Denver International Airport on typical Sunday morning Image: Arina P Habich/Shutterstock.com
Among bills recently introduced in Congress are two measures addressing benefits issues that arose during the recent partial government shutdown.
HR-2003 would assure that the FEHB program will continue to have staff available to process any requested changes in enrollments, for example adding coverage for a new spouse or child.
HR-2004 would require that FEDVIP vision-dental insurance and FLTCIP long-term care insurance would continue uninterrupted for those placed in non-pay status–with their employee share of the premium accumulating until they returned to paid status—rather than face the risk of loss of coverage.
Also introduced was S-944, a Senate counterpart to an earlier-introduced House bill (HR-1140) to end the separate pay-for-performance system for screeners and move them into the GS, grant them full collective bargaining rights, and give them the same disciplinary appeal rights as federal employees in general.