PAYMENT OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFIT PROGRAM PREMIUMS FOR CERTAIN RESERVISTS CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS.

SEC. 519. PAYMENT OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFIT PROGRAM PREMIUMS FOR CERTAIN RESERVISTS CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS. (a) In General.—Subsection (e) of section 8906 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(3)(A) An employing agency may pay both the employee and Government contributions, and any additional administrative expenses otherwise chargeable to the employee, with respect to health care coverage for an employee described in subparagraph (B) and the family of such employee. “(B) An employee referred to in subparagraph (A) is an employee who— “(i) is enrolled in a health benefits plan under this chapter; “(ii) is a member of a reserve component of the armed forces; “(iii) is called or ordered to active duty in support of a contingency operation (as defined in section 101(a)(13) of title 10); “(iv) is placed on leave without pay or separated from service to perform active duty; and “(v) serves on active duty for a period of more than 30 consecutive days. “(C) Notwithstanding the one-year limitation on coverage described in paragraph (1)(A), payment may be made under this paragraph for a period not to exceed 18 months.”. (b) Conforming Amendment.—The matter preceding paragraph (1) in subsection (f) of such section is amended to read as follows: “(f) The Government contribution, and any additional payments under subsection (e)(3)(A), for health benefits for an employee shall be paid—”. (c) Applicability.—The amendments made by this section apply with respect to employees called to active duty on or after December 8, 1995, and an agency may make retroactive payments to such employees for premiums paid on or after such date.