[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
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each
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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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