Standard Form 2809 – Fill Out and Use This PDF

Health Benefits Election Form

Form Approved: OMB No. 3206-0160

Uses for Standard Form (SF) 2809

Use this form to:

•Switch designated eligible family member; or  Enroll or reenroll in the FEHB Program; or

 Elect not to enroll in the FEHB Program (employees only); or  Change your FEHB enrollment; or

 Cancel your FEHB enrollment; or

Suspend your FEHB enrollment (annuitants or former spouses only).

Who May Use SF 2809

1.Employees eligible to enroll in or currently enrolled in the FEHB Program. Employees automatically participate in premium conversion unless they waive it, see page 6.

2.Annuitants in retirement systems other than the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), including individuals receiving monthly compensation from the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP).

Note: Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuitants and former spouses and children of CSRS/FERS annuitants -- Do not use this form. Instead, use form OPM 2809, which is available at www.opm.gov/forms/OPM-forms, or call the Retirement Information Office toll-free at 1-888-767-6738.

3.Former spouses eligible to enroll in or currently enrolled in the FEHB Program under the Spouse Equity law or similar statutes.

4.Individuals eligible for Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) under the FEHB Program, including:

Former employees (who separated from service);

Children who lose FEHB coverage; and

Former spouses who are not eligible for FEHB under item 3 above.

Instructions for Completing SF 2809

Type or Print. We have not provided instructions for those items that have an explanation on the form.

Part A — Enrollee and Family Member Information

You must complete this part.

Item 2.

Item 5.

Item 7.

Item 8.

Item 9. If you are covered by other health insurance, either in your name or under a family member’s policy, check yes and complete item 10.

Item 10. Provide the information requested on any other health insurance that covers you. An FEHB Self Plus One enrollment covers the enrollee and one eligible family member designated by the enrollee. An FEHB Self and Family enrollment covers the enrollee and all eligible family members. If you or a family member is covered under

another FEHB enrollment, check the FEHB box and

stop. Contact your Human Resources office or retirement system immediately as this is a dual coverage situation. Some examples of how this could occur are:

You are enrolling in an FEHB Self Only plan while your spouse has either an FEHB Self Plus One or Self and Family plan, in which you are already covered.

You are enrolling in an FEHB Self Plus One plan while you are also covered under your spouse’s FEHB Self Plus One plan or FEHB Self and Family plan.

You are enrolling in an FEHB Self and Family plan while your spouse is already enrolled in either a FEHB Self Only plan, an FEHB Self Plus One plan that covers you, or an FEHB Self and Family plan that covers you.

You are an employee under age 26 and have no eligible family members. You are enrolling in your own FEHB plan while you are covered under your parent’s FEHB Self Plus One plan or Self and Family plan.

You are an annuitant who is reemployed in the Federal government. You are enrolling in an FEHB plan as an employee while you are covered under your own or a family member’s FEHB plan.

No person may be covered under more than one FEHB enrollment. However, in certain unusual circumstances, your agency may allow you to enroll in order to:

Enable an employee under age 26 who is covered under a parent’s Self Plus One or Self and Family FEHB enrollment to enroll in FEHB to cover his or her own spouse and/or child;

Enable an employee under age 26 who is covered under a parent’s Self Plus One or Self and Family FEHB enrollment, but lives outside his or her parent’s HMO service area, to have FEHB coverage;

Enable an employee who separates or divorces to enroll in FEHB to cover family members who move outside the HMO service area of the covering FEHB Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment.

In these unusual situations, each enrollee must notify his or her plan as to which family members are covered under which enrollment. See Dual Enrollment information on page 5.

If your enrollment is for Self Plus One or Self and Family, complete the family member information as appropriate. (If you need extra space for additional family members, list them on a separate sheet and attach.)

Important: In order for your Self Plus One FEHB enrollment election to be processed, you must complete the family member information for your designated family member.

