Suspension of Enrollment in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for Peace Corps Volunteers, 66828-66829 [E6-19269]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 222 / Friday, November 17, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
§ 550.301
Waiver of Notice of Proposed Rule
Making
Pursuant to section 553(b)(3)(B) of
title 5 of the United States Code, I find
that good cause exists for waiving the
general notice of proposed rule making.
An opportunity for public comment
prior to issuing this rule is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. These regulations are needed to
ensure that agencies treat employee
premiums for dental and vision benefits
offered beginning in December 2006 as
pretax salary reductions under Federal
tax law. OPM’s allotment regulations are
the vehicle for converting these
premiums into salary reductions that
qualify for pretax treatment as part of a
flexible benefits plan under section 125
of title 26, United States Code. In
enacting the Federal Employee Dental
and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act of
2004 (Pub. L. 108–496, December 23,
2004), Congress anticipated that these
dental and vision premiums would be
paid on a pretax basis and described
this pretax treatment as a major
advantage of the new benefits. (See
Senate Report 108–393.)
Regulatory Flexibility Act
I certify that these regulations will not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities
because they will apply only to Federal
agencies and employees.
E.O. 12866, Regulatory Review
The Office of Management and Budget
has reviewed this rule in accordance
with E.O. 12866.
List of Subjects in 5 CFR Parts 550 and
892
Administrative practice and
procedure, Claims, Government
employees, Wages, Health insurance,
and Taxes.
Accordingly, OPM is amending 5 CFR
parts 550 and 892 as follows:
PART 550—PAY ADMINISTRATION
(GENERAL)
Subpart C—Allotments From Federal
Employees
1. The authority citation for subpart C
of part 550 continues to read as follows:
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with RULES
I
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5527; E.O. 10982, 3
CFR 1959–1963 Comp., p. 502.
Jkt 211001
§ 550.311
4. In § 550.312, paragraph (f) is
revised to read as follows:
I
General limitations.
*
*
*
*
(f) Notwithstanding the requirements
in paragraphs (a) and (c) of this section,
an agency may make an allotment for an
employee’s share of Federal Employees
Health Benefits premiums under
§ 550.311(a)(7) and part 892 of this
chapter without specific authorization
from the employee, unless the employee
specifically waives such allotment.
Agency procedures for processing
employee waivers must be consistent
with procedures established by the
Office of Personnel Management. (See
part 892 of this chapter.)
§ 550.313
I
[Removed]
5. Section 550.313 is removed.
§ 550.361
[Removed]
6. Section 550.361 is removed.
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§§ 550.371 and 550.381 [Redesignated as
§§ 550.361 and 550.371]
7. Sections 550.371 and 550.381 are
redesignated as 550.361 and 550.371,
respectively.
I
PART 892—FEDERAL FLEXIBLE
BENEFITS PLAN: PRE-TAX PAYMENT
OF HEALTH BENEFITS PREMIUMS
Subpart C—Contributions and
Withholdings
8. The authority citation for part 892
continues to read as follows:
I
Authority of agency.
(a) Mandatory allotments. An agency
must permit an employee to make—
*
*
*
*
*
(5) Two or more allotments to an
employee’s personal account(s) at a
financial organization;
(6) An allotment for child support
and/or alimony payments under
§ 550.361; and
(7) Any allotment effecting a salary
reduction as part of a flexible benefits
plan established by the Office of
Personnel Management in conformance
with section 125 of title 26, United
States Code.
(b) Discretionary allotments. In
addition to those allotments provided
for in paragraph (a) of this section, an
agency may permit an employee to
make an allotment for any legal purpose
deemed appropriate by the head of the
agency (or designee). This paragraph
does not constitute an independent
authority for an agency to permit pretax
allotments in addition to those
authorized by the Office of Personnel
Management as described in paragraph
(a)(7) of this section.
I
2. In § 550.301, the definition of
employee is revised to read as follows:
16:36 Nov 16, 2006
3. In § 550.311, paragraph (a)(8) is
removed, and the introductory text of
paragraph (a), as well as paragraphs
(a)(5)–(7) and (b) are revised to read as
follows:
I
*
I
VerDate Aug<31>2005
*
*
*
*
Employee means an employee of an
agency who satisfies the definition of
that term in 5 U.S.C. 2105.
*
*
*
*
*
§ 550.312
Office of Personnel Management.
Linda M. Springer,
Director.
I
Definitions.
*
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 8913; 5 U.S.C.
