Overview

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) currently covers over 9 million lives, including Members of Congress, the President of the United States, and their families. Permitting the uninsured to use health insurance tax credits to enroll in FEHBP would be a cost-effective, efficient way to extend coverage. Expanding FEHBP should also have broad political appeal, although in order for such a program to be feasible, federal workers already enrolled must not see their premiums rise, nor their benefits decline.

FEHBP is administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Participants choose an insurance plan from a number of managed fee-for-service plans and HMOs offered under FEHBP. Benefits are generally comprehensive, and participants have an annual opportunity to switch plans. Extended FEHBP or E-FEHBP would operate in parallel with this program.

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