The instructions for completing items 13 through 24 for your initial family member also apply to the information you provide for additional family members.

Item 14. Provide the Social Security Number for this family member if he/she has one. If your family member does not have a Social Security Number, leave blank; benefits will not be withheld.

(See Privacy Act Statement on page 5.)

Item 17. Provide the code which indicates the relationship of each eligible family member to you.

Code	Family Relationship
01	Spouse
19	Child under age 26
09	Adopted Child under age 26
17	Stepchild under age 26
10	Foster Child under age 26

99Disabled child age 26 or older who is incapable of self support because of a physical or mental disability that began before his/her 26th birthday.

Eligible children include your children born within marriage or adopted children; stepchildren; recognized natural children; or foster children who live with you in a regular parent-child relationship.

Other relatives (for example, your parents) are not eligible for coverage even if they live with you and are dependent upon you.

If you are a former spouse or survivor annuitant, family members eligible for coverage under your Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment are the natural or adopted children under age 26 of both you

and your former or deceased spouse.

In some cases, a disabled child age 26 or older is eligible for coverage under your Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment if you provide adequate medical certification of a mental or physical disability that existed before his/her 26th birthday and renders the child incapable of self-support.

Note: Your employing office can give you additional details about family member eligibility including any certification or documentation that may be required for coverage. Contact your employing office for more information about covering foster child(ren),“Employing office” means the office of an agency or retirement system that is responsible for health benefits actions for an employee, annuitant, former spouse eligible for coverage under the Spouse Equity provisions, or individual eligible for TCC.

Survivor Benefits

For your surviving family members to continue your FEHB enrollment after your death, all of the following requirements must be met:

Item 18. If your family member does not live with you, enter his/her home address.

Item 19. If your family member has Medicare, check which Parts

(Part A [Hospital Insurance] and/or Part B [Medical Insurance]) he/she has, including prescription drug coverage under Medicare Part D.

Item 20. If your family member has Medicare, enter his/her Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). This number is on his/her Medicare Card.

Item 21. If your family member is covered by other group insurance, such as private, state, or Medicaid, check the box and complete item 22.

Item 22. Provide the information requested on any other health insurance that covers this family member. If your family

member is covered under another FEHB plan, see instructions for item 10.

Item 23. Enter email address, if applicable, for this family member.

Item 24. Enter preferred telephone number, if applicable, for this family member.

Family Members Eligible for Coverage

Unless you are a former spouse or survivor annuitant, family members eligible for coverage under your Self Plus One enrollment include one eligible family member (spouse or child under age 26) designated by you. A Self and Family enrollment includes you and all of your eligible family members.

Self Plus One

You must have been enrolled for Self Plus One at the time of your death; and

Your designated family member must be entitled to an annuity as your survivor.

Note: The only survivor eligible to continue the health benefits enroll- ment is the designated family member covered under FEHB on the date of death as long as that individual is entitled to a survivor annuity. No other family members are entitled to continue the enrollment even though they may be entitled to a survivor annuity.

Self and Family

You must have been enrolled for Self and Family at the time of your death; and

At least one family member must be entitled to an annuity as your survivor.

Note: All of your survivors who meet the definition of “family member” can continue their health benefits coverage under your enrollment as long as any one of them is entitled to a survivor annuity. If the survivor annuitant is the only eligible family member, the retirement system will automatically change the enrollment to Self Only.

Part B — FEHB Plan You Are Currently Enrolled In

You must complete this part if you are changing, cancelling, or suspending your enrollment.

Item 1. Enter the name of the plan you are enrolled in from the front cover of the plan brochure.

Item 2. Enter your current enrollment code from your plan ID card.

Part C — FEHB Plan You Are Enrolling In or Changing To

Complete this part to enroll or change your enrollment in the FEHB Program.

Item 1. Enter the name of the plan you are enrolling in or changing to. The plan name is on the front cover of the brochure of the plan you want to be enrolled in.

