• Walmart

Choosing The Right Dental Plan

This years open enrollment season for choosing a dental plan runs from Nov. 8, 2021, through midnight EST on Dec. 13, 2021, for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2022.

Retirees currently enrolled in a Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program plan automatically will continue enrollment into 2022. If you want to cancel or change your dental plan in any way, you must contact BENEFEDS during open enrollment.

With several dental carriers to choose from for 2022, how do you know which plan best fits your needs? Here are some factors to help you make the best choice.

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Why Enroll In A Geba Dental Plan

• Affordable rates, with no deductible
• Preventive care beyond two cleanings per year e.g. exams, X-rays, and no exclusions for pre-existing conditions
• Dependent child coverage up to age 26
• No waiting period for major dental care, except child orthodontia
• Maintain coverage even if you leave federal employment
• GEBAs superior customer service a local team dedicated to serving our members

Select the GEBA Dental plan that best fits your needs…

Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan

The voluntary Pensioners Dental Services Plan was established by the Government of Canada in 2001. It provides dental coverage to eligible federal pensioners and their family members who qualify, including survivors. Please note that conditions may apply. Learn more about your coverage in the Pensioners’ Dental Services Plan members PDSP members’ booklet.

For information about the PDSP Enrolment Information and Plan Summary click here.

To learn more about online access to Sun Life Financial, the company that provides coverage for the PDSP, check out the following e-tutorials:

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Biden Vaccine Mandate Update Is Back: Which Workers Will Need Proof Of Covid Vaccination

An appeals court has reinstated President Biden’s vaccine mandate for large businesses. What comes next?

The federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate will require many US workers to prove their vaccination status.

The temporarily stalled federal mandate for COVID-19 vaccines has returned to life. On Nov. 3, President Joe Biden announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that would apply to all private companies with 100 or more employees. On Nov. 30, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction on the vaccine mandate, blocking it a week before its initial start date of Dec. 6. Finally, last Friday, an appeals court reinstated the vaccine mandate, setting the start date for Jan. 6.

While the mandate was on hold, several states and cities took vaccine requirements into their own hands. On Monday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced “B Together,” a plan requiring proof of vaccination for all patrons of Boston’s indoor dining, fitness, and entertainment facilities. Today, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced similar COVID-19 vaccine requirements for her city.

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The local and state mandates seem to be working. “Vaccination requirements have helped reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans ages 12 and older by almost 40 percent — from about 100 million in July to under 60 million now,” White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said during a briefing. In the US, 77% of people 5 and older have had at least one dose, as of Dec. 20.

Anticipated Dental Services For The Upcoming Year

It is helpful to understand your specific dental needs in order to make an informed decision. FEDVIP offers standard and high-option plans. If you know you will need major dental work done, you might want to select a high-option plan that may cover more of the cost for major restorative procedures. If you need only preventive dental care, a standard option plan may make more sense.

Also, look for limitations such as annual maximums or orthodontic lifetime maximums, to ensure that you are not paying out-of-pocket after youve reached a plans limit.

Lastly, check whether the plan has any waiting periods that may be a barrier to receiving immediate dental care.

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Best For Low Coinsurance Rates: Metlife

A high coinsurance percentage can seriously affect your budget especially if you or someone on your plan needs a major dental procedure. MetLifes MetLife Federal Dental Plan offers PPO coverage as well as low coinsurance rates.

Youll pay 0% coinsurance for routine services and just 30% for basic corrective procedures . Plans also include coverage for orthodontics. Youll pay just 30% of the cost of any orthodontics, which can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars of savings. Best of all, MetLifes plans have no lifetime maximum benefits limit.

Why United Concordia Dental

Were proud to be a FEDVIP carrier offering Standard and High-Option plans with low rates to eligible federal employees, federal retirees, and military retirees. United Concordia is proud to serve the needs of more than 9.1 million members nationwide, including nearly 747,000 FEDVIP members. With more than 45 years of experience, we’re one of the largest, most respected benefit administrators in the United States. Our expertise is why millions of people like you depend on us for their dental insurance.

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Additional Vaccines That Are Mandated In The Us

A federal vaccine mandate is not new. In 1977, for example, the federal government began an initiative to vaccinate up to 90% of the nation’s children against seven diseases:

• Diphtheria

All 50 states require specific vaccines for students, with exemptions varying from state to state. Most school requirements follow the CDC’s vaccine schedule for children.

Other Standard Option Plan Advantages

• Low, affordable rates
• Braces covered for adults, too
• Your choice of any licensed dentist, anywhere
• Added perks like discounts on gym memberships, massages, weight-loss programs and more

*If you use an out-of-network dentist, you are responsible for the difference between our plan allowance and the dentist’s charges.

Aetna is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or more of the Aetna group of subsidiary companies, including Aetna Life Insurance Company and its affiliates . Dental benefits are offered, underwritten and/or administered by Aetna Life Insurance Company .

This material is for information purposes only. Not all dental services are covered. See FEDVIP brochure for a complete description of benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Discount programs provide access to discounted prices and are NOT insured benefits. The member is responsible for the full cost of the discounted services. Information is believed to be accurate as of the production date however, it is subject to change.

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Helping You Navigate Healthcare With Human Care

At Humana, our goal is to help people reach their best health. For many years, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing for our federal employee and TRICARE® retiree members. Not only do we offer competitive dental and medical benefits from a vast network of healthcare providers, but we work harder to learn more about you so that we can get you the coverage you needand the preventive services to help you feel your best. Doing more to help you achieve more is what we call Human Care.

