Health fair offers options to government employees

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Christopher Botzum
  • 111th Attack Wing
HORSHAM AIR GUARD STATION, Pa. --  Representatives from a variety of government health care insurers gathered Oct. 29,2015 at the Horsham Air Guard Station, Horsham, Pennsylvania, during a health fair for civilian government employees and military technicians.

Maj. Bennie Roberson, 111th Attack Wing inspector general, shown right, discusses healthcare options with Sid Severe, contract representative with Government Employee Health Association.

"I just started back into the military technician program and I'm looking for the best dental care options for me and my family," said Roberson.

The health fair comes in advance of the Office of Personnel Management's open season: Nov. 9 - Dec. 14 is the timeframe when current government employees and retirees can affect changes to their current health insurance plans going into 2016.

"A new option offered this year is the Self Plus One program," said Severe. "The Self Plus One option is a reduced expense option that allows covered employees that have only one additional qualified person covered under their coverage as opposed to a larger family to take advantage of premium savings.

"This new option for government employees brings us in line with the civilian sector," he added.

Severe warned that taking advantage is of the Self Plus One option is not automatic for those currently covered with only one additional person under their insurance program. So, members must be active in choosing this action themselves.

"You have to make the change with your Human Resource Office," he said.

For more information on coverage options, visit https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/ or the Human Resource Office.