I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7868 

To require the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to take 

certain actions with respect to the health insurance program carried 

out under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 5, 2024 

Mr. WALTZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Oversight and Accountability 

A BILL 

To require the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to take certain actions with respect to the health 

insurance program carried out under chapter 89 of title 

5, United States Code, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘FEHB Protection 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FEHB IMPROVEMENTS. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

2 the Director of the Office of Personnel Management. 

3 (2) EMPLOYING OFFICE.—The term ‘‘employing 

4 office’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

5 890.101(a) of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, 

6 or any successor regulation. 

7 (3) HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN; MEMBER OF

8 FAMILY.—The terms ‘‘health benefits plan’’ and 

9 ‘‘member of family’’ have the meanings given those 

10 terms in section 8901 of title 5, United States Code. 

11 (4) OPEN SEASON.—The term ‘‘open season’’ 

12 means an open season described in section 

13 890.301(f) of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, 

14 or any successor regulation. 

15 (5) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Program’’ means 

16 the health insurance programs carried out under 

17 chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, including 

18 the program carried out under section 8903c of that 

19 title. 

20 (6) QUALIFYING LIFE EVENT.—The term 

21 ‘‘qualifying life event’’ has the meaning given the 

22 term in section 892.101 of title 5, Code of Federal 

23 Regulations, or any successor regulation. 

24 (b) VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 

25 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 


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1 Director shall issue regulations and implement a process 

2 to require each employing office to verify— 

3 (1) the veracity of any qualifying life event 

4 through which an enrollee in the Program seeks to 

5 add a member of family with respect to the enrollee 

6 to a health benefits plan under the Program; and 

7 (2) that, when an enrollee in the Program seeks 

8 to add a member of family with respect to the en9 rollee to the health benefits plan of the enrollee 

10 under the Program, including during any open sea11 son, the individual so added is a qualifying member 

12 of family with respect to the enrollee. 

13 (c) FRAUD RISK ASSESSMENT.—In any fraud risk 

14 assessment conducted with respect to the Program on or 

15 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director 

16 shall include an assessment of individuals who are enrolled 

17 in, or covered under, a health benefits plan under the Pro18 gram even though those individuals are not eligible to be 

19 so enrolled or covered. 

20 (d) FAMILY MEMBER ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION

21 AUDIT.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—During the 3-year period be23 ginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of 

24 this Act, the Director, in coordination with the head 

25 of each employing office, shall conduct a comprehenVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:33 Apr 05, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7868.IH H7868

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1 sive audit regarding members of family who are cov2 ered under an enrollment in a health benefits plan 

3 under the Program. 

4 (2) CONTENTS.—In conducting an audit re5 quired under paragraph (1), the Director, in coordi6 nation with the head of each employing office, shall 

7 review marriage certificates, birth certificates, and 

8 other appropriate documents that are necessary to 

9 determine eligibility to enroll in a health benefits 

10 plan under the Program. 

11 (e) DISENROLLMENT OR REMOVAL.—Not later than 

12 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

13 Director shall develop a process by which any individual 

14 enrolled in, or covered under, a health benefits plan under 

15 the Program who is not eligible to be so enrolled or cov16 ered shall be disenrolled or removed from enrollment in 

17 a health benefits plan under the Program. 

Æ 


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