Why Federal Employees Retirees And Survivor Annuitants May Want To Seek Alternatives To The Fedvip

Federal employees, annuitants and survivor annuitants may want to seek alternatives to enrolling in a dental plan offered through the FEDVIP. The reason is that one has to ask the question: What is the purpose of buying any insurance? The purpose is transfer of risk. The insured pays a small amount of money a premium to an insurance company in order to protect the insured from a financial catastrophe.

A classic example is homeowners insurance in which for example a homeowner who owns a homeowners insurance policy pays an annual premium of $1,500 to $2,000 on a house worth $500,000 to $750,000. If the house were to burn down, the insurance company in most cases would pay the cost of having the house rebuilt at its fair market value just before the house got destroyed. Obviously, the insurance company would be paying a far greater amount of money than the homeowner paid in insurance premiums through the years.

Dental insurance covers far less in dental expenses compared to what traditional medical insurance covers in medical expenses. Many dental plans may pay for only $1,000 or $2,000 of dental expenses incurred per individual per year. Dental insurance therefore is not the classic insurance in the sense that it protects the insured from the catastrophic expenses.

The following are some suggestions for employees, annuitants and survivor annuitants to consider during this open season before enrolling or re-enrolling in a FEDVIP dental plan:

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Update The Pensioners Dental Services Plan Plan Fairly

Federal retirees took note of the improvements made to the Public Service Dental Care Plan for active employees that were announced in 2018. Yet, the Pensioners Dental Services Plan has not seen meaningful enhancements since it was created 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, the cost of services and advances in dental care have changed over time and should be reflected in an updated PDSP. While many feel fortunate to have a dental plan in retirement, pensioners share 50 percent of plan costs. Good oral health is essential to overall health and well-being.

Fedvip Eligibility And Enrollment

Most federal employees who are eligible for Federal Employees Health Benefits program coverage are eligible for FEDVIP the main exception is that temporary employees and employees working on seasonal or intermittent schedules are not eligible for FEDVIP, even if they are eligible for FEHB.

FEDVIP conducts enrollment open seasons each autumn running concurrent with the FEHB open season. An eligible individual may enroll in a FEDVIP benefits plan for self-only, self and family, or self plus one , as described below.

Enrollments or changes in enrollments take place at www.benefeds.com, through a toll-free phone line, 888-3337, TTY 889-5680, or, in exceptional cases, through forms available from the employing agency.

Enrollment cannot be made through FEHB enrollment forms or through automated agency self-service systems many of those systems have links to Benefeds, however.

Re-enrollment is automatic each year unless an enrollee chooses to make a change during open season or a plan terminates its participation in FEDVIP.

Coverage changes are allowed due to certain life events as explained below.

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Get Three Free Cleanings And More

A healthy smile is an important part of your overall health. Thats why BCBS FEP Dental offers the supplemental coverage you and your family need to keep your teeth healthy, including three free cleanings a year. Were proud to offer our coverage to federal employees and retirees plus eligible retired uniformed service members.

These benefits are neither offered nor guaranteed under contract with the FEHB Program but are made available to all enrollees and family members who become members of BCBS FEP Dental.

Injury Compensationers And Survivors

Compensationers are eligible to enroll in FEDVIP or continue FEDVIP enrollment into compensation status. A family member receiving monthly compensation from the Office of Workers Compensation Programs as the surviving beneficiary of an employee who dies as a result of illness or injury sustained while in performance of his/her duty can enroll in FEDVIP or continue the deceaseds FEDVIP enrollment.

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Federal Employees Dental Insurance Program

Federal Employees receive dental benefits under the Dental and Vision Insurance Program , which provides comprehensive dental and vision insurance at competitive group rates. There are a total of ten dental plans for employees to review during the upcoming Open Season. FEDVIP features nationwide, international, and regional plans.

If you are currently enrolled in FEDVIP and you take no action during Open Season, your current coverage will continue automatically through into the next year, provided you remain eligible for the Program. Enrollment continues year to year.

Please Note: your premiums and benefits may change for 2016. Online information about the FEDVIP plans can be found by following the link below:

Blue Cross Blue Shield Fep Dentalsm

For additional coverage beyond our health plan benefits, we offer supplemental dental coverage for federal employees and eligible retired uniformed service members.

Coronavirus Update

See how were supporting BCBS FEP Dental members health and well-being during this time, including following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Dental Association guidelines and protocols. Learn more here.

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The Company Has Several Better Business Bureau Pages And Each

Best federal government dental insurance. Unfortunately it won’t cover the 4 wisdom teeth dh needs pulled this program offers three rate options, self, self + 1, and self & family.

United healthcare is one of america’s largest providers of individual and family dental insurance plans. In sharp contrast to regular health insurance benefits, there is no direct federal government. Delta dentals federal employees dental program, delta dentals veterans affairs dental insurance program , the office of the comptroller of the currency dental insurance program and the u.s.

The federal government offers standalone fedvip dental and vision plans, separate and distinct from the fehb program. In the dc area, blue cross has 3 plans, aetna has 8 plans, geha has 5 plans, united has 6, and. Federal benefits fastfacts for dental insurance the federal employees dental and vision insurance program * what is dental insurance under fedvip?

The fedvip program shares the same open season dates as the fehb program, but you join them separately. Unitedhealthcare dental ppo regional. The federal dental and vision insurance program is a voluntary benefit and the vision and dental coverages are separate policies.

Rating areas for each carrier are not the same for all plans. Delta dental has been in business for over 50 years, with an a rating from am best, depending on the region. · even if you like the insurance carrier you have now, all the major carriers offer multiple plans: