Skip to page navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

OPM.gov / Insurance / Life Events
Skip to main content

I'm called up to/returning from military active duty

 

Health

If you are currently enrolled in the FEHB Program and enter one of the uniformed services for 30 days or less, your FEHB enrollment will continue without change. Withholdings and Government contributions will also continue, as long as you are in pay status or until your military orders are changed so that your period of duty is more than 30 days.

If you enter on active duty or active duty for training in one of the uniformed services for more than 30 days, you may continue your FEHB enrollment for up to 24 months. Or, you may elect to terminate your enrollment as of the day before entering active duty.

If you think that you may want to terminate your FEHB coverage sometime prior to the end of the 24 month period, you should waive your participation in premium conversion.

If you continue your enrollment during military service, you are responsible for the employee share of the premiums for the first 12 months, just like any other employee in leave without pay status. During the last 12 months of the 24-month period, you must pay both the employee and the Government shares of the premium, plus an additional 2 percent of the total premium, on a current basis.

FEHB law gives agencies the authority to pay your FEHB premiums, if you are called or ordered to active duty in support of a contingency operation (as defined in section 101(a)(13) of title 10 U.S.C.).

If you are not called up in support of a contingency operation, your agency has no authority to pay your share of FEHB premiums.

At the end of the 24 months, you have a 31-day extension of coverage and the right to convert to an individual policy offered by the carrier of your plan.

If you aren't enrolled in the FEHB Program when you enter military duty, you may enroll within 60 days after your return to civilian service. Your election becomes effective on the first day of the pay period that begins after your employing office receives your completed enrollment request and that follows a pay period during any part of which you were in pay status.

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions and the FEHB Handbook for more information on being called to Active Military Duty.

If you exercise reemployment rights on your return from military duty, your terminated enrollment will be reinstated effective on the day you return to civilian duty (the same date of the restoration action shown on SF 50, Notification of Personnel Action) and is not retroactive to the date you separated from military service. If you return to civilian duty in the exercise of reemployment rights, you may change your reinstated enrollment from Self Only to Self and Family, and to either option of any plan available, within 60 days after you return to civilian service.

If you return from military duty after your enrollment terminated, but not in the exercise of reemployment rights, you must (if eligible for coverage) elect to enroll within 60 days after returning to civilian duty, the same as a new employee.

If you have coverage under transitional TRICARE for 180 days after your discharge, your agency can postpone automatic reinstatement of FEHB coverage until your transitional TRICARE ends. You will need to sign a Waiver of Immediate Reinstatement of FEHB which is available through your human resources office.

If you weren't enrolled in the FEHB Program when you entered military duty, you may enroll within 60 days after you return to civilian service. Your election becomes effective on the first day of the pay period that begins after your employing office receives your completed enrollment request and that follows a pay period during any part of which you were in pay status.

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions and the FEHB Handbook for more information on returning from Active Military Duty.

Dental or Vision

If you are enrolled in FEDVIP, you may cancel your FEDVIP enrollment, if you (or your spouse) are called to active military duty. Contact BENEFEDS at 1-877-888-FEDS (3337), TTY 1-877-889-5680.

Life

Employees who enter on active duty or active duty for training in one of the uniformed services for more than 30 days can continue their FEGLI for up to 24 months (Public law 110-181). FEGLI coverage is free for the first 12 months. However, employees must pay both the employee and agency share of the premiums for their Basic coverage, and also pay the entire cost (there is no agency share) for any Optional insurance they may have for the additional 12 months of coverage.

Affected employees will receive a notice from their agencies giving them the opportunity to elect to continue coverage for the additional 12 months. Notices will be sent out after the agency has been notified an employee has been called up to active duty. If employees wish to continue coverage, they must indicate their election on the notice, and return it to the employing office. Employees may make their elections at any time before the end of their first 12 months in nonpay status. This law applies only to employee reservists called to active duty.

When an employee who has been on military duty returns to active Federal service, he or she gets back whatever type(s) of life insurance he or she had before going into nonpay status (as long as the position is not excluded from coverage). The employee does not get an opportunity to elect more coverage unless he or she has been separated from Federal service for at least 180 days.

Please refer to Military and FEGLI FAQs on our website for more details.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Call FSAFEDS at 1-877-FSAFEDS (372-3337), TTY: 1-800-952-0450 for additional information.

Long Term Care

This will not affect your FLTCIP coverage. Your coverage will remain in effect as long as you continue to pay premiums. If you pay your premiums through payroll deduction, you will need to contact Long Term Care Partners at 1-800-LTCFEDS (1-800-582-3337) to make other billing arrangements. You may also complete the Billing Change Form which can be found at www.ltcfeds.com.

Control Panel