(a)

(1) The insured individual pays the full cost of all Optional insurance. There is no Government contribution toward the cost of any Optional insurance.

(2) Optional insurance premiums are based on 5-year age bands beginning at age 35. The last age band for Option A is age 60+. The last age band for Options B and C is 80+. For the purpose of this subpart, effective April 24, 1999, an individual is considered to reach the next age band the 1st day of the pay period following the pay period in which his/her birthday occurs.

(3) When OPM makes any adjustment to the Optional life insurance premiums, it will issue a public notice in the Federal Register.

(b) During each pay period in any part of which an insured employee is in pay status, the employing agency must withhold the full cost of Optional insurance from his/her pay.

(c)

(1) Subject to the provisions for reemployed annuitants in §870.707, the full cost of Optional insurance must be withheld from the annuity of an annuitant the compensation of a compensationer.

(2) The withholdings for Option A stop the month after the month in which an annuitant or compensationer reaches age 65.

(3) For an annuitant or compensationer who elects Full Reduction for any Option B or Option C multiples under §870.705, the withholdings for those multiples stop the month after the month in which he/she reaches age 65.

(4) For an annuitant or compensationer who elects No Reduction for any Option B or Option C multiples, the withholdings for those multiples continue, as long as he/she remains insured.

(d)

(1) For Option A and Option C, the amount withheld from pay, annuity, or compensation paid on other than a biweekly basis must be computed and adjusted to the nearest cent.

(2) For Option B, the amount withheld from pay, annuity, or compensation paid on other than a biweekly basis must be computed and adjusted to the nearest one-tenth of 1 cent.

(e) If an employee's annual pay is paid during a period shorter than 52 work weeks, the employing office must determine the amount to withhold. To do this, it converts the biweekly cost to an annual cost and prorates it over the number of installments of pay regularly paid during the year.

(f) When an agency withholds less than or none of the proper amount of Optional life insurance deductions from an individual's pay, annuity, or compensation, the agency must submit an amount equal to the uncollected deductions required under 5 U.S.C. 8714a, 8714b, and 8714c to OPM for deposit in the Employees' Life Insurance Fund.

[68 FR 59081, Oct. 14, 2003]