FEDVIP is the federal dental and vision insurance program, open to employees and retirees, with premiums you pay in full; FSAFEDS offers pre-tax flexible spending accounts for active employees only; and FLTCIP, the long-term care program, has not accepted new applications since December 2022 (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
FEHB gets most of the attention, but three smaller programs sit beside it, and each one works by different rules. FEDVIP covers dental and vision. FSAFEDS lets active employees set aside pre-tax money for health and dependent care costs. FLTCIP offers long-term care insurance, though it is closed to new applicants right now.
The differences matter most around retirement. One program follows you into retirement with no waiting period, one ends the day you retire, and one you cannot join at all at the moment. This guide sorts out which is which, with the current figures.
Think of these as the side pockets on your benefits jacket. FEHB is the main pocket. The side pockets are small, but you want to know what is in each one before you take the jacket off.
01What is FEDVIP?
FEDVIP is the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program. OPM contracts with private dental and vision carriers, and you choose a dental plan, a vision plan, or both. For 2027, FEDVIP offers 31 plan options from 11 dental carriers and 5 vision carriers (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
Dental and vision are separate enrollments. You can have one without the other, and you can choose a different carrier for each.
- Dental plansCover preventive care, basic and major restorative work, and in many plans orthodontia, with waiting periods and annual maximums that vary by plan.
- Vision plansCover eye exams, lenses, frames, and contact lenses, with set allowances. One vision carrier raised its contact lens maximums for 2027 (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
- Enrollment typesSelf Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family, as in FEHB.
- PremiumsPaid in full by you. There is no government contribution. Average 2027 increases are 1.0 percent for dental and 1.6 percent for vision (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
02Who is eligible for FEDVIP?
Employees are eligible if they are eligible for FEHB and their position is not excluded. You do not have to be enrolled in an FEHB plan; OPM says eligibility is the key (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11). Annuitants who retired on an immediate annuity or for disability can enroll, and survivor annuitants and compensationers can enroll or keep coverage.
- No five-year rule. FEDVIP coverage continues into retirement regardless of how long you had it as an employee. You can even enroll for the first time as a retiree during open season.
- Children under 22. FEDVIP covers unmarried dependent children under age 22, with additional rules for some children. That is younger than FEHB's age 26 cutoff.
- MRA+10 postponement ends coverage. If you retire under MRA+10 and postpone your annuity, FEDVIP ends until your annuity begins, and you can re-enroll then.
- Some people are not eligible. OPM lists deferred annuitants, former spouses, and FEHB Temporary Continuation of Coverage enrollees among those who cannot enroll.
Source for the list above: OPM FEDVIP eligibility page, retrieved 2026-10-11.
03How do you choose a FEDVIP plan?
Start with what you expect to use, then compare premium against the benefit schedule. A plan with a low premium and a long waiting period for major work may cost you more than a higher-premium plan if you already know you need a crown.
- 01
List the year's dental and eye care
Cleanings, fillings, a crown, braces, new glasses, contacts.
- 02
Check the network
FEDVIP plans pay more for in-network providers. Confirm your dentist and eye doctor.
- 03
Read waiting periods and maximums
Some plans wait before covering major services or orthodontia, and every plan has an annual cap.
- 04
Use the new cost tool
For 2027, BENEFEDS offers a Compare Dental Service Costs tool with estimated out-of-pocket ranges for 75 common dental services across all 11 dental carriers (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
- 05
Enroll in open season
Changes made during the November 9 to December 14, 2026 window take effect January 1, 2027.
04What is FSAFEDS and how much can you put in?
FSAFEDS is the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program. It lets active employees set aside part of their pay, before tax, to reimburse eligible health care and dependent care costs. Because the money is never taxed, every dollar you spend through the account goes further than a dollar of take-home pay.
| Account | What it pays for | 2026 limit | Unused money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Care FSA (HCFSA) | Copays, deductibles, prescriptions, dental, vision, many over-the-counter items | $3,400 | Up to $680 can carry over if you re-enroll |
| Limited Expense HCFSA | Dental and vision only, for people in a high-deductible plan with an HSA | $3,400 | Same carryover rule |
| Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA) | Care for children under 13 and qualifying adult dependents, so you can work | $7,500 per household | No carryover; a grace period applies |
FSAFEDS does not roll over automatically. You must re-enroll every open season to have an account next year (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11). New for 2027, health care and limited expense accounts can use an FSAFEDS Visa debit card, or you can keep paperless reimbursement.
05Worked example: what an FSA saves
Suppose an employee expects $2,000 of out-of-pocket health costs next year and is in a 22 percent federal tax bracket, with 7.65 percent Social Security and Medicare tax on wages. This is an educational estimate on those assumptions only.
- 01
Without an FSA
You pay the $2,000 from take-home pay that was already taxed.
- 02
With an FSA
You set aside $2,000 before federal income tax and payroll tax.
- 03
Estimated federal tax not paid
$2,000 x (22% + 7.65%) = about $593.
- 04
State tax
If your state taxes wages, the savings are larger. If it does not, they stop at the federal figure.
- 05
The risk
If you overestimate and do not spend the money, anything above the carryover amount is lost.
