Changes

New employees are automatically enrolled in Basic coverage, and may within the first 60 days of employment obtain Option coverage, with guaranteed coverage regardless of prior health history (an employee must be enrolled in Basic coverage to request Option coverage).  Otherwise, employees may enroll only if 1) an open season for enrollment is offered (unlike the [[Federal Employees Health Benefit]] program, seasons are not annual and are actually quite rare; only eight have ever been offered in the program's history and none since 2004), 2) by providing proof of insurability (after one year has passed from declining coverage, but Option C is unavailable under this scenario), or 3) at a qualifying "life event" (marriage, child birth, or adoption are the most common).

New employees are automatically enrolled in Basic coverage, and may within the first 60 days of employment obtain Option coverage, with guaranteed coverage regardless of prior health history (an employee must be enrolled in Basic coverage to request Option coverage).  Otherwise, employees may enroll only if 1) an open season for enrollment is offered (unlike the [[Federal Employees Health Benefit]] program, seasons are not annual and are actually quite rare; only eight have ever been offered in the program's history and none since 2004), 2) by providing proof of insurability (after one year has passed from declining coverage, but Option C is unavailable under this scenario), or 3) at a qualifying "life event" (marriage, child birth, or adoption are the most common).

Basic coverage is paid 2/3 by the employee and 1/3 by the government (except for [[United States Postal Service]] employees who pay zero for their Basic coverage) and is a flat rate for all employees (and retirees under age 65) regardless of age.  Option coverage is paid 100 percent by the employee and the rate increases (the rates are calculated in five-year age increments) as one gets older (notably at age 55 and again at age 60, the rates for optional coverage increase nearly six times the rates for someone age 50).

Basic coverage is paid 2/3 by the employee and 1/3 by the government (except for [[United States Postal Service]] employees who pay zero for their Basic coverage) and is a flat rate for all employees (and retirees under age 65) regardless of age.  Option coverage is paid 100 percent by the employee and the rates increase with age (the rates are calculated in five-year age bands, as one passes into a higher-age band the rates increase; notably after age 50 the rates increase significantly).

In order to take coverage into retirement, the employee must have been covered for the five years preceding (or, if less than five years, since the earliest opportunity to enroll); the rule cannot be waived.<ref>This differs from a similar requirement for continuous coverage of health insurance under the Federal Employees Health Benefit program, which in "exceptional circumstances" allows the five-year rule to be waived.</ref>  Also for continuous coverage, the employee must retire on an immediate annuity (if the employee takes a deferred annuity, coverage is suspended -- but not terminated --- from the date of separation until the annuity begins).  At retirement, the employee must decide how much coverage to take into retirement (an employee cannot increase coverage in retirement except as noted below):

In order to take coverage into retirement, the employee must have been covered for the five years preceding (or, if less than five years, since the earliest opportunity to enroll); the rule cannot be waived.<ref>This differs from a similar requirement for continuous coverage of health insurance under the Federal Employees Health Benefit program, which in "exceptional circumstances" allows the five-year rule to be waived.</ref>  Also for continuous coverage, the employee must retire on an immediate annuity (if the employee takes a deferred annuity, coverage is suspended -- but not terminated --- from the date of separation until the annuity begins).  At retirement, the employee must decide how much coverage to take into retirement (an employee cannot increase coverage in retirement except as noted below):