I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1170

To amend title 5, United States Code, to make available under the health

benefits program for Federal employees the option of obtaining coverage

for self and children only, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 17, 1999

Mr. SABO (for himself, Mr. FROST, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. SANDLIN, and Mr.

BRADY of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred

to the Committee on Government Reform

A BILL

To amend title 5, United States Code, to make available

under the health benefits program for Federal employees

the option of obtaining coverage for self and children

only, 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. OPTION TO ELECT COVERAGE FOR SELF AND

4 UNMARRIED DEPENDENT CHILDREN.

5 Subsection (a) of section 8905 of title 5, United

6 States Code, is amended to read as follows:
2

HR 1170 IH

1 ‘‘(a) An employee may enroll in an approved health

2 benefits plan described by section 8903 or 8903a of this

3 title either—

4 ‘‘(1) as an individual;

5 ‘‘(2) for self and family; or

6 ‘‘(3) for self and children only.

7 Coverage described in paragraph (3) includes neither the

8 spouse of the enrollee (if any) nor any child who does not

9 satisfy section 8901(5).’’.

10 SEC. 2. CONTRIBUTIONS AND RATES.

11 (a) CONTRIBUTIONS.—

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (1) of section

13 8906(a) of title 5, United States Code, as set forth

14 in the amendment made by section 7002(a) of the

15 Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 105–33;

16 111 Stat. 662), is amended—

17 (A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub18 paragraph (A);

19 (B) by striking the period at the end of

20 subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and

21 (C) by inserting after subparagraph (B)

22 the following:

23 ‘‘(C) enrollments under this chapter for self and

24 unmarried dependent children (consistent with sec25 tion 8902(p)(1)).’’.
3

HR 1170 IH

1 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made

2 by paragraph (1) shall take effect as if included in

3 the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

4 (b) SEPARATE RATES BASED ON NUMBER OF CHIL5 DREN, ETC.—Section 8902 of title 5, United States Code,

6 is amended by adding at the end the following:

7 ‘‘(p) Rates charged by health benefits plans for cov8 erage described in section 8905(a)(3) shall be governed

9 by the provisions of subsection (i), except that—

10 ‘‘(1) separate rates shall apply depending on

11 whether the total number of unmarried dependent

12 children is equal to 1, 2, or 3 or more; and

13 ‘‘(2) for purposes of setting such rates for the

14 first contract year in which such coverage is offered,

15 such provisions shall be applied by substituting

16 ‘large employers for coverage for self and unmarried

17 dependent children.’ for ‘large employers.’.’’.

18 SEC. 3. DUPLICATIVE COVERAGE AND CHANGES OF COV19 ERAGE.

20 (a) DUPLICATIVE COVERAGE.—Subsection (e) of sec21 tion 8905 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by

22 adding at the end the following: ‘‘The Office shall by regu23 lation ensure that, in any situation not otherwise covered

24 by this subsection, if an employee or annuitant enrolls ei25 ther for self and family or for self and children only, the
4

HR 1170 IH

1 spouse of such employee or annuitant shall not be eligible

2 for any enrollment that would result in the same person

3 being covered under both enrollments at the same time.’’.

4 (b) CHANGES OF COVERAGE.—Subsection (f) of sec5 tion 8905 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by

6 inserting ‘‘or that of himself and his unmarried dependent

7 children’’ after ‘‘or that of himself and members of his

8 family’’.

9 SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

10 Section 8905(c) of title 5, United States Code, is

11 amended by striking ‘‘self and family’’ each place it ap12 pears and inserting ‘‘for self and children only’’.

13 SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Office of Personnel Manage15 ment shall take such steps as may be necessary to ensure

16 that the type of coverage provided for by this Act shall

17 be available by the beginning of the first contract year

18 beginning at least 6 months after the date of enactment

19 of this Act.

20 (b) SAVINGS PROVISION.—For any contract year pre21 ceding the first contract year referred to in subsection (a),

22 chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, shall be applied

23 as if this Act had not been enacted.

Æ