A new rule published in the Federal Register by the Office of Personnel Management would extend life insurance coverage to the children of same-sex couples who work for the federal government.
According to the publication, the rule is intended to:
- Extend eligibility as a stepchild under FEGLI Option C to children of same-sex domestic partners of Federal employees or annuitants in states where same-sex couples are not permitted to marry
- Amend 5 CFR Part 870 to provide that acquiring a child or children of an employee’s same-sex domestic partner as described in Part 870 will be treated as a change in family circumstances so that a waiver of Basic insurance or Optional insurance may be cancelled
- Make other non-substantive, technical conforming amendments to the FEGLI rules in connection with the extension of coverage to children of same-sex domestic partners of Federal employees.
The changes would only apply to life insurance coverage and not health insurance.
The proposed rule will appear in the Federal Register on October 15 and comments can be submitted for 60 days thereafter.
For further details, see the document outlining the proposal: Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance Program: Providing Option C Coverage for Children of Same-Sex Domestic Partners
