U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

If you were not enrolled, or if you were enrolled in Self Only coverage, your survivors are not eligible for FEHB benefits.

If you were an employee and you died while enrolled in Self and Family coverage, and all the requirements were met, your enrollment will continue for your eligible family members who become survivor annuitants under a qualifying retirement system.

If the enrollment continues, your eligible survivors are entitled to the same benefits and Government contribution as active and retired employees enrolled in the same plan. The survivor annuitant's share of the premiums normally is deducted from his/her annuity payments. Your survivors don't need to take any action to continue your enrollment if they meet all the requirements.

If enrollment doesn't continue, your survivers may qualify for Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC).

If you are retired, all of your survivors who meet the definition of "family member" can continue their health benefits coverage under your enrollment as long as any one of them is entitled to a survivor annuity. If there is only one survivor annuitant who meets the definition of an eligible family member, your Retirement office will automatically change the enrollment to Self Only.

Under Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), your surviving spouse who is entitled to a basic employee death benefit, or your surviving children whose benefits are offset by Social Security, may continue FEHB health benefits by paying premiums directly to OPM.

You can find more information in the FEHB Handbook.

If you are a Federal/U.S. Postal Service employee or annuitant and your survivor is receiving an annuity, he/she can enroll in FEDVIP or continue the existing enrollment. Please review Section 1 - Eligibility (Survivor Annuitants) of any FEDVIP plan brochure.

Regular FEGLI benefits are payable, regardless of cause of death. Your beneficiaries will file a claim for the benefits. Please refer to the FEGLI Handbook for more information.

Your FSAFEDS coverage ends.

If you die, your coverage (if enrolled) ends and your qualified relatives can no longer apply for coverage. If you are in claim status when you die and you qualified for benefits that weren’t yet paid, they will be paid to your estate.