[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4277 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4277

     To provide that the same health insurance premium conversion 
   arrangements afforded to employees in the executive and judicial 
  branches of the Government be made available to Federal annuitants, 
 individuals serving in the legislative branch of the Government, and 
         members and retired members of the uniformed services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 13, 2000

Mr. Davis of Virginia introduced the following bill; which was referred 
     to the Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the 
Committees on House Administration and Armed Services, for a period to 
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To provide that the same health insurance premium conversion 
   arrangements afforded to employees in the executive and judicial 
  branches of the Government be made available to Federal annuitants, 
 individuals serving in the legislative branch of the Government, and 
         members and retired members of the uniformed services.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Employees Health Insurance 
Premium Conversion Act''.

SEC. 2. HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM CONVERSION ARRANGEMENTS.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``health insurance premium 
conversion arrangement'' refers to an arrangement described in the 
letter of the Office of Personnel Management (numbered 00-204) dated 
February 14, 2000, and entitled ``Federal Employees' Health Benefits 
(FEHB) Program: Premium Conversion''.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF PREMIUM CONVERSION ARRANGEMENTS TO FEDERAL 
              ANNUITANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Office of Personnel Management shall take all 
necessary measures to ensure that the option to pay one's FEHBP 
enrollment charges through a health insurance premium conversion 
arrangement shall be made available to annuitants, beginning on the 
same date as when such option first becomes available to Federal 
employees generally under the new rules described in the letter 
identified in section 2 (or as soon thereafter as possible, but in no 
event later than the deadline specified in section 7).
    (b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            (1) the term ``annuitant'' has the meaning given such term 
        by section 8901 of title 5, United States Code; and
            (2) the term ``FEHBP'' refers to the health benefits 
        program established by chapter 89 of title 5, United States 
        Code.

SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF PREMIUM CONVERSION ARRANGEMENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE 
              BRANCH.

    (a) In General.--There shall be established by each employing 
entity within the legislative branch of the Government a plan, similar 
in effect to the health insurance premium conversion arrangement 
described in section 2, for the benefit of individuals employed in or 
under such entity.
    (b) Regulations.--Any regulations necessary to carry out this 
section may--
            (1) with respect to any individuals whose pay is disbursed 
        by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of 
        Representatives, be prescribed by the Committee on House 
        Oversight of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) with respect to any individuals whose pay is disbursed 
        by the Secretary of the Senate, be prescribed by the Committee 
        on Rules and Administration of the Senate.

SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF PREMIUM CONVERSION ARRANGEMENT TO MEMBERS AND 
              RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--There shall be established by each of the 
appropriate Secretaries a plan, similar in effect to the health 
insurance premium conversion arrangement described in section 2, for 
the benefit of members and retired members of the uniformed services 
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary involved.
    (b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            (1) the term ``member of the uniformed services'' means a 
        member of the uniformed services, other than a retired member 
        of the uniformed services;
            (2) the term ``retired member of the uniformed services'' 
        means a member or former member of the uniformed services 
        entitled to retired or retainer pay;
            (3) the term ``uniformed services'' has the meaning given 
        such term by section 2101 of title 5, United States Code; and
            (4) the term ``appropriate Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Defense, except that--
                    (A) with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not 
                operating as a service of the Navy, such term means the 
                Secretary of Transportation;
                    (B) with respect to the commissioned corps of the 
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, such 
                term means the Secretary of Commerce; and
                    (C) with respect to the commissioned corps of the 
                Public Health Service, such term means the Secretary of 
                Health and Human Services.

SEC. 6. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    The Office of Personnel Management shall make information and 
technical assistance available to agencies and other employing entities 
in the development of their plans under this Act.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    All plans required under sections 4 and 5, respectively, shall be 
completed in time so that the option to pay one's enrollment charges 
through a health insurance premium conversion arrangement shall become 
available no later than the first day of the first applicable pay 
period beginning on or after January 1, 2001.
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