Table of Permissible Changes in Enrollment


Enrollment may be cancelled or changed from Self and Family to Self Only at any time.

Events that Permit Enrollment Changes Change Permitted Change Permitted Change Permitted
Number Event From Not Enrolled to Enrolled From Self Only to Family From One Plan or Option to Another Time Limit in Which Registration Form Electing Change Must be Filed With Employing Office
1. Open Season Yes*(1) Yes Yes As announced by the Office of Personnel Management.
2. Change in Marital status. (Marriage, divirce, annulment, death of spouse.) Yes*(1) Yes No From 31 days before to 60 days after change in marital status.
3. Other change in family status. (For example, birth of a child, legal separation, discharge from military service of a spouse or of a child under age 22.) No Yes No Within 60 days after change in family status.
4. Move from an area served by a prepaid plan (CMP/HMO) in which enrolled at time of move Does not apply Yes Yes At any time after move
5. Termination of enrollment by employee organization plan because of termination of membership in organization. Does not apply No Yes Within 31 days after termination of enrollment in plan.
6. Employee, annuitant or former spouse (spouse equity), covered as a family member under another's FEHB enrollment, loses coverage other than by cancellation or change to Self Only of the covering enrollment; or employee, covered under another federally sponsored health benefits program, loses such coverage for any reason. Yes* Does not apply Does not apply Within 31 days after termination (except, for employees, within 60 days after the death of the enrollee). Coverage is effective the first day of the pay period that begins after the employing office receives the SF 2809. If election is made within the time limit, but after expiration of the 31-day extension of coverage (or too close to the expiration of the 31-day extension of coverage), there will be a break in coverage.
7. Employee, annuitant or former spouse (spouse equity), covered as a family member under another's FEHB enrollment, loses coverage because of change of the covering enrollment from Family to Self Only Yes, for Self Only* Does not apply Does not apply Within 31-days after change of covering enrollment has been filed. Coverage is effective the first day of the pay period that begins after the employing office receives the SF2809. If election is made within the time limit, but during a pay period following the one in which the change to Self Only was filed, there will be a break in coverage.
8. Employee transfers to overseas post of duty from the United States, or reverse. Yes* Yes Yes Within 31 days before or after move.
9. Employee returns to active civilian duty or annuitant separates from military service which was not limited to 30 days or less. Yes*(1) Yes Yes Within 31 days after return to active civilian duty or separation from military service.
10. Your plan stops participating in the FEHB Program. Does not apply Yes Yes As set by the Office of Personnel Management.
11. Self Only enrollment under this Program of employee's or annuitant's spouse terminates as a result of change in spouse's Federal employment status or 365 days' nonpay status. No Yes No Within 31 days after termination of spouse's enrollment. Coverage is effective the first day of the pay period that begins after the employing office receives the SF2809. If election is made within the time limit, but after the expiration of the 31-day extension of coverage (or too close to the expiration of the 31-day extension of coverage), threre will be a break in coverage.
12. Employee who is not enrolled loses coverage under parent's non-Federal health plan. Yes* Does not apply Does not apply Within 31 days after loss of coverage, except within 60 days after the death of the parent.
13. Enrolled employee retires from overseas post of duty and is eligible to continue enrollment as an annuitant. Does not apply Yes Yes Within 60 days after retirement
14. Enrollee becomes eligible for Medicare. Does not apply No Yes At any time beginning 30 days before becoming eligible for Medicare
15. Enrollee's eligible child (or children) loses coverage under another's FEHB enrollment. No Yes No Within 31 days after child's (children's) loss of coverage. Coverage is effective the first day of the pay period that begins after the employing office receives the SF2809. If election is made within the time limit, but after the expiration of the 31-day extension of coverage (or too close to the expiration of the 31-day extension of coverage), threre will be a break in coverage.
16. Employee or an eligible family member loses coverage under Medicaid (State program of medical assistance for the needy). Yes*. Employee loss Yes. Family member loss Does not apply Within 31 days after termination of Medicaid or loss of Medicaid coverage by family member.
