If you are currently enrolled in the FEHB Program and enter one of the uniformed services for 30 days or less, your FEHB enrollment will continue without change. Withholdings and Government contributions will also continue, as long as you are in pay status or until your military orders are changed so that your period of duty is more than 30 days.
If you enter on active duty or active duty for training in one of the uniformed services for more than 30 days, you may continue your FEHB enrollment for up to 24 months. Or, you may elect to terminate your enrollment as of the day before entering active duty.
If you think that you may want to terminate your FEHB coverage sometime prior to the end of the 24 month period, you should waive your participation in premium conversion.
If you continue your enrollment during military service, you are responsible for the employee share of the premiums for the first 12 months, just like any other employee in leave without pay status. During the last 12 months of the 24-month period, you must pay both the employee and the Government shares of the premium, plus an additional 2 percent of the total premium, on a current basis.
FEHB law gives agencies the authority to pay your FEHB premiums, if you are called or ordered to active duty in support of a contingency operation (as defined in section 101(a)(13) of title 10 U.S.C.).
If you are not called up in support of a contingency operation, your agency has no authority to pay your share of FEHB premiums.
At the end of the 24 months, you have a 31-day extension of coverage and the right to convert to an individual policy offered by the carrier of your plan.
If you aren't enrolled in the FEHB Program when you enter military duty, you may enroll within 60 days after your return to civilian service. Your election becomes effective on the first day of the pay period that begins after your employing office receives your completed enrollment request and that follows a pay period during any part of which you were in pay status.
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions and the FEHB Handbook for more information on being called to Active Military Duty.
If you exercise reemployment rights on your return from military duty, your terminated enrollment will be reinstated effective on the day you return to civilian duty (the same date of the restoration action shown on SF 50, Notification of Personnel Action) and is not retroactive to the date you separated from military service. If you return to civilian duty in the exercise of reemployment rights, you may change your reinstated enrollment from Self Only to Self and Family, and to either option of any plan available, within 60 days after you return to civilian service.
If you return from military duty after your enrollment terminated, but not in the exercise of reemployment rights, you must (if eligible for coverage) elect to enroll within 60 days after returning to civilian duty, the same as a new employee.
If you have coverage under transitional TRICARE for 180 days after your discharge, your agency can postpone automatic reinstatement of FEHB coverage until your transitional TRICARE ends. You will need to sign a Waiver of Immediate Reinstatement of FEHB which is available through your human resources office.
If you weren't enrolled in the FEHB Program when you entered military duty, you may enroll within 60 days after you return to civilian service. Your election becomes effective on the first day of the pay period that begins after your employing office receives your completed enrollment request and that follows a pay period during any part of which you were in pay status.
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions and the FEHB Handbook for more information on returning from Active Military Duty.