Furloughed federal workers will have to pay dental, vision premiums or risk losing coverage

Jan. 24-- or lose coverage.

Federal workers’ health insurance is separate from dental and vision coverage, and will remain intact throughout the shutdown. But after their second missed paycheck this week, the 800,000 furloughed federal workers will be billed directly for their dental and vision premiums, which are separate from their health plan, The Washington Post reports.

Insurance premiums are automatically deducted from workers’ paychecks, but without a paycheck, those premiums have not been paid.

In a letter to the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM), four Democratic senators from Maryland and Virginia said they are concerned that the furloughed workers could lose their dental and vision coverage if they’re unable to pay their premiums during the partial government shutdown.

Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner called on the OPM to find a way to shield furloughed workers from paying premiums until the government reopens.

Furloughed workers’ unpaid health insurance premiums will be deducted once they are paid again.

“If the status quo persists, you are undoubtedly risking the health and wellness of federal workers,” the senators wrote.

Earlier this week, Temple University and Penn Medicine began offering free emergency dental care to furloughed workers.

Dennita Cunningham, a Philadelphia resident who is furloughed from her job with the Department of the Treasury, said the service was a huge help.

Her regular dentist quoted $300 to treat her throbbing toothache, which was more than she could afford without a paycheck.

“It’s a huge deal. You have a little in savings, but everything starts popping up. It’s like Murphy’s law,” Cunningham said.

Main Line Health and Rutgers Health are deferring co-payment and deductible billing for furloughed workers until the government is fully reopened.

Other businesses and utilities have also stepped up to help furloughed workers.

Are you a furloughed federal worker concerned about covering a medical expense during the shutdown? If you are willing to use your name as part of a story, contact reporter Sarah Gantz at [email protected].

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