Title 50 — War and National DefenseRelease 119-73not60
§3516 Health Benefits for Certain Former Spouses of Central Intelligence Agency Employees
Title 50 › Chapter 46— CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY › § 3516
Summary
Lets certain former spouses of CIA employees join a federal health plan if they meet specific rules. To qualify, the marriage ended by divorce or annulment before May 7, 1985; the former spouse was on the employee’s family health plan at some time during the 18 months before the divorce became final; and the couple were married at least 10 years while the employee worked for the CIA, with at least 5 of those years spent together outside the United States. Eligible people could sign up for themselves or for themselves and family if they file an election and, within the six-month period that starts October 1, 1986, arrange to pay into the Employees Health Benefits Fund an amount equal to the combined employee and agency contributions for that plan. The CIA must try to find and notify eligible former spouses, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) can waive the six-month sign-up deadline if CIA asks. Additional rules cover divorces on or before December 4, 1991 for people tied to the CIA retirement systems. Those former spouses with the same 10-year/5-year and 18-month rules can enroll if they do so within 60 days after being told they are eligible. If a eligible former spouse enrolled after such a divorce, they may keep coverage after the participant’s death even if the retirement annuity ends. If a former spouse remarries before age 55, they cannot enroll or keep coverage (coverage ends 31 days after remarriage), but eligibility is restored if that later remarriage ends by death, annulment, or divorce. No one can have duplicate coverage under this rule or be covered here while covered under another authority. “Health benefits plan” means an approved FEHB plan under chapter 89 of title 5.
Full Legal Text
Title 50, §3516
War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Except as provided in subsection (e), any individual—
(1)formerly married to an employee or former employee of the Agency, whose marriage was dissolved by divorce or annulment before May 7, 1985;
(2)who, at any time during the eighteen-month period before the divorce or annulment became final, was covered under a health benefits plan as a member of the family of such employee or former employee; and
(3)who was married to such employee for not less than ten years during periods of service by such employee with the Agency, at least five years of which were spent outside the United States by both the employee and the former spouse,
(b)(1)Any individual eligible for coverage under subsection (a) may enroll in a health benefits plan for self alone or for self and family if, before the expiration of the six-month period beginning on October 1, 1986, and in accordance with such procedures as the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall by regulation prescribe, such individual—
(A)files an election for such enrollment; and
(B)arranges to pay currently into the Employees Health Benefits Fund under section 8909 of title 5 an amount equal to the sum of the employee and agency contributions payable in the case of an employee enrolled under chapter 89 of such title in the same health benefits plan and with the same level of benefits.
(2)The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency shall, as soon as possible, take all steps practicable—
(A)to determine the identity and current address of each former spouse eligible for coverage under subsection (a); and
(B)to notify each such former spouse of that individual’s rights under this section.
(3)The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, upon notification by the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, shall waive the six-month limitation set forth in paragraph (1) in any case in which the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency determines that the circumstances so warrant.
(c)(1)Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) and except as provided in subsections (d), (e), and (f), an individual—
(A)who was divorced on or before December 4, 1991, from a participant or retired participant in the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System or the Federal Employees Retirement System Special Category;
(B)who was married to such participant for not less than ten years during the participant’s creditable service, at least five years of which were spent by the participant during the participant’s service as an employee of the Agency outside the United States, or otherwise in a position the duties of which qualified the participant for designation by the Director as a participant under section 2013 of this title; and
(C)who was enrolled in a health benefits plan as a family member at any time during the 18-month period before the date of dissolution of the marriage to such participant;
(2)A former spouse eligible for coverage under paragraph (1) may enroll in a health benefits plan in accordance with subsection (b)(1), except that the election for such enrollment must be submitted within 60 days after the date on which the Director notifies the former spouse of such individual’s eligibility for health insurance coverage under this subsection.
(d)Notwithstanding subsections (a), (b), and (c) and except as provided in subsections (e) and (f), an individual divorced on or before December 4, 1991, from a participant or retired participant in the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System or Federal Employees’ Retirement System Special Category who enrolled in a health benefits plan following the dissolution of the marriage to such participant may continue enrollment following the death of such participant notwithstanding the termination of the retirement annuity of such individual.
