Office of Personnel Management October 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to amend the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) regulation to expand eligibility to apply for coverage under the Program. This rule expands the definition of ``qualified relative'' to include opposite-sex domestic partners of Federal and U.S. Postal Service employees, annuitants, members of the uniformed services, and retired members of the uniformed services. In addition, this rule provides that adult children of domestic partners will be considered one of the types of individuals comprising the statutory term ``qualified relative'' who may apply for FLTCIP coverage.

The Office of Personnel Management is issuing final regulations on behalf of the President's Pay Agent. These final regulations link the definitions of General Schedule (GS) locality pay area boundaries to updated metropolitan area definitions established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in February 2013. These final regulations also establish 13 new locality pay areas, which the Federal Salary Council recommended after reviewing pay levels in all ``Rest of U.S.'' metropolitan statistical areas and combined statistical areas with 2,500 or more GS employees.

The Healthcare & Insurance/Federal Employee Insurance Operations (FEIO), Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a revised information collection request (ICR) 3206-0160, Health Benefits Election Form. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35) as amended by the Clinger- Cohen Act (Pub. L. 104-106), OPM is soliciting comments for this collection. The information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on June 10, 2015 at Volume 80 FR 32994 allowing for a 60-day public comment period. No comments were received for this information collection. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments.

The Office of Planning and Policy Analysis, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a new information collection request (ICR) 3206-NEW, the Federal Annuitant Benefits Survey (FABS). As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35) as amended by the Clinger-Cohen Act (Pub. L. 104- 106), OPM is soliciting comments for this collection. The information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on 06/10/ 2015 at Volume. 80, No. 111 allowing for a 60-day public comment period. OPM received comments from one Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) carrier trade association. The comments requested that: (1) OPM more closely replicate the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) when administering the FABS; (2) OPM add specific topics to the FABS that are currently part of CAHPS if FABS results will be used as part of OPM's Plan Performance Assessment and Service Fee Calculations; (3) OPM consider alternatives to an online only survey administration. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments.

The Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an extension without change of a currently approved information collection (ICR) 3206-0099, Initial Certification of Full- Time School Attendance. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35) as amended by the Clinger- Cohen Act (Pub. L. 104-106), OPM is soliciting comments for this collection.

This notice identifies Schedule A, B, and C appointing authorities applicable to a single agency that were established or revoked from July 1, 2015, to July 31, 2015.

The Federal Investigative Services (FIS), U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is notifying the general public and other Federal agencies that OPM is seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval, under emergency clearance procedures, of a new information collection, INV100A, ``Privacy Act Request for Completed Standard Form SF85/SF85P/SF86.''