A bill to increase the contribution of the Government to the costs of health benefits for Federal employees, and for other purposes.
PL 93-246 (H.R.9256), enacted 01/31/1974

Public Laws 
ENACTED DURING THE 
SECOND SESSION OF THE NINETY-THIRD CONGRESS 
OF THE 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, 
January 
21, 1974, and 
adjourned sine die on Friday, December 20, 1974. RICHARD M . NIXON, President until 
his resignation August 9, 1974; GERALD R . FORD, President on and ajter August 9, 
1974; GERALD R . FORD, Vice President until August 9,1974; NELSON A. ROCKEFELLER, 
Vice President on and after December 19, 1974; CARL ALBERT, Speaker oj the House 
oj Bepresentaiives. 
Public Law 93-246 
AN ACT 
To increase the contribution of the Government to the costs of health benefits for 
Federal employees, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress asseinbled^ That (a) subsections 
(a) and (b) of section 8906 of title 5, United States Code, are amended 
to read as follows: 
"(a) The Commission shall determine the average of the subscrip-
tion charges in effect on the beginning date of each contract year with 
respect to self alone or self and family enrollments under this chapter, 
as applicable, for the highest level of benefits offered by— 
" (1) the service benefit plan; 
"(2) the indemnity benefit plan; 
" (3) the two employee organization plans with the largest num-
ber of enrollments, as determined by the Commission; and 
"(4) the two comprehensive medical plans with the largest 
number of enrollments, as determined by the Commission. 
"(b)(1) Except as provided by paragraph (2) of this subsection, 
the biweekly Government contribution for health benefits for an 
employee or annuitant enrolled in a health benefits plan under this 
chapter shall be adjusted, beginning on the first day of the first appli-
cable pay period of each year, to an amount equal to the following per-
centage, as applicable, of the average subscription charge determined 
under subsection (a) of this section: 50 percent for applicable pay 
periods commencing in 1974 and 60 percent for applicable pay periods 
commencing in 1975 and in each year thereafter. 
January 31, 1974 
[H. R. 9256] 
Federal employ-
ees health bene-
fits. 
Government 
contribution, in-
PUBLIC LAW 93-247-JAN. 31, 1974 
[88 STAT. 
Limitation. 
5 u s e 8905 
note. 
5 u s e 8901. 
Effective dates. 
5 u s e 8906 
note. 
5 u s e 8905 
note. 
S u s e 8902 
note. 
Effective date. 
5 u s e 8906 
note. 
"(2) The biweekly Government contribution for an employee or 
annuitant enrolled in a plan under this chapter shall not exceed 75 per-
cent of the subscription charge.". 
(b) Section 8906(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out "subsections (a) and (b)" and inserting "subsection (b)" 
in lieu thereof. 
(c^ Section 8906(g) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out "subsection (a) of". 
SEC. 2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an 
annuitant, as defined under section 8901(3) of title 5, United States 
Code, who is participating or who is eligible to participate in the 
health benefits program offered under the Retired Federal Employees 
Health Benefits Act (74 Stat. 849; Public Law 86-724), may elect, in 
accordance with regulations prescribed by the United States Civil 
Service Commission, to be covered under the provisions of chapter 89 
of title 5, United States Code, in lieu of coverage under such Act. 
(b) An annuitant who elects to be covered under the provisions of 
chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, in accordance with subsec-
tion (a) of this section, shall be entitled to the benefits under such 
chapter 89. 
SEC. 3. Section 8902 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following subsection: 
"(j) Each contract under this chapter shall require the carrier to 
agree to pay for or provide a health service or supply in an individual 
case if the Commission finds that the employee, annuitant, or family 
member is entitled thereto under the terms of the contract,". 
SEC. 4. (a) The first section of this Act shall take effect on the first 
day of the first applicable pay period which begins on or after Jan-
uary 1,1974. 
(b) Section 2 shall take effect on the one hundred and eightieth 
day following the date of enactment or on such earlier date as the 
United States Civil Service Commission may prescribe. 
(c) Section 3 shall become effective with respect to any contract 
entered into or renewed on or after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(d) The determination of the average of subscription charges and 
the adjustment of the Government contributions for 1973, under sec-
tion 8906 of title 5, United States Code, as amended by the first sec-
tion of this Act, shall take effect on the first day of the first applicable 
pay period which begins on or after the thirtieth day following the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
Approved January 31, 1974. 
January 31, 1974 
[S. 1191} 
Public Law 93-247 
AN ACT 
To provide financial assistance for a demonstration program for the prevention, 
identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect, to establish a National 
Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, and for other purposes. 
Child Abuse 
Prevention and 
Treatment Act. 
42 u s e 5I0I 
note. 
Be it BTiacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may 
be cited as the "Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act".