Changing dental plan outside of open season

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Q. I am still working and wanted to cancel my dental, but missed open season. I called the benefits line for my dental plan (Concordia), as I plan to retire next year and don’t want to take it into retirement. They told me that I could only cancel it during open season even then. That OPM rules do not allow it for their plan and that “retiring” is not a qualifying event. Even if my husband died, he would only be taken off the “family” plan, but I couldn’t drop it then. I am confused.

A. What you were told is true. You may not cancel your enrollment outside of open season simply because you retire or due to financial hardship. You may only cancel your FEDVIP enrollment during the annual Open Season or within 60 days of certain Qualifying Life Events, such as if you or your spouse are called to active military duty, or if you transfer to an agency that offers its own dental and/or vision insurance program and that agency pays 50 percent or more of the premiums and you enroll in that plan.

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Reg Jones was head of retirement and insurance policy at the Office of Personnel Management. Email your retirement-related questions to fedexperts@federaltimes.com.

2 Comments

  1. If you go through a substantial period of time without pay (usually more than 2 pay periods), FedBens will bill you through the US Mail. If you do not pay within the time period they give you, then you will be dropped from the FedVip program.

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