§12524 Enrollment and election of benefits

Summary

New members of the Ready Reserve are automatically signed up for the reserve insurance program when they first join. If a member says no within 60 days of first joining, the automatic sign-up is canceled. When the program starts, current Ready Reserve members (unless ruled ineligible) will be offered a chance to enroll and have 60 days to sign up or they are treated as having declined. Members who were ineligible while on active duty get a 60-day chance to enroll after they leave active service. The default monthly benefit is the basic benefit in 12525(a) unless a member chooses a different option in 12525(b) within 60 days of first joining or being offered enrollment. A decision to decline at the initial offer is final. Coverage amounts cannot be increased after enrollment. Members may cancel enrollment anytime. The Secretary must give a written explanation and tell members about these choices. Members on active duty or full‑time National Guard duty cannot enroll; the Secretary can exclude other groups. If someone moves from the Individual Ready Reserve to the Selected Reserve, they can buy insurance unless they earlier declined while in the Selected Reserve.