A bill to provide for continued health benefits coverage for certain Federal employees, and for other purposes.

Provides for continuation of health benefits coverage, effective March 1, 2003, for any Federal employee, who: (1) is enrolled in a Federal employee health benefits plan; (2) is a member of a reserve component of the armed forces; (3) is called to active duty in support of a contingency operation; (4) is placed on leave without pay or separated from service to perform active duty; and (5) serves for more than 30 consecutive days. Authorizes such coverage, and authorizes agency payment of the employee and Government contributions and any additional administrative expenses chargeable to the employee for such coverage, for up to 24 months after the employee is placed on leave without pay or separated from service to perform active duty.

Extends coverage of life insurance purchased under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI) for up to 24 months for a federal employee who: (1) is covered by FEGLI insurance policy; (2) is a member of a reserve component of the armed forces; (3) is called to active duty in support of a contingency operation; (4) is placed on leave without pay or separated from service to perform active duty; and (5) serves for more than 30 consecutive days.

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2409 Introduced in Senate (IS)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 2409

 To provide for continued health benefits coverage for certain Federal 
                   employees, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 11, 2004

Mr. Voinovich (for himself, Mr. Akaka, Ms. Collins, Mr. Lieberman, and 
  Mr. Durbin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
           referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for continued health benefits coverage for certain Federal 
                   employees, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. PAYMENT OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFIT PREMIUMS.

    (a) Authority To Continue Benefit Coverage.--Section 8905a of title 
5, United States Code is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``paragraph (1) or (2) 
        of'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) any employee who--
                    ``(A) is enrolled in a health benefits plan under 
                this chapter;
                    ``(B) is a member of a Reserve component of the 
                armed forces;
                    ``(C) is called or ordered to active duty in 
                support of a contingency operation (as defined in 
                section 101(a)(13) of title 10);
                    ``(D) is placed on leave without pay or separated 
                from service to perform active duty; and
                    ``(E) serves on active duty for a period of more 
                than 30 consecutive days.''; and
            (3) in subsection (e)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; or''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) in the case of an employee described in 
                subsection (b)(3), the date which is 24 months after 
                the employee is placed on leave without pay or 
                separated from service to perform active duty.''.
    (b)  Authority for Agencies To Pay Premiums.--Subparagraph (C) of 
section 8906(e)(3) of such title is amended by striking ``18 months'' 
and inserting ``24 months''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on March 1, 2003.
                                 <all>