Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 73.djvu/748

 710

PUBLIC LAW 86-382-8EPT. 28, 1959

[73 S T A T.

(e) "Dependent husband" means a husband who is incapable of selfsupport by reason of mental or physical disability which can be expected to continue for more than one year. (f) "Health benefits plan" means a group insurance policy or contract, medical or hospital service agreement, membership or subscription contract, or similar group arrangement provided by a carrier for the purpose of providing, paying for, or reimbursing expenses for health services. (g) "Carrier" means a voluntary association, corporation, partnership, or other nongovernmental organization which is lawfully engaged in providing, paying for, or reimbursing the cost of, health services under group insurance policies or contracts, medical or hospital service agreements, membership or subscription contracts, or similar group arrangements, in consideration of premiums or other periodic charges payable to the carrier, including a health benefits plan duly sponsored or underwritten by an employee organization. (h) "Commission" means the United States Civil Service Commission. (i) "Employee organization" means an association or other organization of employees which— (1) is national in scope or (2) in which membership is open to all employees of a Government department, agency, or independent establishment who are eligible to enroll in a health benefits plan under this Act, and which on or before December 31, 1959, applies to the Commission for approval of a plan provided for by section 4(3) of this Act. ELECTION OF COVERAGE

SEC. 3. (a) Any employee may, at such time, in such manner, and under such conditions of eligibility as the Commission may by regulation prescribe, enroll in an approved health benefits plan described in section 4 either as an individual or for self and family. Such regulations may provide for the exclusion of employees on the basis of the nature and type of their employment or conditions pertaining thereto, such as, but not limited to, short-term appointments, seasonal or intermittent employment, and employment of like nature, but no employee or group of employees shall be excluded solely on the basis of the hazardous nature of their employment. (b) Any annuitant who at the time he becomes an annuitant shall have been enrolled in a health benefits plan under this Act— (1) for a period not less than (A) the five years of service immediately preceding retirement or (B) the full period or periods of service between the last day of the first period, as prescribed by regulations of the Commission, in which he is eli- gible to enroll in such a plan and the date on which he becomes an annuitant, whichever is shorter, or (2) as a member of the family of an employee or annuitant may continue his enrollment under such conditions of eligibility as may be prescribed by regulations of the Commission. (c) I t an employee has a spouse who is an employee, either spouse (but not both) may enroll for self and family, or either spouse may enroll as an individual, but no person may be enrolled both as an employee or annuitant and as a member of the family.

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