Rules on FEHB Children’s Coverage Published

Interim rules published in the October 1 Federal Register carry out a 2000 law requiring the enrollment of a federal employee for self and family coverage in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, if the employee is subject to a court or administrative order requiring him or her to provide health benefits for a child or children and the employee does not comply with the order. Before the enactment of the law, a court or State administrative agency could issue an order for an individual to provide health benefits for children, but there was nothing in the FEHB law to require compliance. The rules spell out situations in which employees will be enrolled involuntarily in self and family coverage as well as the restrictions on changing or canceling coverage in those situations.