A Message from the Acting DHA Director
Teammates,
I am honored to assume the responsibility as the acting Director of the Defense Health Agency. The DHA’s mission as a critical enabler of military readiness does not change. Supporting the warfighter is our #1 priority, and your professionalism, teamwork, and support will continue to ensure service members are fit to fight tonight and provide high quality, safe care to all our beneficiaries.
DOD leaders have begun the process of looking at candidates to serve as the 5th Director of the DHA with the intent to announce a nominee as soon as possible.
I share your collective passion for our mission and our critical support to the warfighter along with their families and all our beneficiaries. Our strength lies in our unity and our commitment to excellence. Please continue to focus on priority tasks and support each other as we navigate through this period of transition.
I look forward to working with all of you during this period and am grateful for your service. Thank you.
Very respectfully,
Dr. Dave Smith
Acting Director
Defense Health Agency
From CNP – Navy Career News January Recap
Recap your monthly Navy career news and opportunities with the Sailor-to-Sailor newsletter:
https://dvidshub.net/r/jx74q9
In this month’s issue, check out:
– Seaman to Admiral-21 Commissioning Program
– E4 Meritorious Advancement Program
– BBA Handbook Updates
– And more!
Empower your Sailors – print the Sailor-to-Sailor newsletter and share it at quarters, post it on your shop’s bulletin board, or forward this email.
For more updates, follow MyNavy HR on social media.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyNAVYHR
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LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/MYNAVYHR
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MyNAVYHR
_________________________________________
Delivered by Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Message to the Fleet
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED/ ROUTINE R 241527Z FEB 25 MID180001621453U FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS UNCLAS NAVADMIN 038/25 // MSGID/NAVADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/CNO/FEB// SUBJ/MESSAGE TO THE FLEET// RMKS/1. All Hands: As Vice Chief of Naval Operations, I am now performing the duties of the Chief of Naval Operations until the new CNO is appointed, per 10 U.S.C. 8035. 2. The work of our Navy continues without disruption. We will sustain forward-deployed lethal forces that enhance the peace and deter our adversaries. 3. We remain focused on improving lethality, strengthening our warfighters, and readying our platforms. We will continue to do what the Navy does best: deliver warfighting advantage for the Nation. 4. We thank ADM Franchetti and her family for their 39 years of dedicated service to our Navy and our Nation. 5. We are a Navy in combat for the last 17 months, and our Nation needs your continued focus and commitment. 6. Released by Admiral James W. Kilby, performing the duties of Chief of Naval Operations.// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED/
HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//
ROUTINE
R 181951Z FEB 25 MID120001748339U
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 031/25
PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/FEB//
SUBJ/HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR
MILITARY PERSONNEL//
RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN announces the new opportunity for eligible Sailors to
enroll in a Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) during a Special
Enrollment Period from 3-31 March 2025. The Department of Defense
coordinated with the Office of Personnel Management to provide eligible
Service Members access to this benefit. HCFSA is an optional benefit that
enables Service Members to use pre-tax earnings to pay for eligible health
care expenses, such as co-payments and cost shares, deductibles, dental
(braces and orthodontia), vision (glasses and contact lenses), prescription
drugs, and wellness treatments (acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic care).
Contributions are directly deposited from pay into the Sailor's HCFSA before
taxes are deducted, which reduces the Service Member's taxable income.
2. Eligibility. Both Active Component and Training and Administration of
the Reserves (TAR) Sailors are eligible for enrollment in HCFSAs. Sailors in
the Reserve Component, except for TAR Sailors, are not eligible. For
complete eligibility information, see
https://finred.usalearning.gov/Benefits/HCFSA.
3. Enrollment:
a. Eligible Sailors may enroll in a HCFSA for the 2025 plan year during
the Special Enrollment Period from 3-31 March 2025.
Enrollment will be processed by the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program
(FSAFEDS) at https://www.fsafeds.gov/. An HCFSA allows each Sailor to
contribute $100-$3,300 per year in pre-tax income to their account to pay for
eligible health care costs.
Households where both earners are eligible for an HCFSA through their
employer may maintain two separate accounts and contribute a combined $200-
$6,600 per year. A HCFSA typically operates on a calendar year, starting 1
January and ending 31 December. Sailors who enroll during the 2025 Special
Enrollment Period have from the day after they enroll to 31 December 2025 to
use and claim funds in their HCFSA account.
b. Eligible Sailors may also enroll at any time in an HCFSA following a
qualifying life event such as the birth or adoption of a child, a divorce, or
a permanent change of station.
c. Upon enrollment, a specified amount of funds will be withheld each
pay period and deposited into their HCFSA.
d. Funds are available in the Sailors' HCFSA after each pay period to
pay for eligible health care expenses. Sailors can then submit claims
through the FSAFEDS website or official FSAFEDS app and receive reimbursement
to their bank account or by check. For the procedures to file a claim, see
https://www.fsafeds.gov/file.
e. Sailors or their families sometimes must pay out-of-pocket for
certain health care expenses, supplementing the comprehensive coverage
offered through TRICARE. Contributions to an HCFSA should be carefully
planned based on expected out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses
to be incurred during the year.
f. Sailors must use and claim the funds in their HCFSA account by the
end of the plan year (e.g., 31 December 2025 for the 2025 plan year).
Unclaimed funds will be forfeited at the end of the plan year (e.g., 1
January 2026 for the 2025 plan year).
g. Sailors can carry over up to $660 of unused HCFSA funds to the next
plan year if they re-enroll. Any carry over funds in excess of $660 will be
forfeited.
h. Annual Re-enrollment. Eligible Sailors must re-enroll each year
during the Federal Open Season (e.g., from mid-November through mid-December
2025 for the 2026 plan year) to continue participation.
A Sailor's participation will not automatically carry over from year to year.
Sailors must re-enroll each year to have access to any carryover funds.
Sailors have until 30 April to submit prior year claims (e.g., 30 April 2026
for those enrolled in the 2025 plan year).
i. Carryover funds do not count against the $3,300 maximum contribution
limit per year (e.g., $3,300 can be contributed for the
2026 plan year even if $660 is carried over from the 2025 plan year).
4. Things to consider before you enroll in HCFSA:
a. Review your family's budget and cash flow. Enrolling in a HCFSA will
impact your take-home pay.
b. Understand your tax benefits. Free tax software and one-on- one help
from military tax experts are available to Service Members and their
families.
5. HCFSA Resources. Free assistance is available to help Sailors make the
right decision, provide enrollment information, and understand how the HCFSA
affects both their families' financial budget and tax situation. Resources
can be obtained from the following sources:
a. Office of Financial Readiness DCFSA webpage:
https://finred.usalearning.gov/Benefits/HCFSA.
b. Military OneSource:
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/benefits/health-care-flexible-spending-
account/.
c. FSAFEDS: https://www.fsafeds.gov/explore/hcfsa.
d. Local Command Financial Specialists and Fleet and Family Support
Center Personal Financial Managers.
e. Tax consultation from MilTax via Military OneSource at
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/media/toolkits/miltax/.
6. Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.//
BT
#0001
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CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//
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