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106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4277
To provide that the same health insurance premium conversion arrangements
afforded to employees in the executive and judicial branches of the
Government be made available to Federal annuitants, individuals serving
in the legislative branch of the Government, and members and retired
members of the uniformed services.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 13, 2000
Mr. DAVIS of Virginia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on
House Administration and Armed Services, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide that the same health insurance premium conver-
sion arrangements afforded to employees in the executive
and judicial branches of the Government be made avail-
able to Federal annuitants, individuals serving in the
legislative branch of the Government, and members and
retired members of the uniformed services.
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 Employees
Health Insurance Premium Conversion Act’’.
SEC. 2. HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM CONVERSION AR-
RANGEMENTS.
For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘health insurance
premium conversion arrangement’’ refers to an arrange-
ment described in the letter of the Office of Personnel
Management (numbered 00–204) dated February 14,
2000, and entitled ‘‘Federal Employees’ Health Benefits
(FEHB) Program: Premium Conversion’’.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF PREMIUM CONVERSION ARRANGE-
MENTS TO FEDERAL ANNUITANTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Office of Personnel Manage-
ment shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the
option to pay one’s FEHBP enrollment charges through
a health insurance premium conversion arrangement shall
be made available to annuitants, beginning on the same
date as when such option first becomes available to Fed-
eral employees generally under the new rules described in
the letter identified in section 2 (or as soon thereafter as
possible, but in no event later than the deadline specified
in section 7).
(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
(1) the term ‘‘annuitant’’ has the meaning
given such term by section 8901 of title 5, United
States Code; and
(2) the term ‘‘FEHBP’’ refers to the health
benefits program established by chapter 89 of title
5, United States Code.
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF PREMIUM CONVERSION ARRANGE-
MENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be established by each
employing entity within the legislative branch of the Gov-
ernment a plan, similar in effect to the health insurance
premium conversion arrangement described in section 2,
for the benefit of individuals employed in or under such
entity.
(b) REGULATIONS.—Any regulations necessary to
carry out this section may—
(1) with respect to any individuals whose pay is
disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the
House of Representatives, be prescribed by the Com-
mittee on House Oversight of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and
(2) with respect to any individuals whose pay is
disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate, be pre-
scribed by the Committee on Rules and Administra-
tion of the Senate.
SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF PREMIUM CONVERSION ARRANGE-
MENT TO MEMBERS AND RETIRED MEMBERS
OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be established by each
of the appropriate Secretaries a plan, similar in effect to
the health insurance premium conversion arrangement de-
scribed in section 2, for the benefit of members and retired
members of the uniformed services under the jurisdiction
of the Secretary involved.
(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
(1) the term ‘‘member of the uniformed serv-
ices’’ means a member of the uniformed services,
other than a retired member of the uniformed serv-
ices;
(2) the term ‘‘retired member of the uniformed
services’’ means a member or former member of the
uniformed services entitled to retired or retainer
pay;
(3) the term ‘‘uniformed services’’ has the
meaning given such term by section 2101 of title 5,
United States Code; and
(4) the term ‘‘appropriate Secretary’’ means the
Secretary of Defense, except that—
(A) with respect to the Coast Guard when
it is not operating as a service of the Navy,
such term means the Secretary of Transpor-
tation;
(B) with respect to the commissioned corps
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration, such term means the Secretary of
Commerce; and
(C) with respect to the commissioned corps
of the Public Health Service, such term means
the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
SEC. 6. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
The Office of Personnel Management shall make in-
formation and technical assistance available to agencies
and other employing entities in the development of their
plans under this Act.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
All plans required under sections 4 and 5, respec-
tively, shall be completed in time so that the option to
pay one’s enrollment charges through a health insurance
premium conversion arrangement shall become available
no later than the first day of the first applicable pay pe-
riod beginning on or after January 1, 2001.
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