Federal Benefits
FastFacts for Dental
Insurance
The Federal Employees
Dental and Vision Insurance
Program (FEDVIP)
* What is dental insurance
under FEDVIP? FEDVIP provides a
comprehensive dental insurance
plan to ensure that you and your
family maintain healthy oral care.
You can choose from 6 nationwide
and 4 regional dental plans covering:
basic services such as exams, x-rays,
and cleanings; intermediate services
such as fillings and extractions; major
services such as crowns and root
canals; and orthodontics services for
dependents under age 19 and subject
to a plan’s waiting period.
Please see each plan’s brochure
for details on what’s covered.
* Am I eligible? If you are a Federal
or U.S. Postal Service employee who
is eligible to enroll in the Federal
Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)
Program or the Health Insurance
Marketplace (Exchange) and your
position is not excluded by law or
regulation, you are eligible to enroll in
dental insurance. However, you do
not have to be enrolled in an FEHB or
Exchange plan to enroll in a dental
plan. There is no FEHB or Exchange
requirement for annuitants. If you are
uncertain about your eligibility,
contact your Human Resources (HR)
office or Retirement System.
* When can I enroll? FEDVIP is offered
under an annual Open Season during which
eligible individuals may enroll. New employees
may enroll within the first 60 days of
employment. There are limited opportunities to
enroll outside of open season with a qualifying
life event (QLE).(Find a summary of QLEs at:
www.benefeds.com/BenefedHelp/FEDVIP/qualif
ying_life_events.htm.)
* How do I enroll? You must enroll
through BENEFEDS, a secure enrollment
website sponsored by OPM. You may enroll
online at www.BENEFEDS.com or by calling 1-
877-888-FEDS
(1-877-888-3337),TTY number 1-877-889-
5680.
* How much do I pay? What you pay is
based on where you live (your rating region)
and the plan and option you choose.
Employees’ premiums are
paid with pre-tax dollars. Premiums are paid
entirely by the enrollee; there is no
Government contribution.
You can find the rating region chart and
premiums on our website at
www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/dental-
vision/.
* How will benefits be coordinated with
my FEHB health plan?
Your FEHB plan is the First Payor. Your FEDVIP
dental plan will facilitate the
First Payor process with your FEHB plan. Your
dental premiums are not reduced if you have
dental coverage under your FEHB plan.
* When can I change my dental insurance
enrollment? You may make certain changes
to your plan during Open Season or if you
experience a FEDVIP- specific QLE. Find a
summary of the FEDVIP QLEs at
www.benefeds.com/benefedhelp/FEDVIP/qualif
ying_life_events.htm
* What are some important
things I should know?
Some of the dental plans
do
not provide out-of-
network
benefits, i.e., they don’t pay for
services furnished by doctors
with whom they have not
contracted. Thus, you must use
an in-network provider to receive
benefits. Each plan has a
separate network.
The plan’s providers are
available on the plan’s website.
Links to the plans’ individual
websites are available at
www.opm.gov/healthcare-
insurance/dental-vision/plan-
information/#url=Dental-
Overview
Generally, you cannot
cancel your dental coverage
outside of Open Season. Your
provider leaving the network, our
retirement, or your inability to
afford premiums are not
qualifying life events permitting
cancellation.
Your FEDVIP enrollment
automatically carries over from
year to year. You do not need to
reenroll. If you wish to cancel or
change enrollment you must do
so with BENEFEDS during the
Open Season.
Your FEDVIP coverage will
continue into retirement. There is
no eligibility requirement that
you are covered for 5 years prior
to retirement.
You must make any
changes to your name, address,
dependents, etc. through
BENEFEDS. Your HR office
cannot make these changes for
you.
If you are enrolled in the Federal
Flexible Spending Account Program, you
may submit your dental copayments and
deductibles as eligible expenses to your FSA
account.
* Are there resources I can use to
help me find the right dental plan or
additional information? Yes, the list of
resources below can help you. You can find
these on our website at
www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/dental-
vision/plan-information/
Dental plan brochures
A Compare Plans Tool that
allows comparison of benefits
of up to four plans in one view
For information on enrollment,
effective dates and premiums, please
visit www.BENEFEDS.com.
* Where can I go for more details or
additional information?
Your dental plan’s brochure
Our website at
www.opm.gov/healthcare-
insurance/dental-vision/
