Fellow officers,
The message below contains updates on the following topics. For details, scroll down or click the links to jump to the respective sections below.
Delta Dental Electronic Benefits Notice – officers must respond by June 15 to continue to receive an explanation of benefits
Uniform of the Day – As of June 15, all spring/summer uniforms are authorized for wear
Leave Carryover – Officers should request and take use-or-lose leave by Sept. 30, 2020, if possible
COSTEP Applications – Now open through Sept. 30, 2020
Readiness – Reminders
Extensions for Specific Readiness Requirements – BLS, APFT, and PHU extended to Sept. 1, 2020
Practice Hours Update – forms due date extended to Sept. 1, 2020
Commissioned Corps Awards – temporarily suspended until further notice
eCMCS Messages – Open them. CCHQ can track when officers do not read their messages
Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay (HDIP) – CCHQ is still evaluating potential payment for COVID-19 exposure
Employee Assistance Programs – Federal Occupational Health and Corps Care are available for supportive services
Delta Dental Electronic Benefits Notice (Respond by June 15, 2020)
Reminder that starting June 30, 2020, Delta Dental will no longer mail Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for the USPHS Active Duty Dental Program. Your EOB will only be available by accessing your Delta Dental account online.
You must sign up by June 15, 2020 for the paperless EOB option.
Follow these steps to create an online account with Delta Dental:
- Go to the Delta Dental Consumer Tool Kit
- Once logged in, select the paperless delivery option. Enter a personal email address (not business) where you would like to receive email notifications. An email will be sent to you when there is a new EOB available.
If you have any technical difficulties creating an account, please contact Delta Dental’s Customer Service at 855-343-2337.
Uniform of the Day
As of Monday, June 15, 2020, CCHQ is no longer mandating daily wear of the Operational Dress Uniform (ODU). Spring and summer uniform of the day is authorized for wear. See attached message from the ASH.
Cloth facemasks are still required, while in uniform in public settings, in any situations where six feet of social distance may not be maintained.
For more information on uniform wear, reference Personnel Operations Memorandum (POM) 17-002 “Uniform of the Day” and Commissioned Corps Instruction (CCI) 411.01 “Required Wear of the Uniform.”
Leave Carry Over
We encourage officers to continue to request and utilize use-or-lose leave, if possible.
While the Department of Defense (DoD) authorized the extended carryover of annual leave to 120 days per year until September 30, 2023, leave for the DoD and all other uniformed services, except the PHS Commissioned Corps, is covered by Title 10, Chapter 40 of the U.S. Code. For the PHS Commissioned Corps, the leave authority resides in 42 U.S.C. §210-1, which specifically restricts leave carryover in excess of 60 days per year.
CCHQ continues to work towards resolving the lack of alignment of leave authorities with the other uniformed services. Legislative changes generally take a long time. We encourage officers to plan accordingly and work with supervisors to request and use annual leave in excess of 60 days by September 30, 2020.
COSTEP Applications are Now Being Accepted
Students who are eligible for the JrCOSTEP or SrCOSTEP program may submit their electronic PHS applications now through September 30, 2020. Interested students may apply at https://usphs.gov/apply/apply.aspx, and mail costep@hhs.gov for any questions regarding the 2020 COSTEP program.
Readiness
Officers are encouraged to submit all readiness items early in the month in which they are due. Review tools (Dashboard, Self-Service portal, eOPF) to cross-reference your readiness status and previously submitted items.
- Dashboard: Projects 30-60-90-day readiness items requiring renewal. Ensure that all components of each section are reviewed thoroughly.
- Item(s) pending expiration – the “future” readiness status will show as “Not Qualified.”
- Upon submitting all item(s), the Dashboard will reflect “Qualified.”
- Self-Service portal: details of various submitted readiness items can be viewed here, including:
- Waivers, current and historic readiness status, downloading immunization records
- APFT data, which is entered via this portal, in addition to uploading the form into eDOC-U.
