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

Suspension of Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Coverage to Use TRICARE, Medicare/Medicaid, or Certain State Sponsored Medical Assistance Plans

The Office of Personnel Management has issued a final rule to allow TRICARE and CHAMPVA eligible FEHB Program annuitants, survivors, and former spouses to suspend their FEHB enrollments, and then return to the FEHB Program during the Open Season, or return to FEHB coverage immediately if they involuntarily lose this non-FEHB coverage. The intent of this rule is to allow eligible beneficiaries to avoid the expense of continuing to pay FEHB Program premiums while they are using the non-FEHB coverage, without endangering their ability to return to the FEHB Program in the future.

The rule also clarifies a similar situation involving FEHB-covered annuitants, survivors, and former spouses. The rule allows an individual who drops FEHB coverage when he or she enrolls in a Medicare-sponsored plan, or in Medicaid or a similar State-sponsored program of medical assistance for the needy, to return to FEHB coverage during the annual Open Season or immediately upon being involuntarily disenrolled from the non-FEHB coverage.