5 CFR §894.809
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
- (a)TEI certifying family member means, where the sponsor is not an enrollee under § 894.309, the TEI family member in order of precedence, as set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, who may accept responsibility to self-certify as the enrollee by enrolling and, if appropriate, covering the sponsor's TEI family members by electing a self plus one or self and family type of enrollment. Accepting responsibility to self-certify as the enrollee includes consulting all TEI family members regarding their preference for coverage under the enrollment, electing an appropriate plan, option, and type of enrollment.
- (b)The following order of precedence governs which TEI family member may self-certify as the enrollee:
- (1)An unremarried surviving spouse of a retiree or Medal of Honor recipient, if any, is the TEI certifying family member who may enroll and cover surviving TEI child(ren) of the retiree.
- (2)If there is no unremarried surviving spouse of a retiree or Medal of Honor recipient, the surviving TEI child of a retiree who accepts responsibility to self-certify as the enrollee is the TEI certifying family member who may enroll and cover other surviving child(ren) who are TEI family member(s) of the deceased retiree.
- (3)The TEI family member who is a spouse is the TEI certifying family member who may enroll and cover other TEI family member(s).
- (4)If there is no spouse, the TEI family member who accepts responsibility to self-certify as the enrollee is the TEI certifying family member who may enroll and cover other TEI family member(s).
- (c)In the event that the TEI family member or TEI certifying family member is a minor child or a disabled adult dependent, a legal guardian may exercise the TEI's rights on his or her behalf.
- (d)Accepting responsibility to self-certify as the enrollee means that you accept the Administrator's authority to make reconsideration decisions under § 894.104 and OPM's authority to correct enrollments under § 894.105.