Withdrawal of Proposed Rule: FEHB Modification of Effective Date of Coverage for Employees With an Initial Opportunity To Enroll

In February 2026, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a notice in the Federal Register that it was withdrawing a prior 2024 notice proposing a regulation related to employee health benefits. The 2024 proposal would have allowed new federal employees' Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) health insurance take effect at the start of their first pay period in paid status, rather than waiting until the following pay period — effectively eliminating coverage gaps of one to several weeks for new hires. The 2026 withdrawal reverses that decision, meaning that new employees will continue to only be eligible for FEHB health insurance after a few weeks in paid status.