Extensions for Specific Readiness Requirements
On March 20, 2020, Commissioned Corps Headquarters (CCHQ) sent communication extending requirements for the Periodic Health Update (PHU), Basic Life Support (BLS), and Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT). Please review the Self-Service portal under the “Readiness” section for more information. The initial 90-day extensions were implemented for all officers whose PHU, BLS or APFT was due during April 1 – June 1, 2020 readiness checks. Those officers should see an “extension waiver” in their Self-Service portal under “waivers” section.
As the public health emergency (PHE) continues, a second 90-day extension is scheduled to be updated for impacted officers to also include July 1 – September 1, 2020 readiness checks (those with PHU, APFT, BLS due March – August). Despite the extensions, officers who are able to complete the readiness items on time are encouraged to do so.
Three readiness items not exempt or extended during the COVID-19 PHE:
- Immunizations
- Professional licensures
- If you receive a waiver or extension of your license from your state licensing board, upload both your waiver/extension and your current license as one .pdf file. Submit both attachments through eDOC-U section “professional license.”
- Weight Standards Requirements (submission of quarterly reports (form 7044-1) and weight management plans).
- Verified weight quarterly reports were due the 1st week of April. Officers missing this need to submit documentation before the July 1, 2020 readiness check.
- Weight Management Plans are only valid for 12 months; those due for a renewal must submit it via eDOC-U.
Officers with questions or technical (or other) challenges meeting the requirements, should submit a “Readiness Assistance Form” to RDB directly, via the Self-Service portal.
Deployment Updates
- Deployment Credit: Officers will not see deployment credit in their RedDOG Self-Service portal until after the mission ends. Officers who are missing deployment credit 60 days after the mission ends are encouraged to follow up with the Readiness and Deployment Branch.
- Deployment Role: All officers are required to update their primary deployment role, primary information, phone numbers, nearest airport, languages, and professional specialties through the RedDOG Self-Service “Personnel Information”.
- If you see “Not Qualified” status, missing information has been identified in one or more of the above fields.
Questions may be directed to IHSCorpsInquiries@ihs.gov.
Practice Hours Update
During the first week of June, CCHQ launched a new electronic submission system for submitting proof of practice hours. This system will improve customer service by decreasing processing time and streamlining submission of proof of practice hours. PHS 7047 forms are no longer acceptable at the PHS Practice Hours email box.
CCHQ will return incomplete packets (e.g. missing signatures, limited explanation of the type of clinical work performed) submitted prior to June 1, 2020, for correction. If your forms are returned, please resubmit them using the electronic system. Please review the Practice Hours FAQs for further details: https://dcp.psc.gov/ccmis/HPSP/HPSP_Clin_FAQ.aspx
Commissioned Corps Awards
Due to pending awards process enhancements within CCHQ, submission of awards will be suspended after June 1, 2020. Award submissions will resume 30 days after the implementation of the new Awards Program policy. The 30-day break will allow officers to review the new policy, FAQs, webinar, and CCHQ training. Contact your Regional Liaison and/or Area awards coordinator with any questions.
eCMCS Messages
Ensure you open all messages received in the electronic Corps Mass Communication System (eCMCS) located in the Officer Secure Area. CCHQ can track when messages are unopened. Take the time to read the announcements, as they may provide valuable information and updates.
Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay (HDIP)
CCHQ continues to consider the potential for Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay for COVID-19 activities. Updates will be provided upon receipt of new information.
Employee Assistance Programs
Federal Occupational Health (FOH) – 800-222-0364, counselors available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week
Corps Care – CorpsCare@hhs.gov or 240-276-9616
Questions may be directed to me, your Regional Liaison team, or IHSCorpsInquiries@ihs.gov. Please continue to be safe and well.
V/r,
CAPT Angela Mtungwa
Director, Div. of Commissioned Personnel Support
Commissioned Corps Liaison
Office of Human Resources
Indian Health Service
301-443-5440
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