Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program is Conditionally Approved to Participate in the Postal Service Health Benefits Program

WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association issued the following news release on March 20, 2024:

The Office of Personnel Management announced that the Blue Cross and Blue Shield(R) Federal Employee Program (R) (FEP) is conditionally approved to participate in the Postal Service Health Benefits program to offer health insurance to United States Postal Service employees, retirees and eligible family members, beginning January 1, 2025.

The approval is contingent upon successful benefits and rate negotiations over the summer.

Established in the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, this benefits program will provide comprehensive health coverage and a centralized system for 1.9 million eligible enrollees--roughly 20% of the total population in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

Postal members represent 20% of FEP's total 5.7 million members, making them uniquely positioned to assist during this care transition. Eligible FEP members will be afforded equivalent benefits and services like they have today, at an affordable price that brings value to their purchasing decision.

"You can count on FEP to continue offering the quality coverage, benefits and incentives our members deserve," said David Yoder, FEP senior vice president at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. "As a choice in this new program, FEP is committed to providing the postal service and its retirees with higher quality care."

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ABOUT THE BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD SERVICE BENEFIT PLAN (FEP(R))

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan, also known as the Federal Employee Program(R) (FEP), has been part of the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program since its inception in 1960. It covers roughly 5.7 million federal employees, retirees and their families out of the more than 8.5 million people who receive their benefits through the FEHB Program. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association negotiates annually with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to determine the benefits and premiums for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan. The local Blue Cross Blue Shield companies are the primary points of contact for Service Benefit Plan members. They are responsible for processing claims and providing customer service to our members. To locate the address and telephone number for a local Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, please visit www.fepblue.org/contact-us.

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ABOUT THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans.

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Original text here: https://www.bcbs.com/press-releases/blue-cross-and-blue-shieldr-federal-employee-programr-conditionally-approved