Item 2. Enter the enrollment code of the plan you are enrolling in or changing to. The enrollment code is on the front cover of the brochure of the plan you want to be enrolled in, and shows the plan and option you are electing and whether you are enrolling for Self Only, Self Plus One, or Self and Family.

To enroll in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), you must live (or in some cases work) in a geographic area specified by the carrier.

To enroll in an employee organization plan, you must be or become a member of the plan’s sponsoring organization, as specified by the carrier.

Your signature in Part H authorizes deductions from your salary, annuity, or compensation to cover your cost of the enrollment you elect in this item, unless you are required to make direct payments to the employing office.

Part D — Event That Permits You To Enroll, Change, Or Cancel

Item 1. Enter the event code that permits you to enroll, change, or cancel based on a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) from the Table of Permissible Changes in Enrollment that applies to you.

Following each number is a letter, which identifies a specific Qualifying Life Event (QLE); for example, the event code “1A” refers to the initial opportunity to enroll for an employee who elected to participate in premium conversion.

Item 2. Enter the date of the QLE using numbers to show month, day, and complete year; e.g., 06/30/2011. If you are electing to enroll, enter the date you became eligible to enroll (for example, the date your appointment began). If you are making an open season enrollment or change, enter the date on which the open season begins.

Part E — Election NOT to Enroll

Place an “X” in the box only if you are an employee and you do NOT wish to enroll in the FEHB Program. Be sure to read the information

titled Employees Who Elect Not to Enroll or Who Cancel Their Enrollment.

Part F — Cancellation of FEHB

Place an “X” in the box only if you wish to cancel your FEHB enrollment. Also enter your current plan name and enrollment code in

Part B. Be sure to read the information titled Employees Who Elect Not to Enroll or Who Cancel Their Enrollment.

Note For Parts E and F. If you are Electing Not to Enroll or Cancelling your enrollment because you are covered as a spouse or child under another FEHB enrollment, your agency must enter the enrollee’s name, Social Security number, and FEHB enrollment code in REMARKS.

Cancellation of Enrollment

Employees participating in premium conversion may cancel their FEHB enrollment only during the open season or when they experience a Qualifying Life Event. Employees who waived participation in premium conversion, annuitants, former spouses, and individuals enrolled under TCC may cancel their enrollment at any time. However, if you cancel, neither you nor any family member covered by your enrollment are entitled to a 31-day temporary extension of coverage, or to convert to an individual, nongroup policy. Moreover, family members who lose coverage because of your cancellation are not eligible for TCC. Be sure to read the additional information below about cancelling your FEHB enrollment.

Explanation of Table of Permissible Changes in Enrollment

The tables on pages 6 through 16 illustrate when: an employee who participates in premium conversion; annuitant; former spouse; person eligible for TCC; or employee who waived participation in premium conversion may enroll or change enrollment. The tables show those permissible events that are found in the regulations at 5 CFR Parts 890 and 892.

The tables have been organized by enrollee category. Each category is designated by a number, which identifies the enrollee group, as follows:

1.Employees who participate in premium conversion

2.Annuitants (other than CSRS/FERS annuitants), including individuals receiving monthly compensation from the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs

3.Former spouses eligible for coverage under the Spouse Equity provision of FEHB law

4.TCC enrollees

5.Employees who waived participation in premium conversion

Employees Who Elect Not to Enroll (Part E) or Who Cancel Their Enrollment (Part F)

To be eligible for an FEHB enrollment after you retire, you must retire:

Under a retirement system for Federal civilian employees, and

On an immediate annuity.

In addition, you must be currently enrolled in a plan under the FEHB Program and must have been enrolled (or covered as a family member) in a plan under the Program for:

The 5 years of service immediately before retirement (i.e., commencing date of annuity entitlement), or

If fewer than 5 years, all service since your first opportunity to enroll. (Generally, your first opportunity to enroll is within 60 days after your first appointment [in your Federal career] to a position under which you are eligible to enroll under conditions that permit a Government contribution toward the enrollment.)

