DATE: January 9, 2019 7:00:20 am EST

The OPM Guidance for Shutdown and Furloughs includes relevant information during a funding lapse. One of the questions in the guide reads:

  1. Will an employee continue to be covered under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program during a shutdown furlough if the agency is unable to make its premium payments on time?
  2. Yes. The employee’s FEHB coverage will continue even if an agency does not make the premium payments on time. Since the employee will be in a non-pay status, the enrollee share of the FEHB premium will accumulate and be withheld from pay upon return to pay status.

Guidance for Shutdown and Furloughs (PDF file)