FEHB Protection Act of 2025

The FEHB Protection Act of 2025 tightens checks on who can be covered under federal employee and postal health plans. It tells the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to set up, within one year, a clear process to verify life events (like marriage or birth) and to confirm that anyone added to a plan is truly an eligible family member, even during open season. OPM must also include in its fraud reviews a look for people who are enrolled even though they don’t qualify, and run a three-year audit (starting one year after the law takes effect) that reviews documents like marriage and birth certificates. Within six months, OPM must create a way to remove anyone found to be ineligible from coverage .

The bill sets aside money to build and oversee enrollment and eligibility systems, including for the Postal Service Health Benefits Program. Starting in 2026, it provides yearly funding for this work, a one-time $80 million in 2026 to carry out the large audit, and dedicated funding for the Inspector General (about $5.1 million in 2026) to oversee these activities.

Key points

• Who is affected: Federal employees, retirees, Postal Service workers, and their family members who use these health plans .
• What changes: You may be asked to show proof (like marriage or birth certificates) when adding family members; ineligible people can be removed after review; a broad audit will check current enrollments .
• When: Removal process within 6 months of enactment; new verification rules within 1 year; a 3-year audit begins 1 year after enactment; funding starts in fiscal year 2026 .