Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

5 U.S.C. § 8702

Automatic coverage

(a)
An employee is automatically insured on the date he becomes eligible for insurance and each policy of insurance purchased by the Office of Personnel Management under this chapter shall provide for that automatic coverage.
(b)
An employee desiring not to be insured shall give written notice to his employing office on a form prescribed by the Office. If the notice is received before he has become insured, he shall not be insured. If the notice is received after he has become insured, his insurance stops at the end of the pay period in which the notice is received.
(c)
section 101(a)(13) of title 10section 1580 of title 10 Notwithstanding a notice previously given under subsection (b), an employee who is deployed in support of a contingency operation (as that term is defined in ) or an employee of the Department of Defense who is designated as an emergency essential employee under shall be insured if the employee, within 60 days after the date of notification of deployment or designation, elects to be insured under a policy of insurance under this chapter. An election under the preceding sentence shall be effective when provided to the Office in writing, in the form prescribed by the Office, within such 60-day period.
(d)
section 1342 of title 31 Any services by an officer or employee under this chapter relating to benefits under this chapter shall be deemed, for purposes of , services for emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.

Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 593Pub. L. 95–454, title IX, § 906(a)(2)92 Stat. 1224Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]114 Stat. 1654Pub. L. 110–417122 Stat. 4616Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XI, § 1110(b)133 Stat. 1600(, , ; , (3), , ; , title XI, § 1134(a)], , , 1654A–318; , [div. A], title XI, § 1103(a), , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derivation

U.S. Code

Revised Statutes and

Statutes at Large

 

5 U.S.C. 2094(a) (less 1st par.).

Aug. 17, 1954, ch. 752, § 5(a) (less 1st par.), 68 Stat. 738.

In subsection (a), the words “eligible for insurance” are coextensive with and substituted for “eligible under the terms of this chapter”.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 116–922019—Subsec. (d). added subsec. (d).

Pub. L. 110–417section 101(a)(13) of title 102008—Subsec. (c). inserted “an employee who is deployed in support of a contingency operation (as that term is defined in ) or” after “subsection (b),” and substituted “the date of notification of deployment or” for “the date of the”.

Pub. L. 106–3982000—Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 95–4541978—Subsecs. (a), (b). substituted “Office of Personnel Management” for “Civil Service Commission” and “Office” for “Commission”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2019 Amendment

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XI, § 1110(d)133 Stat. 1600

section 8905 of this title“The amendments made by subsection[s] (a) and (b) [amending this section and ] shall apply to any lapse in appropriations beginning on or after the date of enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–454section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454section 1101 of this titleAmendment by effective 90 days after , see , set out as a note under .

Regulations

Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XI, § 1110(c)133 Stat. 1600

“(1)

In general .—

section 8905 of this titleNot later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [], the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations to carry out the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section and ].
“(2)

Pay status for furloughed employees .—

section 8905 of this titleThe regulations prescribed under paragraph (1) for the amendments made by subsection (a) [amending ] shall provide that an employee furloughed as result of a lapse in appropriations shall, during such lapse, be deemed to be in a pay status for purposes of enrolling or changing the enrollment (as the case may be) of that employee under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code.”
, , , provided that:

Applicability

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]114 Stat. 1654

section 8702(c) of title 5section 1580 of title 10“For purposes of , United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), an employee of the Department of Defense who is designated as an emergency essential employee under , United States Code, before the date of the enactment of this Act [] shall be deemed to be so designated on the date of the enactment of this Act.”
, title XI, § 1134(b)], , , 1654A–318, provided that: