Post-DOMA Survivor Annuitant Federal Employees Health Benefit Waiver Criteria

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has updated its Waiver Policy on the official OPM Web site \1\ to post the additional criteria OPM will consider when reviewing certain requests for waiver of the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program enrollment eligibility requirements. The updates to the Waiver Policy detail the criteria OPM will consider when reviewing waiver requests from individuals who are receiving a monthly survivor annuity as the surviving same-sex spouse of a Federal employee or annuitant who died on or before June 26, 2013. After an individual who is receiving a monthly annuity as the surviving same-sex spouse of a deceased Federal employee or annuitant is granted a waiver pursuant to section 8905(b) of title 5, U.S. Code, and the applicable procedures, the FEHB enrollment will be effective the first day of the first pay period that begins after the date on which that OPM granted the waiver. The individual may not be enrolled in FEHB retroactively, unless there is clear administrative error. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------