I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 55

To make the Federal employees health benefits program available to 

individuals age 55 to 65 who would not otherwise have health insurance. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 4, 2005

Mr. DREIER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Government Reform 

A BILL

To make the Federal employees health benefits program 

available to individuals age 55 to 65 who would not 

otherwise have health insurance.

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

3 SECTION 1. ELIGIBILITY FOR FEHBP COVERAGE. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 89 of title 5, United 

5 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol6 lowing: 

7 ‘‘§ 8915. Coverage for the near elderly 

8 ‘‘(a) For purposes of this section, the term ‘qualified 

9 individual’ means an individual who, as of the date on 

10 which such individual first submits an application for 
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1 health insurance coverage under this chapter in accord2 ance with subsection (d)—

3 ‘‘(1) is at least 55 but less than 65 years of 

4 age; and 

5 ‘‘(2) has not been covered under any policy of 

6 health insurance for at least the preceding 30 days. 

7 ‘‘(b) Subject to the succeeding provisions of this sec8 tion, any qualified individual may enroll in an approved 

9 health benefits plan under this chapter, for self alone, so 

10 long as such individual pays currently into the Employees 

11 Health Benefits Fund, under arrangements acceptable to 

12 the Office of Personnel Management, the total subscrip13 tion charges required. 

14 ‘‘(c) The total subscription charges required in the 

15 case of an individual enrolled in a health benefits plan 

16 under this section shall be equal to the sum of the em17 ployee and agency contributions that would apply under 

18 this chapter in the case of an employee enrolled in the 

19 same health benefits plan and level of benefits for self 

20 alone. 

21 ‘‘(d) An application to obtain health insurance cov22 erage under this section may be submitted during any 

23 open enrollment period normally provided for under this 

24 chapter and at such other times as the Office may by regu25 lation prescribe. 
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1 ‘‘(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this sec2 tion—

3 ‘‘(1) an individual may not enroll or remain en4 rolled in any health benefits plan pursuant to this 

5 section after attaining age 65; and 

6 ‘‘(2) an individual whose enrollment under this 

7 section is terminated, whether voluntarily or involun8 tarily, shall be barred from subsequently reenrolling 

9 under this section. 

10 ‘‘(f) The Office shall prescribe such regulations as 

11 may be necessary to carry out this section.’’. 

12 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec13 tions for chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, is 

14 amended by adding at the end the following:

‘‘8915. Coverage for the near elderly.’’.

15 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

16 this section shall apply with respect to coverage in contract 

17 years beginning later than 6 months after the date of the 

18 enactment of this Act.

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