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S. 973Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Ensuring FEDVIP and FLTCIP Coverage During Shutdowns Act

Sponsored by Tina SmithSen. Tina Smith (D-MN)
Introduced April 1, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 3:31 AM UTC

The Ensuring FEDVIP and FLTCIP Coverage During Shutdowns Act changes federal law so that federal employees’ supplemental dental, vision, and long‑term care insurance keep running even when a government shutdown puts them in a non‑pay status. It prevents those benefits from being cancelled because premiums aren’t paid during the shutdown and directs the Office of Personnel Management to arrange payment of the missed premiums from back‑pay once the shutdown ends. The rule applies to all existing and future contracts for these benefits.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new subsection to the dental benefits law stating that coverage must continue during a shutdown and cannot be cancelled for non‑payment of premiums.
  • Adds a similar subsection to the vision benefits law with the same continuation and protection provision.
  • Adds a new subsection to the long‑term care insurance law requiring coverage to continue during a shutdown and prohibiting cancellation for missed premiums.
  • Requires the Director of OPM to issue regulations so that any unpaid premiums caused by a shutdown are paid to insurers from the employee’s back‑pay as soon as practicable after the shutdown ends.
  • Specifies that these changes apply to all supplemental dental, vision, and long‑term care insurance contracts entered into before, on, or after the law’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

April 1, 2019

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

April 1, 2019

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

April 1, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued April 1, 2019

II

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 973

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 1, 2019

Ms. Smith introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 5, United States Code, to continue supplemental dental and vision benefits and long-term care insurance coverage for Federal employees affected by a Government shutdown, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ensuring FEDVIP and FLTCIP Coverage During Shutdowns Act.

2.

Continuing supplemental dental and vision benefits and long-term care insurance coverage during a Government shutdown

(a)

In general

Subpart G of part III of title 5, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in section 8956, by adding at the end the following:

(d)

With respect to an employee enrolled in a dental benefits plan under this chapter who is placed in a nonpay status because of a lapse in appropriations, the coverage under the dental benefits plan shall continue during the lapse in appropriations and may not be cancelled as a result of nonpayment of premiums or other periodic charges due to the lapse in appropriations.

;

(2)

in section 8986, by adding at the end the following:

(d)

With respect to an employee enrolled in a vision benefits plan under this chapter who is placed in a nonpay status because of a lapse in appropriations, the coverage under the vision benefits plan shall continue during the lapse in appropriations and may not be cancelled as a result of nonpayment of premiums or other periodic charges due to the lapse in appropriations.

; and

(3)

in section 9003, by adding at the end the following:

(e)

Effect of Government shutdown

With respect to an employee or member of the uniformed services enrolled under a master contract for long-term care insurance under this chapter who is placed in a nonpay status because of a lapse in appropriations, coverage under the master contract shall continue during the lapse in appropriations and may not be cancelled as a result of nonpayment of premiums or other periodic charges due to the lapse in appropriations.

.

(b)

Regulations

The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations under which premiums for supplemental dental, supplemental vision, or long-term care insurance under chapter 89A, 89B, or 90 (respectively) of title 5, United States Code, (as amended by subsection (a)) that are unpaid by an employee or member of the uniformed services (as the case may be), as a result of that employee or member being placed in a nonpay status because of a lapse in appropriations, are paid to the applicable carrier from back pay made available to the employee or member as soon as practicable upon the end of the lapse in appropriations.

(c)

Application

The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to any contract for supplemental dental, supplemental vision, or long-term care insurance under chapter 89A, 89B, or 90 (respectively) of title 5, United States Code, entered into before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act.