The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued   proposed regulations to rewrite the existing Federal regulations (5 CFR 890.502) governing Payment of Health Premiums for Periods of Leave Without Pay (LWOP) or Insufficient Pay.

According to the notice: The proposed regulation is ”to ensure that employees who are entering LWOP status, or whose pay is insufficient to pay their FEHB premiums, are fully informed when they decide whether or not to continue their FEHB coverage.”

The regulations require “Federal agencies to provide employees entering leave without pay (LWOP) status, or whose pay is insufficient to cover their Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) premium payments, written notice of their opportunity to continue their FEHB coverage. Employees who want to continue their enrollment must sign a form agreeing to pay their premiums directly to their agency on a current basis, or to incur a debt to be withheld from their future salary.”