Federal Employees Health Benefits Reform Act of 1993
Referred to the Subcommittee on Compensation and Employee Benefits.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 5, 1993
Federal Employees Health Benefits Reform Act of 1993 - (Sec. 2) Revises the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (the Program) to: (1) establish the Federal Employees Health Benefits Board (the Board); (2) replace current service and indemnity health benefit plans with a new Government-wide health insurance plan that offers both a standard and a high option for either self or family coverage; (3) require group- and individual-practice prepayment plans and mixed model prepayment plans to offer the same types of benefits offered under the standard option; (4) allow employee organization sponsored health plans to offer supplementary benefits; (5) establish flexible spending plans to allow employees to set aside a portion of their salary on a pretax basis to pay out-of-pocket health care expenses; and (6) allow annuitants whose annuities are insufficient to cover the full amount of required withholdings to elect to be covered under health benefits plans if they pay an amount equal to such withholdings to the Employees Health Benefits Fund (the Fund) through the retirement system that administers their health benefits enrollment. Directs the Board to: (1) prescribe regulations governing the provision of health insurance benefits to Federal employees, their families, and retirees under the Government-wide plan; and (2) establish procedures for reviewing the utilization of health care services under such plan and controlling service costs. Revises provisions for computing Government contributions. Provides for the following: (1) establishment of specified biweekly employee contributions; (2) procedures for determining average annual enrollment charges (the costs for providing benefits and administering the plan and any amounts necessary to maintain an adequate contingency reserve); (3) allocation of such costs to each option reasonably and equitably; (4) publication of new enrollment charges in the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations; and (5) continued individual and family coverage for employees who are placed in a leave without pay status. Revises provisions regarding contracting authority to establish separate authority for awarding competitive three-year contracts to nongovernmental organizations to administer the Government-wide plan on a regional basis in areas established by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Permits certain employee organizations which currently self-insure to serve as the plan administrators for employees within their bargaining unit. Repeals provisions regarding payment or reimbursement for services by: (1) psychologists or optometrists; and (2) any person licensed under State law in a State where a specified percentage of the population is located in primary medical care manpower shortage areas. Revises provisions concerning election of coverage. Provides for automatic coverage of an eligible Federal employee under the standard option for self-alone, unless the employee chooses otherwise. Allows temporary employees to enroll in the Government-wide plan provided they pay both employee and Government contributions. Revises provisions regarding contribution set-asides in the Fund to establish new set-aside requirements for contributions to the basic health benefits plans. Directs OPM to prescribe Program regulations providing for the establishment of wellness programs for Federal employees.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 26, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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