Federal Daily - June 5, 2009

OPM Proposes Relaxed FEDVIP Enrollment Rules

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued proposed regulations that broaden the enrollment window for government workers to make changes on their Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) coverage following significant life events, such as a death or divorce. In a June 2 Federal Register notice, OPM noted that under current FEDVIP rules, enrollees who miss the Qualifying Life Event 60-day window to change coverage are forced to pay for coverage—such as family enrollment or a self-plus-one enrollment—until the next open season opportunity to change enrollment, even though a family member is deceased or no longer eligible. The proposed rule would abolish the 60-day limit and would allow the enrollment change to take effect retroactively when the enrollee has a self-plus-one enrollment and his or her family member dies or loses eligibility, through divorce or when the dependent child marries or reaches age 22. This amendment would also allow retroactive enrollment changes from a family enrollment that includes two family members to a self-plus-one enrollment if one of the family members loses eligibility. Additionally, the proposed rule change would allow an employee who loses other dental or vision coverage to enroll in FEDVIP from 31 days before until 60 days after the event. Finally, the notice also included a proposed rule to allow some employees of the Senate Restaurants to maintain their FEDVIP coverage after the operation is turned over to a private contractor, provided they accept employment with the contractor, OPM said. OPM is accepting public comments until Aug. 3. To see more, go to: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-12617.htm.

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Indian Health Service Lost Property Worth $3.5 Million

Government property continues to slip out the back door of the Indian Health Service (IHS), according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released June 2 that said IHS lost $3.5 million dollars worth of property—including new medical equipment—in a little over a year. IHS management also is having a hard time holding its own staff accountable for the losses, GAO said. “IHS continues to lose property at an alarming rate, reporting lost or stolen property with an acquisition value of about $3.5 million,” the report said. “IHS has taken little action to ensure that employees are aware of and complying with property policies.” In fact, IHS went so far as to give a $13,000 bonus to the Senior Executive Service employee in charge of the IHS property group following a 2008 GAO report that exposed mismanagement of property under that executive’s authority, GAO said. Such lapses contribute significantly to ongoing property problems, the report said. For example, GAO completed a full audit of IHS headquarters and found that 126 items worth $216,000 (or 8 percent of the items tested) had been lost, stolen or were otherwise unaccounted for. GAO also estimated that about 800 equipment items at six field locations—with an acquisition value of about $1.7 million—were lost, stolen or unaccounted for. Furthermore, IHS cannot find many items, including a 2002 ultrasound unit worth $170,000; a 2003 X-ray mammography machine worth $100,795; as well as miscellaneous dental chairs, cardiac and vital sign monitors and a pharmacy tablet-counter machine. To see more, go to: www.gao.gov/highlights/d09450high.pdf.

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Army Halts Adding Three Brigade Combat Teams

Secretary of the Army Pete Geren on June 2 announced the Army has dropped plans to build three additional brigade combat teams (BCTs) at Fort Bliss, Texas, Fort Carson, Colo., and Fort Stewart, Ga.  This decision will not affect the Army’s authorized end strength of 547,400, Geren said, noting that the Army will reach its target of 45 BCTs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 with the activation of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss. President Obama had recommended dropping the three BCTs in his FY 2010 budget proposal. The Army also said that the White Sands Missile Range, N.M., will no longer receive a BCT from Europe in FY 2013 as originally planned. However, the announcement does not involve the restationing of the two heavy BCTs scheduled to return from Europe in FY 2012 and FY 2013, which is now being re-examined. With this announced change, the population at Fort Bliss is projected to grow to 36,069 in 2013; Fort Carson to 25,003; and Fort Stewart to 24,970. To see more go to: www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12714.

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