Developments at OPM: In a notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register on July 20, 2012, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed changes to existing regulations to increase the maximum coverage age for Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) for children of federal civil service employees up to age 26, and to extend FEHB and Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) benefits to children of same-sex domestic partners. The notice of proposed rulemaking proposed revisions to 5 C.F.R. parts 890, 892 and 894. In the background section of the notice, OPM explained that the proposed rulemaking was designed to implement the Affordable Care Act’s provisions for coverage of children up to age 26 (irrespective of dependent status, marital status, student status, residency or lack of coverage), as well as certain memoranda issued by President Obama aimed at extending benefits to qualifying same sex domestic partners that were previously reserved to married couples, within the bounds of present law.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was published at 77 Fed.Reg. 42,914. For those individuals or groups who are interested in commenting, information for responding with comments are contained in the OPM notice. Developments at OPM during the Obama administation certainly show the President’s agenda being put into effect.
If you are a current federal employee who would like to discuss any issues concerning your employment benefits, or your rights as a federal employee more generally, please contact the law firm of Gilbert Employment Law, P.C. to request a consultation.