17. Employee, annuitant or former spouse (spouse equity), covered as a family member under another's FEHB enrollment, loses coverage due to a cancellation of the covering enrollment. Yes* Does not apply See next block. You must enroll in the same plan and option as that from which coverage is lost, if eligible to enroll in that plan, within 31 days after cancellationof the covering enrollment. If not eligible to enroll in that plan, you may enroll in the same option of any available plan within the 31-day period. Coverage is effective the first day of the pay period that begins after the employing office receives the SF2809. If election is made within the time limit but during a pay period following the one in which the cancellation was filed, there will be a break in coverage.
18. Enrolled employee's employment status changes from full-time to part-time career employment as defined in the Federal Employees Part-Time Career Employment Act of 1978. No No Yes Within 31 days after the change in employment status.
19. Employee or Employee's spouse loses coverage under spouse's non-Federal health plan when spouse terminates employment to accompany employee who accepts a position is directed out of commuting area. Yes* Yes No Within 31 days before or 180 after move.
20. Employee's or annuitant's spouse involuntarily loses his or her non-Federal health insurance coverage, or coverage for his or her dependents; or employee's or annuitant's eligible child (or children) loses non-Federalcoverage under the other parent's health plan because the other parent involuntarily loses coverage for his or her dependents. Yes*(1) Yes No Within 31 days before or after spouse's or dependent's loss of coverage; or within 31 days before or after child's (or children's) loss of coverage.
21. Former spouse who is eligible to enroll under the authority of the Civil Service Retirement Spouse Equity Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-615), as amended, the Intelligence Authorization Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-569), or the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (P.L. 100-204). Yes* Does not apply Does not apply Generally, within 60 days after divorce or within 60 days after the date of OPM's notice of eligiblity to enroll.
22. Temporary employee completes one year of service in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 8906a. Yes* Does not apply Does not apply Within 31 days after becoming eligible.
23. Temporary employee, eligible under % U.S.C. 8906a, changes to a non-temporary appointment. Yes* Yes Yes Within 31 days after changing to a non-temporary appointment.
24. Employee separated from service and eligible for temporary continuation of coverage. Does not apply Yes Yes Within 60 days after the later of: separation; or receiving notice of the opportunity to elect temporary continuation of coverage. Coverage is effective the day after other FEHB coverage ends, including the 31-day extension of coverage. If election is made after the end of the 31-day extension of coverage, the effective date will be retroactive.
25. Child of employee, former employee or annuitant stops meeting the requirements for unmarried dependent children. Yes* Does not apply Does not apply Within 60 days after the later of: the qualifying event; or the child's receiving notice of the opportunity to elect temporary continuation of coverage (based on the enrollee's notification to the employing office of the child's eligibility). Coverage is effective the day after other FEHB coverage ends, including the 31-day extension of coverage. If election is made after the end of the 31-day extension of coverage, the effective date will be retroactive.
26. Former spouse meets the requirement in 5 U.S.C. 8901(10) of having been enrolled in an FEHB plan as a covered family member at some time during the 18 months before the marriage ended, but does not meet one or both of the other two requirements of 5 U.S.C. 8901(10). Yes* Does not apply Does not apply Within 60 days after the later of: the qualifying event; the date coverage under Subpart H of 5 CFR Part 890 was lost, if the loss occurred within 36 months of the qualifying event; or the former spouse's receiving notice of the opportunity to elect temporary continuation of coverage (based on the enrollee's or former spouse's notification to the employing office of the former spouse's eligibility). Coverage is effective the day after the other FEHB coverage ends, including the 31-day extension of coverage; or the date of the qualifying event, if later. If election is made after the end of the 31-day extension of coverage or the date of the qualifying event, the effective date will be retroactive.
27. Former employee, former spouse or child whose temporary continuation continuation of coverage under 5 CFR Part 809 Subpart K terminates due to the other FEHB coverage, loses the other FEHB coverage. Yes* Does not apply See next block You must reenroll in the same plan and option as that in which you were enrolled prior to obtaining the other FEHB coverage, if eligible to enroll in that plan, within 31 days after the other coverage ends, but no later than the expiration of the period of eligibility for the temporary continuation of coverage. If not eligible to enroll in that plan , you may enroll in the same option of any available plan within the 31-day time limit.

*Individuals must be otherwise eligible to enroll.

(1) Employees only