This article will focus on what separated or divorced employees need to know about their federal insurance benefits, specifically their Federal Employees’ Health Benefits (FEHB) and Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI).
FEHB benefits during separation
Suppose you’re officially separated or in the process of annulment or divorce and registered in the Self Plus One or Self and Family option of an FEHB plan. In that case, your spouse can continue receiving benefits under that coverage.
FEHB benefits when divorced
Your ex-FEHB spouse’s coverage will expire at midnight on the day of your annulment or divorce. Then, they can decide whether to continue with that coverage. That can be done through:
- the spouse equity act,
- the temporary continuation of coverage (TCC) provision, or
- by switching to individual insurance with your FEHB carrier.
You may find a thorough explanation of these possibilities at www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/reference-materials/reference/former-spouses.
If you still have family members covered under your FEHB membership, you can choose to stay in the Self and Family option, or if there’s only one eligible person, you can select Self Plus One. You can switch to Self Only if no one else is covered under your FEHB membership. You can change plans or options regardless of your circumstances. You can make that adjustment within 60 days following the termination of your marriage by completing Standard Form 2809 and sending it to your agency’s personnel office (or OPM if you’re a retiree). The form is available for download at www.opm.gov/forms/pdf fill/sf2809.pdf.
Beneficiary Designation Under FEGLI
If you’re registered in the FEGLI program, you must determine whom you have selected to receive the money from your life insurance policy in the event of your death. If you named your spouse, you might want to alter it now that you’re divorced. To make a change, fill out Standard Form 2823, which is available for download at www.opm.gov/forms/pdf fill/sf2823.pdf.
Survivor Benefit
While you’re legally required to provide a survivor annuity for your spouse, that obligation disappears when your annulment or divorce is final. To avoid future complications, you must notify your agency (or OPM if you’re a retiree) that your marriage has dissolved.
Other Coverage
After a divorce, a covered person’s enrollment in the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) remains active as long as the premiums are paid. Coverage under the Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FDVIP) terminates, with no options for continuing coverage; however, now-former spouses may re-enroll if they’re otherwise eligible as federal employees or retirees.
Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9568933225
Bio:
Rick Viader is a Federal Retirement Consultant that uses proven strategies to help federal employees achieve their financial goals and make sure they receive all the benefits they worked so hard to achieve.
In helping federal employees, Rick has seen the need to offer retirement plan coaching where Human Resources departments either could not or were not able to assist. For almost 14 years, Rick has specialized in using federal government benefits and retirement systems to maximize retirement incomes.
His goals are to guide federal employees to achieve their financial goals while maximizing their retirement incomes.