1103(a)(7); 26 U.S.C. 125.
§ 892.301
[Amended]
9. Section 892.301 is amended by
removing the reference ‘‘550.311(a)(8)’’
and adding the reference
‘‘550.311(a)(7)’’ in its place.
I
[FR Doc. E6–19273 Filed 11–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325–39–P
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL
MANAGEMENT
5 CFR Part 890
RIN 3206–AK90
Suspension of Enrollment in the
Federal Employees Health Benefits
(FEHB) Program for Peace Corps
Volunteers
Office of Personnel
Management.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel
Management is issuing a final regulation
to allow Peace Corps volunteers who are
FEHB Program enrolled annuitants,
survivors, and former spouses to
suspend their FEHB enrollments and
then return to the FEHB Program during
the Open Season, or return to FEHB
coverage immediately, if they
involuntarily lose health benefits
coverage under the Peace Corps. The
intent of this final rule is to allow these
beneficiaries to avoid the expense of
continuing to pay FEHB Program
premiums while they have other health
coverage as Peace Corps volunteers,
without endangering their ability to
return to the FEHB Program in the
future.
DATES: Effective Date: Effective
December 18, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael W. Kaszynski, Policy Analyst,
Insurance Policy, OPM, Room 3425,
1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC
20415–0001. Phone number: 202–606–
0004. E-mail: mwkaszy@opm.gov.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 222 / Friday, November 17, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
The Office
of Personnel Management (OPM) allows
certain Medicare, Medicaid, CHAMPVA
or TRICARE or TRICARE-for-Life
eligible FEHB Program annuitants,
survivors, and former spouses to
suspend their FEHB enrollments and
then return to the FEHB Program during
the Open Season; or return to FEHB
coverage immediately, if they
involuntarily lose coverage. This has
allowed these beneficiaries to avoid the
expense of continuing to pay FEHB
Program premiums while they are using
certain Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE
or TRICARE-for-Life or CHAMPVA
coverage without endangering their
ability to return to the FEHB Program in
the future. We have determined that
individuals eligible for coverage under
the Peace Corps should be allowed the
same right to suspend FEHB coverage
and reenroll in the FEHB Program as we
afford these other groups. On November
30, 2005, OPM published an interim
rule in the Federal Register at 70 FR
71749. We received no comments on the
interim regulation.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulatory Flexibility Act
I certify that this regulation will not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities
because the regulation affects only
health insurance carriers under the
Federal Employees Health Benefits
Program.
Executive Order 12866, Regulatory
Review
This regulation has been reviewed by
the Office of Management and Budget in
accordance with Executive Order 12866.
List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 890
Administrative practice and
procedure, Government employees,
Health facilities, Health insurance,
Health professionals, Hostages, Iraq,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Military Personnel,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Retirement.
Office of Personnel Management.
Linda M. Springer,
Director.
Accordingly, the interim rule
amending 5 CFR part 890 which was
published in the Federal Register at 70
FR 71749, November 30, 2005, is
adopted as a final rule without change.
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with RULES
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[FR Doc. E6–19269 Filed 11–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325–39–P
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:36 Nov 16, 2006
Jkt 211001
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
7 CFR Part 301
[Docket No. APHIS–2006–0171]
Gypsy Moth Generally Infested Areas;
Addition of Areas in Virginia
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Interim rule and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We are amending the gypsy
moth regulations by adding the Cities of
Roanoke and Salem and the Counties of
Craig, Giles, and Roanoke in Virginia to
the list of generally infested areas based
on the detection of infestations of gypsy
moth in those areas. As a result of this
action, the interstate movement of
regulated articles from those areas will
be restricted. This action is necessary to
prevent the artificial spread of the gypsy
moth to noninfested areas of the United
States.
DATES: This interim rule is effective
November 17, 2006. We will consider
all comments that we receive on or
before January 16, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov, select
‘‘Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service’’ from the agency drop-down
menu, then click ‘‘Submit.’’ In the
Docket ID column, select APHIS–2006–
0171 to submit or view public
comments and to view supporting and
related materials available
electronically. Information on using
Regulations.gov, including instructions
for accessing documents, submitting
comments, and viewing the docket after
the close of the comment period, is
available through the site’s ‘‘User Tips’’
link.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Please send four copies of your
comment (an original and three copies)
to Docket No. APHIS–2006–0171,
Regulatory Analysis and Development,
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD
20737–1238. Please state that your
comment refers to Docket No. APHIS–
2006–0171.
