I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 579
To amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, to make available
to Federal employees the option of obtaining health benefits coverage
for dependent parents.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 13, 2001
Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mr. THOMAS M. DAVIS of Virginia, Mrs. MCCARTHY
of New York, Mr. WEINER, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. OWENS,
Mr. RUSH, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. HILLIARD, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mrs.
JONES of Ohio, Mr. EVANS, and Mr. MORAN of Virginia) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Re-
form
A BILL
To amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, to
make available to Federal employees the option of obtain-
ing health benefits coverage for dependent parents.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Family Health
Coverage Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. NEW ENROLLMENT OPTION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 8905 of
title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(a) An employee may enroll in an approved health
benefits plan described by section 8903 or 8903a either—
‘‘(1) as an individual;
‘‘(2) for self and family; or
‘‘(3) for self and extended family.’’.
(b) MEMBER OF EXTENDED FAMILY DEFINED.—
Section 8901 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (10), by strik-
ing the period at the end of paragraph (11) and inserting
‘‘; and’’, and by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(12) ‘member of the extended family’ means,
with respect to an employee or annuitant, any indi-
vidual who is—
‘‘(A) a member of the family of such em-
ployee or annuitant; or
‘‘(B) a dependent parent of such employee
or annuitant.’’.
(c) TEST FOR DEPENDENCY OF A PARENT.—Para-
graph (9) of section 8901 of title 5, United States Code,
is amended by striking ‘‘(9)’’ and inserting ‘‘(9)(A)’’, by
inserting ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon, and by adding at the
end the following:
States Code, relating to computation of Government con-
tributions, shall be applied in connection with coverage for
self and extended family during the first year in which
such coverage is provided.
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
Title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in section 8902(e) by striking ‘‘exclusive of
family members,’’ and inserting ‘‘exclusive of family
members and dependent parents,’’;
(2) in subsections (g), (j) and (k)(1) of section
8902, section 8902a(a)(1)(B), and section 8903(1)
by inserting ‘‘dependent parent,’’ after ‘‘family mem-
ber,’’ each place it appears;
(3)(A) in section 8903(1) and the first sentence
of section 8913(c) by inserting ‘‘dependent parents,’’
after ‘‘members of their families,’’;
(B) in section 8903(3) by striking ‘‘and mem-
bers of their families,’’ and inserting ‘‘members of
their families, and their dependent parents,’’; and
(C) in section 8903a(b)(4) by striking ‘‘fami-
lies.’’ and inserting ‘‘families and their dependent
parents.’’;
(4) in subsections (b)(2) and (f) of section 8905
by inserting ‘‘or extended family’’ after ‘‘family’’;
(5) in section 8905(e) by adding at the end the
following: ‘‘The Office shall by regulation ensure
that the purposes of this subsection continue to be
carried after coverage for self and extended family
becomes available under this chapter.’’;
(6) in section 8906(e)(1)(A) and the second
sentence of 8913(c) by inserting ‘‘or dependent par-
ents’’ after ‘‘family’’; and
(7) in section 8907(b) by inserting ‘‘or depend-
ent parents’’ after ‘‘family members’’ each place it
appears.
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with
respect to coverage during years beginning at least 6
months after the date of enactment of this Act.
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