Benefits Newsletter: April, 2023

If you entered a new TSP election into myPay for 2023, you should check myPay to confirm your election.  Additionally, you should view your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) each pay period to confirm your TSP deductions.  You can access your LES in myPay.

For information (CSRS and FERS) on what happens to your benefits upon separation, visit the Former Employees section on the Retirement & Employee Benefits website.  Should you have any questions, please notify your Benefits Contact or AskBenefits@nih.gov.

Dual enrollment in the FEHB Program is prohibited, except under very limited circumstances.  Dual enrollment is when you or an eligible family member covered under your “self and family” or “Self Plus One” enrollment is also covered under another FEHB enrollment.

To be eligible to continue your health benefits enrollment into retirement, you must: (1) have retired on an immediate annuity (that is, an annuity which begins to accrue no later than one month after the date of your final separation); and (2) have been continuously enrolled (or covered as a family member) in any FEHB Program plan (not necessarily the same plan) for the five years of service immediately preceding retirement, or if less than five years, for all service since your first opportunity to enroll.  

Access to your electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) is just a click away.  You have the ability to easily view and monitor your personnel record.  For information on how to log into your eOPF and for the eOPF log-in link, refer to the OHR website.  

The TSP has a selection of individual funds that offer broad market diversification. You can choose to have your retirement dollars invested in everything from a short-term U.S. Treasury security to index funds made up of domestic and international stocks.  The TSP also offers Lifecycle (L) Funds.  Each of the ten L Funds is a diversified mix of the five core funds (G, F, C, S, and I).

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determines what are considered eligible expenses for all Flexible Spending Accounts. A listing of eligible expenses can be found on the FSAFEDS website.  

Questions may be directed to FSAFEDS at 877-372-3337.

If you are entitled to Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) at age 65, you should enroll, even if you are still working. This may help cover some of the costs that your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plan may not cover, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and charges that exceed the plan's allowable charges.   There is no premium for Part A.  The Medicare taxes you pay while working entitles you to Part A.