(e)(1)Any former spouse who remarries before age fifty-five is not eligible to make an election under subsection (b)(1).
(2)Any former spouse enrolled in a health benefits plan pursuant to an election under subsection (b)(1) or to subsection (d) may continue the enrollment under the conditions of eligibility which the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall by regulation prescribe, except that any former spouse who remarries before age fifty-five shall not be eligible for continued enrollment under this section after the end of the thirty-one-day period beginning on the date of remarriage.
(3)(A)A former spouse who is not eligible to enroll or to continue enrollment in a health benefits plan under this section solely because of remarriage before age fifty-five shall be restored to such eligibility on the date such remarriage is dissolved by death, annulment, or divorce.
(B)A former spouse whose eligibility is restored under subparagraph (A) may, under regulations which the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe, enroll in a health benefits plan if such former spouse—
(i)was an individual referred to in paragraph (1) and was an individual covered under a benefits plan as a family member at any time during the 18-month period before the date of dissolution of the marriage to the Agency employee or annuitant; or
(ii)was an individual referred to in paragraph (2) and was an individual covered under a benefits plan immediately before the remarriage ended the enrollment.
(f)No individual may be covered by a health benefits plan under this section during any period in which such individual is enrolled in a health benefits plan under any other authority, nor may any individual be covered under more than one enrollment under this section.
(g)For purposes of this section the term “health benefits plan” means an approved health benefits plan under chapter 89 of title 5.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification Section was formerly classified to section 403p of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
Amendments
2004—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(b)(3)(B), substituted “Director of the Central Intelligence Agency” for “Director of Central Intelligence” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(b)(3)(C), substituted “Director of the Central Intelligence Agency” for “Director of Central Intelligence” in two places. Subsec. (c)(1)(B). Pub. L. 108–458, § 1071(b)(2)(B), struck out “of Central Intelligence” after “Director”. 1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–178, § 203(c)(2)(A), substituted “subsection (e)” for “subsection (c)(1)” in introductory provisions. Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 103–178, § 203(c)(1), added subsecs. (c) and (d). Former subsecs. (c) and (d) redesignated (e) and (f), respectively. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–178, § 203(c)(2)(B), inserted “or to subsection (d)” after “subsection (b)(1)” in par. (2). Pub. L. 103–178, § 203(c)(1)(A), redesignated subsec. (c) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (g). Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 103–178, § 203(c)(1)(A), redesignated subsecs. (d) and (e) as (f) and (g), respectively. 1991—Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 102–88 added par. (3).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2004 AmendmentFor Determination by President that amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 take effect on Apr. 21, 2005, see Memorandum of President of the United States, Apr. 21, 2005, 70 F.R. 23925, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title. Amendment by Pub. L. 108–458 effective not later than six months after Dec. 17, 2004, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 1097(a) of Pub. L. 108–458, set out in an
Effective Date
of 2004 Amendment; Transition Provisions note under section 3001 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1993 AmendmentAmendment by section 203(c) of Pub. L. 103–178 applicable to individuals on and after Oct. 1, 1994, with no benefits provided pursuant to section 203(c) payable with respect to any period before Oct. 1, 1994, except that subsec. (d) of this section applicable to individuals beginning Dec. 3, 1993, see section 203(e) of Pub. L. 103–178, set out as a Survivor Annuity, Retirement Annuity, and Health Benefits for Certain Ex-Spouses of Central Intelligence Agency Employees;
Effective Date
note under section 2032 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1991 Amendment Pub. L. 102–88, title III, § 307(d), Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 433, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section and provisions formerly set out as a note under section 403 of this title] shall take effect as of October 1, 1990. No benefits provided pursuant to the
Amendments
made by this section shall be payable with respect to any period before such date.”
Effective Date
Pub. L. 99–569, title III, § 303(b), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3195, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [enacting this section] shall take effect on October 1, 1986.” Compliance With Budget Act Pub. L. 102–88, title III, § 307(e), Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 433, provided that: “Any new spending authority (within the meaning of section 401(c) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 [2 U.S.C. 651(c)]) provided pursuant to the
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section and provisions formerly set out as a note under section 403 of this title] shall be effective for any fiscal year only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
50 U.S.C. § 3516
Title 50 — War and National Defense
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60