Your record, not our example
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06What is the current status of FLTCIP?
FLTCIP, the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program, is not accepting new applications. OPM first suspended new enrollments in December 2022. A notice on ltcfeds.gov, marked updated November 13, 2024, extended the suspension effective December 19, 2024, for 24 months (LTCFEDS, retrieved 2026-10-11). OPM cited volatility in long-term care costs and a diminished insurance market.
As of 2026-10-11, we found no newer notice on ltcfeds.gov lifting or extending the suspension. Counting 24 months from December 19, 2024 points to December 2026, but OPM must announce any change, so check ltcfeds.gov before relying on a date.
- New applicants. Cannot apply while the suspension is in effect.
- Current enrollees. Keep their coverage as long as they continue to pay premiums.
- People in claim. No change to coverage or reimbursement while benefits remain.
- Increases. Current enrollees cannot apply to increase coverage during the suspension.
- Free resource. OPM's LTCFEDS Care Navigator offers a caregiving resource library and a cost-of-care lookup for your area (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
A suspended program is not a cancelled program. If you are enrolled, your coverage stays in force while you pay.
07What happens to these programs when you retire?
Each program handles retirement differently, and the differences are easy to miss.
| Program | At retirement | Can you join as a retiree? |
|---|---|---|
| FEDVIP | Continues automatically on an immediate annuity, premiums move to your annuity | Yes, during open season |
| FSAFEDS | Ends; claim eligible expenses incurred before retirement | No |
| FLTCIP | Continues for enrollees who keep paying | No new applications during the suspension |
| FEHB | Continues if you meet the five-year rule | No, if you were not enrolled |
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08How do FEDVIP and FEHB fit together?
FEDVIP sits on top of FEHB, not in place of it. Many FEHB plans include some dental and vision benefits, and FEDVIP plans coordinate with them. When you have both, your FEHB plan generally pays first for covered dental or vision services and FEDVIP pays after.
That means the value of FEDVIP depends on what your FEHB plan already covers. Check your FEHB brochure's dental and vision sections before paying for FEDVIP coverage you may partly have already.
09Moving forward with your side-pocket benefits
These programs are small line items, but the timing rules are real. Spend down your FSA before you retire, keep or add FEDVIP during open season if your dental needs are rising, and keep checking ltcfeds.gov if long-term care coverage is part of your plan.
From here, read the FEHB guide for the program these sit beside, the open season guide for the enrollment window, and use our FEHB vs Medicare tool when you are close to 65.
FFEBA is an education organization. If you want someone to look at your own numbers, we can match you with a Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC), a professional trained on federal benefits. The FRC designation is listed with FINRA. The first review is free, nothing is booked until you choose a time, and you are never obligated to work with anyone we introduce. Get matched with an FRC.
10Questions federal employees ask
Can retirees enroll in FEDVIP?
Yes. Annuitants who retired on an immediate annuity or a disability annuity can enroll in or keep FEDVIP, and coverage continues into retirement no matter how long you had it as an employee. There is no five-year rule for FEDVIP (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
Do I need FEHB to join FEDVIP?
Employees need to be eligible for FEHB, not enrolled in it. OPM says eligibility is the key: you can have FEDVIP dental or vision without carrying an FEHB plan (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
What is the FSAFEDS limit for 2026?
The Health Care FSA and Limited Expense Health Care FSA limit is $3,400 for 2026, and up to $680 of unused health care funds can carry over into 2027 if you re-enroll. The Dependent Care FSA limit rose to $7,500 per household for 2026, or $3,750 if married filing separately (FSAFEDS, retrieved 2026-10-11).
Can retirees use FSAFEDS?
No. FSAFEDS is for active employees only. Retirees and survivor annuitants are not eligible, so plan to use up any balance before your retirement date (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
Can I apply for FLTCIP now?
No. OPM suspended new FLTCIP applications in December 2022 and extended the suspension for 24 months effective December 19, 2024. As of 2026-10-11 we found no newer notice on ltcfeds.gov lifting or extending it. Current enrollees keep their coverage as long as they pay premiums.
Do FEDVIP premiums have a government share?
No. Unlike FEHB, enrollees pay the full FEDVIP premium. OPM reported average 2027 increases of 1.0 percent for dental and 1.6 percent for vision (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
Reviewed by the FFEBA education team. Last reviewed October 2026.
Sources
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, FEDVIP eligibility, retrieved 2026-10-11
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Federal Benefits Open Season Highlights, 2027 Plan Year, retrieved 2026-10-11
- FSAFEDS, Health Care FSA, retrieved 2026-10-11
- FSAFEDS, DCFSA contribution limit increase for 2026, retrieved 2026-10-11
- FSAFEDS, Limited Expense Health Care FSA, retrieved 2026-10-11
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, FSAFEDS FastFacts, retrieved 2026-10-11
- LTCFEDS (FLTCIP), Suspension notice, updated November 13, 2024, retrieved 2026-10-11
- LTCFEDS (FLTCIP), Frequently asked questions, retrieved 2026-10-11
Every government figure on this page carries its source and retrieval date. Worked examples are educational estimates on the assumptions shown, not a projection of any person's benefit. FFEBA is an education organization, not a financial advisor.
