[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 27, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 28891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13922]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 27, 1998 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 28891]]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 890

RIN 3206-AI05


Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Removal of Minimum 
Salary Requirement

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final 
rule to remove an obsolete provision that prohibits an employee whose 
annual salary is $350 or less from enrolling in the Federal Employees 
Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 26, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth A. Lease, 202-606-0004.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 6, 1998, OPM published a proposed 
rule in the Federal Register (63 FR 446) to remove an obsolete 
provision that prohibits an employee earning $350 or less per year from 
enrolling in the FEHB Program. This provision was based on the fact 
that, until they were amended in 1982, FEHB regulations required that 
employee contributions to premiums could only be made by salary 
withholding while an employee was in a pay status. ($350 is the amount 
which, when the Program began in 1960, was sufficient to cover the 
appropriate employee contributions for the least costly FEHB plan.) As 
amended in August 1982, however, the regulations now require enrollee 
contributions, by direct payment if necessary, for all periods during 
which coverage continues, even periods during which an employee does 
not receive pay (such as a leave without pay situation).
    We also proposed to amend the reference in the definition of letter 
of credit under Sec. 890.101 to conform to a recent reference change in 
Chapter 16 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations (FEHBAR).
    We received no comments.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    I certify that this regulation will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities because it primarily 
affects Federal employees.

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 890

    Administrative practice and procedure, Government employees, Health 
facilities, Health insurance, Health professions, Hostages, Iraq, 
Kuwait, Lebanon, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Retirement.

Office of Personnel Management.
Janice R. Lachance,
Director.

    Accordingly, OPM is amending 5 CFR part 890 as follows:

PART 890--FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAM

    1. The authority citation for part 890 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 8913; Sec. 890.803 also issued under 50 
U.S.C. 403p, 22 U.S.C. 4069c and 4069c-1; subpart L also issued 
under sec. 599C of Pub. L. 101-513, 104 Stat. 2064, as amended, 
Sec. 890.102 also issued under sections 11202(f), 11232(e), and 
11246(b) and (c) of Pub. L. 105-33, 111 Stat. 251.

    2. In Sec. 890.101, paragraph (a), the definition of Letter of 
Credit is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 890.101  Definitions; time computations.

    (a) * * *
    Letter of credit is defined in 48 CFR 1602.170-10.
* * * * *


Sec. 890.102  [Amended]

    3. In Sec. 890.102, paragraph (c)(4) is removed and paragraphs 
(c)(5), (c)(6), (c)(7), and (c)(8) are redesignated as paragraphs 
(c)(4), (c)(5), (c)(6), and (c)(7) respectively.
    4. In Sec. 890.303, paragraph (b) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 890.303  Continuation of enrollment.

* * * * *
    (b) Change of enrolled employees to certain excluded positions. 
Employees and annuitants enrolled under this part who move, without a 
break in service or after a separation of 3 days or less, to an 
employment in which they are excluded by Sec. 890.102(c), continue to 
be enrolled unless excluded by paragraphs (c) (4), (5), (6), or (7) of 
Sec. 890.102.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 98-13922 Filed 5-26-98; 8:45 am]
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