If you do not enroll at your first opportunity or if you cancel your enrollment, you may later enroll or reenroll only under the circumstances

3

explained in the table beginning on page 6. Some employees delay their enrollment or reenrollment until they are nearing 5 years before retirement in order to qualify for FEHB coverage as a retiree; however, there is always the risk that they will retire earlier than expected and not be able to meet the 5-year requirement for continuing FEHB coverage into retirement. When you elect not to enroll or cancel your enrollment you are voluntarily accepting this risk. An alternative would be to enroll in or change to a lower cost plan so that you meet the requirements for continuation of your FEHB enrollment after retirement.

Note for temporary [under 5 U.S.C. 8906a] employees eligible for FEHB without a Government contribution: Your decision not to enroll

or to cancel your enrollment will not affect your future eligibility to continue FEHB enrollment after retirement.

Note 1: If you become covered by a regular enrollment in the FEHB Program, either in your own right or under the enrollment of someone else, your TCC enrollment is suspended. You will need to send documentation of the new enrollment to the employing office maintaining your TCC enrollment so that they can stop the TCC enrollment. If your new FEHB coverage stops before the TCC enrollment would have expired, the TCC enrollment can be reinstated for the remainder of the original eligibility period (18 months for separated employees or 36 months for eligible family members who lose coverage).

Note 2: Former spouses (Spouse Equity) and TCC enrollees who fail to pay their premiums within specified timeframes are considered to have voluntarily cancelled their enrollment.

Annuitants Who Cancel Their Enrollment

CSRS and FERS annuitants and their eligible family members should not use this form but use form RI 79-9, Health Benefits

Cancellation/Suspension Confirmation, which is available at www.opm.gov/forms/Retirement-and-Insurance-Forms, or call 1-888-767-6738.

Generally, you cannot reenroll as an annuitant unless you are continuously covered as a family member under another person’s enrollment in the FEHB Program during the period between your cancellation and reenrollment. Your employing office or retirement system can advise you on events that allow eligible annuitants to reenroll. If you cancel your enrollment because you are covered under another FEHB enrollment, you can reenroll from 31 days before through 60 days after you lose that coverage under the other enrollment.

If you cancel your enrollment for any other reason, you cannot later reenroll, and you and any family members covered by your enrollment are not entitled to a 31-day temporary extension of coverage or to convert to an individual policy.

Former Spouses (Spouse Equity) Who Cancel Their Enrollment

Generally, if you cancel your enrollment in the FEHB Program, you cannot reenroll as a former spouse. However, if you cancel the enrollment because you become covered under FEHB as a new spouse or employee, your eligibility for FEHB coverage under the Spouse Equity provisions continues. You may reenroll as a former spouse from 31 days before through 60 days after you lose coverage under the other FEHB enrollment.

If you cancel your enrollment for any other reason, you cannot later reenroll, and you and any family members covered by your enrollment are not entitled to a 31-day temporary extension of coverage or to convert to an individual policy.

Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) Enrollees Who Cancel Their Enrollment

If you cancel your TCC enrollment, you cannot reenroll. Your family members who lose coverage because of your cancellation cannot enroll for TCC in their own right nor can they convert to a nongroup policy.

Family members who are Federal employees or annuitants may enroll in the FEHB Program when you cancel your coverage if they are eligible for FEHB coverage in their own right.

Part G — Suspension of FEHB

CSRS and FERS annuitants and their eligible family members should not use this form but use form RI 79-9, Health Benefits

Cancellation/Suspension Confirmation, which is available at www.opm.gov/forms/Retirement-and-Insurance-Forms, or call 1-888-767-6738.

Place an “X” in the box only if you are an annuitant or former spouse and wish to suspend your FEHB enrollment. Also enter your current plan name and enrollment code in Part B.

