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Big four

Understanding health plan types

Four surgeons stand in operating room
USPS wants employees to learn about health plans available to them the during this year’s open season.

Do you understand the different types of health plans available to you?

You can enroll in one of four types of plans during open season, the annual period when Postal Service employees can make changes to their health coverage.

The plan types are:

• Health maintenance organizations, which provide care from in-network plan physicians and hospitals located in particular geographic or service areas;

• Preferred provider organizations, which offer fee-for-service plans that allow you to choose physicians, hospitals and other health care providers both inside and outside of a network;

• Consumer-driven health plans, which give users freedom in spending health care dollars and offer plan-funded health reimbursement arrangements that may be used to pay certain upfront medical costs; and

• High-deductible health plans, which offer comprehensive coverage for high-cost medical procedures and a tax break to save for future medical expenses through health savings accounts.

USPS wants you to learn about the available plans to find one that best fits your needs and the needs of your family.

This year’s open season runs from Nov. 8-Dec. 13.

Open season is also a good time to review and update your PostalEASE login information and beneficiary forms.

The Open Season LiteBlue page has additional information, as well as a link to Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees, a resource that can help you evaluate and compare specific plans.