To require that the Office of Personnel Management study current practices under which dental, vision, and hearing benefits are made available to Federal employees, annuitants, and other classes of individuals, and to require that the Office also present options and recommendations relating to how additional dental, vision, and hearing benefits could be made so available.

Bill: 108-hr-3751
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Jo Ann [R-VA-1]
Introduced: 2004-01-30 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost accounting
Dental care
Economics and Public Finance
Eye care
Eye diseases
Families
Federal employees
Finance and Financial Sector
Government employees' health insurance
Governmental investigations
Health
Hearing aids
Hearing disorders
Legislation
Medical economics
Medical screening
Retiree health benefits

Summary:
action_date: 2004-01-30
text: 
Requires the Office of Personnel Management to submit to Congress a report describing and evaluating options to offer dental and vision benefits to Federal employees and retirees, their families, and other appropriate classes of individuals, including: (1) a description of the special benefits that could be offered; (2) a description of the classes of individuals who should be made eligible for such benefits; (3) a description and assessment of the various contracting arrangements available to the Government; (4) the estimated cost of such benefits; (5) a statement as to how such benefits might be offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits program or another program or combination of programs; (6) recommendations from the Office as to its preferred method for providing such benefits; and (7) any legislation or other measures the Office considers necessary in order to implement any of the foregoing.

action_date: 2004-06-17
text: 
Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to submit to Congress a report describing and evaluating options whereby additional dental, vision (including glaucoma screening), and hearing benefits could be made available to Federal employees and annuitants, their relatives, and other appropriate classes of individuals. 
 
Requires that such report include: (1) a description of the dental, vision, and hearing benefits currently available under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program; (2) a description of the supplemental dental, vision, and hearing plans currently offered by carriers participating in the FEHB program; (3) a description of specific dental, vision, and hearing benefits that could be offered in addition to those specified above; (4) a description of the specific classes of the individuals specified in clauses one and two above to whom those additional benefits should be made available; (5) a description and assessment of the various contracting arrangements by which the Government could make those additional benefits available; (6) the estimated cost of those additional benefits; (7) a description of how those additional benefits could be made available through FEHB, one or more plans outside of FEHB, FEHB in combination with one or more of such plans, and any other dental, vision, and hearing coverage delivery method; (8) an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages associated with the alternatives described in clause seven; (9) a recommendation from OPM as to its preferred method(s) for providing those additional benefits; and (10) any proposed legislation or other measures the Office considers necessary in order to implement any of the foregoing.

action_date: 2004-06-21
text: 
Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to submit to Congress a report describing and evaluating options whereby additional dental, vision (including glaucoma screening), and hearing benefits could be made available to Federal employees and annuitants, their relatives, and other appropriate classes of individuals. 
 
Requires that such report include: (1) a description of the dental, vision, and hearing benefits currently available under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program; (2) a description of the supplemental dental, vision, and hearing plans currently offered by carriers participating in the FEHB program; (3) a description of specific dental, vision, and hearing benefits that could be offered in addition to those specified above; (4) a description of the specific classes of the individuals to whom those additional benefits should be made available; (5) a description and assessment of the various contracting arrangements by which the Government could make those additional benefits available; (6) the estimated cost of those additional benefits; (7) a description of how those additional benefits could be made available through FEHB, one or more plans outside of FEHB, FEHB in combination with one or more of such plans, and any other dental, vision, and hearing coverage delivery method; (8) an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages associated with the alternatives described in clause seven; (9) a recommendation from OPM as to its preferred method(s) for providing those additional benefits; and (10) any proposed legislation or other measures the Office considers necessary in order to implement any of the foregoing.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-06-22
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2004-06-21
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-06-21
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-06-21
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4599)
action_date: 2004-06-21
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H4599)
action_date: 2004-06-21
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3751.
action_date: 2004-06-21
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4599-4600)
action_date: 2004-06-21
text: Mrs. Miller (MI) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2004-06-17
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 320.
action_date: 2004-06-17
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Government Reform. H. Rept. 108-552.
action_date: 2004-06-17
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Government Reform. H. Rept. 108-552.
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-03-17
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
action_date: 2004-03-17
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-02-24
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2004-02-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization.
action_date: 2004-01-30
text: Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.
action_date: 2004-01-30
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-01-30
text: Introduced in House