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Title 5, Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-102

§8986 Election of Coverage

Title 5 › PART III — EMPLOYEES › Subpart G — Insurance and Annuities › CHAPTER 89B — ENHANCED VISION BENEFITS › § 8986

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Eligible people can enroll in vision coverage as self-only, self plus one, or self and family. If both spouses are eligible, only one spouse may sign up for self plus one or family coverage. A person cannot be signed up twice, for example as an employee and also as a family member. The Office must make rules for how people enroll and how they change between self-only, self plus one, and family plans. The rules must let people cancel or switch plans before a contract term that changes rates or benefits, or when a new plan starts or an old one ends, and at other times the Office allows; any switch will follow the waiting periods of the new plan. If an employee or a covered TRICARE-eligible person is furloughed or kept working without pay because of a lapse in funding, their vision coverage must keep going and cannot be canceled for missed premium payments during the lapse.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §8986

Government Organization and Employees, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)An eligible individual may enroll in a vision benefits plan for self-only, self plus one, or for self and family. If an eligible individual has a spouse who is also eligible to enroll, either spouse, but not both, may enroll for self plus one or self and family. An individual may not be enrolled both as an employee, annuitant, or other individual eligible to enroll and as a member of the family.
(b)The Office shall prescribe regulations under which—
(1)an eligible individual may enroll in a vision benefits plan; and
(2)an enrolled individual may change the self-only, self plus one, or self and family coverage of that individual.
(c)(1)Regulations under subsection (b) shall permit an eligible individual to cancel or transfer the enrollment of that individual to another vision benefits plan—
(A)before the start of any contract term in which there is a change in rates charged or benefits provided, in which a new plan is offered, or in which an existing plan is terminated; or
(B)during other times and under other circumstances specified by the Office.
(2)A transfer under paragraph (1) shall be subject to waiting periods provided under a new plan.
(d)Coverage under a vision benefits plan under this chapter for any employee or a covered TRICARE-eligible individual enrolled in such a plan and who, as a result of a lapse in appropriations, is furloughed or excepted from furlough and working without pay shall continue during such lapse and may not be cancelled as a result of nonpayment of premiums or other periodic charges due to such lapse.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2019—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–92 added subsec. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2019 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 116–92 applicable to any contract for supplemental vision insurance under this chapter entered into before, on, or after Dec. 20, 2019, see section 1111(c) of Pub. L. 116–92, set out as a note under section 8956 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 23, 2004, and applicable to contracts that take effect with respect to the calendar year 2006, see section 7 of Pub. L. 108–496, set out as a note under section 8951 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 8986

Title 5, Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102