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Bill Would Allow FEHB Coverage for Young Adult Dependents Sooner
May 6, 2010
Members of Congress introduced the FEHB Dependent Coverage Extension Act this
week -- legislation that would allow dependent children of federal
employees and annuitants to remain on their parents' federal health insurance
plan to age 26.
Current federal law allows people in the Federal Employees Health Benefits
Plan (FEHB) to keep dependents on their health insurance plans until the age of
22. This bill -- if passed -- would conform current law with the recently
passed health care reform law and ensure that the children of federal employees
are able to remain on their parents' health insurance until their 26th
birthday. It also gives the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) the
authority to implement this change for the 2010 plan year.
"The legislation I am introducing today will move up to this year the
timetable for allowing Federal employees to keep their children on their health
care until the age of 26. This will provide emotional and financial relief
for families in the often uneasy transition period from high school and college
to the working world," said Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), a sponsor
of the bill, on Tuesday. "The recent announcement that private health
insurers will voluntarily allow young adults to remain on their parents' health
insurance policies before the enactment date of the new health care law is
welcome news. However, this voluntary implementation does not extend to
the millions of hard-working federal employees. And while I commend OPM
for beginning to take steps to apply the age 26 dependent coverage provision to
FEHB plans in 2011, OPM needs the authority to implement this very important
provision sooner. And this legislation is designed to do just
that."
The bill has been widely supported by federal employee groups.
"This coverage would be particularly helpful to dependent children about to
graduate from trade school, college or university who could have difficulty
finding employment with health benefits in the present unfavorable job market,"
said Margaret L. Baptiste, president of the National Active and Retired Federal
Employees Association (NARFE). "As a matter of equity, NARFE endorses Van
Hollen's 'Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Dependent Coverage Extension
Act' and encourages Congress to swiftly approve this important bill."
"I have heard from a number of NTEU members asking that OPM implement the
provision earlier as some private sector companies are doing," said
National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) President Colleen M. Kelley. "NTEU is
hopeful that this measure will get support in the Senate and will be implemented
in time to help federal families seeking this coverage."
To read a copy of the legislation, go to: http://vanhollen.house.gov/UploadedFiles/FEHBP_Bill.pdf
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