Ensuring FEHBP Coverage During Shutdowns Act

Bill: 116-s-971
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-04-01
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access
Latest action: action_date: 2019-04-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-04-01
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Ensuring FEHBP Coverage During Shutdowns Act</b></p> <p>This bill provides statutory authority to allow federal employees to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB), or make changes to their enrollment due to a qualifying life event, during a lapse in appropriations for the federal government. Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Personnel Management to designate the officers and employees who perform the FEHB services as excepted employees under the Anti-Deficiency Act. </p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 971 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 1, 2019 Ms. Smith introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To amend title 5, United States Code, to clarify that during a lapse in appropriations certain services relating to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program are excepted services under the Anti-Deficiency Act, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ensuring FEHBP Coverage During Shutdowns Act . 2. Designating certain FEHBP-related services as excepted services under the Anti-Deficiency Act (a) In general Section 8905 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (i) In the event of a lapse in appropriations, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall designate any officer or employee who performs services relating to enrolling individuals in a health benefits plan under this chapter, or changing the enrollment of an individual already so enrolled due to a qualifying life event, as an excepted employee (as defined in section 1341(c) of title 31). . (b) Application The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to any lapse in appropriations beginning on or after the date of enactment of this Act.