Reading Room: You may read any
comments that we receive on this
docket in our reading room. The reading
room is located in room 1141 of the
USDA South Building, 14th Street and
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC. Normal reading room
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66829
hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except
holidays. To be sure someone is there to
help you, please call (202) 690–2817
before coming.
Other Information: Additional
information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at
https://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Weyman Fussell, Program Manager, Pest
Detection and Management Programs,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 134,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 734–
5705.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar
(Linnaeus), is a destructive pest of forest
and shade trees. The gypsy moth
regulations (contained in 7 CFR 301.45
through 301.45–12 and referred to
below as the regulations) restrict the
interstate movement of regulated
articles from generally infested areas to
prevent the human-assisted spread of
the gypsy moth.
In accordance with § 301.45–2 of the
regulations, generally infested areas are,
with certain exceptions, those States or
portions of States in which a gypsy
moth general infestation has been found
by an inspector, or each portion of a
State that the Administrator deems
necessary to regulate because of its
proximity to infestation or its
inseparability for quarantine
enforcement purposes from infested
localities. Less than an entire State will
be designated as a generally infested
area only if: (1) The State has adopted
and is enforcing a quarantine or
regulation that imposes restrictions on
the intrastate movement of regulated
articles that are substantially the same
as those that are imposed with respect
to the interstate movement of such
articles; and (2) the designation of less
than the entire State as a generally
infested area will be adequate to prevent
the artificial interstate spread of
infestations of the gypsy moth.
Designation of Areas as Generally
Infested Areas
Section 301.45–3 of the regulations
lists generally infested areas. In this
rule, we are amending § 301.45–3(a) by
adding two cities and three counties in
Virginia to the list of generally infested
areas. As a result of this rule, the
interstate movement of regulated
articles from these areas will be
restricted.
We are taking this action because, in
cooperation with the State of Virginia,
the United States Department of
E:\FR\FM\17NOR1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 222 (Friday, November 17, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66828-66829]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19269]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
5 CFR Part 890
RIN 3206-AK90
Suspension of Enrollment in the Federal Employees Health Benefits
(FEHB) Program for Peace Corps Volunteers
AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing a final
regulation to allow Peace Corps volunteers who are FEHB Program
enrolled annuitants, survivors, and former spouses to suspend their
FEHB enrollments and then return to the FEHB Program during the Open
Season, or return to FEHB coverage immediately, if they involuntarily
lose health benefits coverage under the Peace Corps. The intent of this
final rule is to allow these beneficiaries to avoid the expense of
continuing to pay FEHB Program premiums while they have other health
coverage as Peace Corps volunteers, without endangering their ability
to return to the FEHB Program in the future.
DATES: Effective Date: Effective December 18, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael W. Kaszynski, Policy Analyst,
Insurance Policy, OPM, Room 3425, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC
20415-0001. Phone number: 202-606-0004. E-mail: mwkaszy@opm.gov.
[[Page 66829]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
allows certain Medicare, Medicaid, CHAMPVA or TRICARE or TRICARE-for-
Life eligible FEHB Program annuitants, survivors, and former spouses to
suspend their FEHB enrollments and then return to the FEHB Program
during the Open Season; or return to FEHB coverage immediately, if they
involuntarily lose coverage. This has allowed these beneficiaries to
avoid the expense of continuing to pay FEHB Program premiums while they
are using certain Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE or TRICARE-for-Life or
CHAMPVA coverage without endangering their ability to return to the
FEHB Program in the future. We have determined that individuals
eligible for coverage under the Peace Corps should be allowed the same
right to suspend FEHB coverage and reenroll in the FEHB Program as we
afford these other groups. On November 30, 2005, OPM published an
interim rule in the Federal Register at 70 FR 71749. We received no
comments on the interim regulation.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
I certify that this regulation will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities because the regulation
affects only health insurance carriers under the Federal Employees
Health Benefits Program.
Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Review
This regulation has been reviewed by the Office of Management and
Budget in accordance with Executive Order 12866.
List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 890
Administrative practice and procedure, Government employees, Health
facilities, Health insurance, Health professionals, Hostages, Iraq,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Military Personnel, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Retirement.
Office of Personnel Management.
Linda M. Springer,
Director.
0
Accordingly, the interim rule amending 5 CFR part 890 which was
published in the Federal Register at 70 FR 71749, November 30, 2005, is
adopted as a final rule without change.
[FR Doc. E6-19269 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-39-P
