(a) Except as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, a former spouse is eligible to enroll in a health benefits plan under this part provided that—

(1) The former spouse whose marriage to an employee, employee annuitant, or a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or Foreign Service employee is dissolved has not remarried before age 55; and

(2) The former spouse was enrolled in a health benefits plan under this part as a family member at any time during the 18 months preceding the date of the dissolution of marriage; and

(3)

(i) The former spouse currently receives, or has future title to receive (A) a portion of annuity payable to the employee upon retirement based on a qualifying court order for purposes of 5 U.S.C. 8345(j) or 5 U.S.C. 8467; (B) survivor annuity benefits based on a qualifying court order for purposes of 5 U.S.C. 8341(h) or 5 U.S.C. 8445; or (C) a survivor annuity elected by the employee under 5 U.S.C. 8339(j)(3) or 5 U.S.C. 8417(b), including a former spouse who is designated as an insurable interest pursuant to §§831.613(a) and (b) and 842.605(a) and (b) of this chapter (or benefits similar to those under this paragraph under another retirement system for Government employees); or

(ii) The former spouse was married to an employee who retired before May 7, 1985, and (A) the employee annuitant elects to provide a survivor annuity to the former spouse under procedures prescribed in §831.682 of this title; or (B) the former spouse satisfies all of the conditions for a survivor annuity in §831.683 of this title; or

(iii) The former spouse was married to an employee who died before May 7, 1985, and the employee was eligible for an immediate annuity on or before the date of death, and the former spouse satisfies all of the conditions for a survivor annuity in §831.683 of this title, or

(iv) The former spouse was married to an employee or former employee of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for at least 10 years during the employee's CIA service, at least 5 years of which both the employee and the former spouse spent outside the United States, and the marriage was dissolved before May 7, 1985; or,

(v) The former spouse was married to an employee or former employee of the Foreign Service for at least 10 years during the employee's government service, and the marriage was dissolved before May 7, 1985.

(b) Except as contained in paragraphs (a)(3) (iv) and (v) of this section, a former spouse of an employee who separates from Federal service before becoming eligible for immediate annuity is eligible to enroll only if the former spouse's marriage to the employee was dissolved before the employee left Federal service.

(c) If a former spouse cannot apply for benefits on his or her own behalf because of a mental or physical disability, application may be filed by a court-appointed guardian.

[51 FR 15748, Apr. 28, 1986, as amended at 52 FR 39497, Oct. 22, 1987, and 53 FR 32368, Aug. 25, 1988; 53 FR 45070, Nov. 8, 1988; 57 FR 21192, May 19, 1992; 58 FR 52882, Oct. 13, 1993; 62 FR 38440, July 18, 1997]