You may suspend your FEHB enrollment because you are enrolling in one of the following programs:

A Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare HMO,

Medicaid or similar State-sponsored program of medical assistance for the needy,

TRICARE (including Uniformed Services Family Health Plan or TRICARE for Life),

CHAMPVA, or

Peace Corps.

You can reenroll in the FEHB Program if your other coverage ends. If your coverage ends involuntarily, you can reenroll from 31 days before your other coverage ends through 60 days after your other coverage ends. If your coverage ends voluntarily because you disenroll, you can reenroll during the next open season.

You must submit documentation of eligibility for coverage under the non-FEHB Program to the office that maintains your enrollment. That office must enter in REMARKS the reason for your suspension.

Part H — Signature

Your agency, retirement system, or office maintaining your enrollment cannot process your request unless you complete this part.

If you are registering for someone else under a written authorization from him or her to do so, sign your name in Part H and attach the written authorization.

If you are registering for a former spouse eligible for coverage under the Spouse Equity provisions or for an individual eligible for TCC as his or her court-appointed guardian, sign your name in Part H and attach evidence of your court-appointed guardianship.

Part I - Agency or Retirement System Information and Remarks

Leave this section blank as it is for agency or retirement system use only.

Electronic Enrollments

Many agencies use automated systems that allow their employees to make changes using a touch-tone telephone, or a computer instead of a form. This may be Employee Express or another automated system.

If you are not sure whether the electronic enrollment option is available to you, contact your employing office.

Dual Enrollment

No person (enrollee or family member) is entitled to receive benefits under more than one enrollment in the FEHB Program. Normally, you are not eligible to enroll if you are covered as a family member under someone else’s enrollment in the Program. However, such dual enrollments may be permitted under certain circumstances in order to:

Protect the interests of children who otherwise would lose coverage as family members, or

Enable an employee who is under age 26 and covered under a parent’s enrollment and marries or becomes the parent of a child to enroll for Self Plus One or Self and Family coverage.

Each enrollee must notify his or her plan of the names of the persons to be covered under his or her enrollment who are not covered under the other enrollment. See instructions for item 10 for more information.

For the eligible former spouse of an enrollee, the enrollee or the former spouse must notify the employing office within 60 days after the former spouse’s change in status; e.g., the date of the divorce.

An individual eligible for TCC who wants to continue FEHB coverage may choose any plan, option, and type of enrollment for which he or she is eligible. The time limit for a former employee, child, or former spouse to enroll with the employing office is within 60 days after the Qualifying Life Event, or receiving notice of eligibility, whichever is later.

Effective Dates

Except for open season, most enrollments and changes of enrollment are effective on the first day of the pay period after the employing office receives this form and that follows a pay period during any part of which the employee is in pay status. Your employing office can give you the specific date on which your enrollment or enrollment change will take effect.

Note 1: If you are changing your FEHB enrollment from Self Plus One or Self and Family to Self Only so that your spouse can enroll for Self Only, you should coordinate the effective date of your spouse’s enrollment with the effective date of your enrollment change to avoid a gap in your spouse’s coverage.

Note 2: If you are cancelling your FEHB enrollment and intend to be covered under someone else’s enrollment at the time you cancel, you should coordinate the effective date of your cancellation with the effective date of your new coverage to avoid a gap in your coverage.

Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC)

The employing office must notify a former employee of his or her eligibility for TCC. The enrollee, child, former spouse, or their representative must notify the employing office when a child or former spouse becomes eligible.

For the eligible child of an enrollee, the enrollee must notify the employing office within 60 days after the qualifying event occurs; e.g., child reaches age 26.

Agency Distribution of SF 2809

Agencies must distribute one copy of the completed SF 2809 to each of the following, as appropriate:

Official Personnel Folder

New Carrier

Old Carrier

Payroll Office

Enrollee