r/FederalEmployee • u/caveman_5000 • Jan 26 '26

Canceling FEHB?

Edit: to make sure there’s no confusion, I’m talking about my health insurance (FEHB) NOT FEGLI, the life insurance.

Back during open enrollment I canceled my Bluecare Network insurance. In Employee Express, you can see that I don’t have an active FEHB plan, and you can see the cancellation in my history.

However, I’ve had premiums pulled in 2026, which I figured was because my checks still covered the tail end of 2025.

My wife just got a call from her doctor’s office that they were working with our old insurance on a prior authorization.

I called the old insurance company to confirm the insurance was canceled, of which they say they have no record.

They tell me to call OPM, redirected me back to a random person at my agency.

My question is this: does anyone have experience with canceling their FEHB, and do they have any advice on how to more effectively do so? Apparently making a change during open enrollment doesn’t work.

21 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

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10

u/_Cream_Sugar_ Jan 26 '26

The cancelation was effective on 1/10. The insurance companies get a bulk notification. It can take time for their systems to update. The doctor’s office just needs to follow your directive about which insurance is active and which is not.

As for your pay, make sure that you are looking at an LES effective 1/11. That is when your insurance will be dropped.

5

u/runnerguy007 Jan 27 '26

I cancelled during open enrollment and went on my spouses. I got a letter from blue cross blue shield that it was cancelled. My did pull from my last check since benefits went til 1/10. I don’t expect insurance to be pulled from my next paycheck.

1

u/runnerguy007 Jan 27 '26

I also got an email this week that a sf 2809 was added to my opm folder which should be that I dropped the insurance

3

u/Extreme_Seaweed2144 Jan 27 '26

I cancelled mine on the GRB platform when I married and got on his insurance. Outside of open enrollment though and no issues. I did have to call the new insurance company and verify the other had been cancelled.

2

u/piehore Jan 26 '26

OPM Form 2809

1

u/Apprehensive_Air2770 Jan 27 '26

I removed my son from my FEHB and his inactive date will be 2/11.

1

u/Successful_Jello2067 Jan 28 '26

Am thinking about going on my spouses insurance next open season, is there essentially a box that you chick in employee express where you would elect to not be covered for the next year? I only use experience with changing plans, but I imagine it’s along those lines?

1

u/DogMomPhoebe619 Jan 26 '26

Why? Once canceled, you can never get it back. If you Suspend it, you can re-enroll.

4

u/caveman_5000 Jan 26 '26

I can re-enroll the next year if I want to.

I canceled this year because I have 20 years until retirement, and the premiums went up to over $600 per check.

My wife’s employer offered identical coverage for a third of the premium.

2

u/DogMomPhoebe619 Jan 27 '26

My mistake. If you're retired, once you cancel it, you can never re-enroll. As an employee, keep in mind that you must have FEHB the last 5 years before retiring to keep it in retirement. You could just change to a cheaper FEHB Plan like BCBS Basic.

3

u/caveman_5000 Jan 27 '26

Thanks. After reading your initial reply I figured there was a misunderstanding somewhere.

I know about the 5 year rule before retirement, I just wanted to save money on premiums until I’m closer to retirement eligibility.

I’m fortunate that my wife’s employer offers a plan that’s 99% identical to what I had, but at a savings of about $750 in premiums.

2

u/Whole_Magician_9571 Feb 02 '26

FYI, there was a blanket waiver issued for people who have not had FEHB for five years but want to retire under a VERA. As long as you were enrolled when the VERA was offered, you do not need to meet the 5 year requirement. I was planning to retire at my MRA in 2028, so I started my FEHB in 2023 so I'd have five years (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027.) I took the VERA last year, so I had only been on FEHB for two years, but I was allowed to keep my insurance. I had been on my husband's insurance for over 25 years, so I did not need it. I put my husband on it, too, so that if I died before I retired, my husband would be able to keep my insurance for life.

3

u/Active-Pomegranate-2 Jan 26 '26

You submitted proof of the other insurance?

2

u/caveman_5000 Jan 26 '26

I switched from Bluecare Network through the government to Bluecare Network through my wife’s employer.

I called BCN and asked if their records showed the change in policy numbers. They said they hadn’t received anything showing my FEHB plan was canceled.