Agency Information Collection Request: FEHB Protection Act Portal, OMB Control Number (3206-NEW)

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a new information collection request (ICR): FEHB Protection Act Portal (FPA Portal).

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 200 (Monday, October 19, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 200 (Monday, October 19, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66172-66173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21380]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT


Agency Information Collection Request: FEHB Protection Act 
Portal, OMB Control Number (3206-NEW)

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: 60-Day notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general 
public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a new 
information collection request (ICR): FEHB Protection Act Portal (FPA 
Portal).

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until December 18, 
2026. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1).

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the Federal Rulemaking Portal: 
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the instructions for submitting 
comments. The general policy for comments and other submissions from 
members of the public is to make these submissions available for public 
viewing at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> as they are received without 
change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Linehan, 202-936-1006.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, as amended, OPM is soliciting comments for a new collection of 
information. OPM is particularly interested in comments that:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Suggests ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and
    4. Suggest ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submissions of responses.

Background

    The FPA Portal is an enrollee notification and eligibility 
verification system that will support the OPM requirement under the 
Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Protection Act of 2025 (Sec. 
90101, Pub. L. 119-21, 139 Stat. 362) to conduct a comprehensive audit 
regarding family members who are covered in the FEHB Program. It will 
provide a secure and consistent process to ensure that only eligible 
individuals are enrolled in the FEHB Program. This will strengthen 
enrollment integrity and ensure ineligible family members are not 
participating in the FEHB Program. The FPA Portal will involve 
enrollees whose family member's eligibility has not yet been verified, 
OPM personnel, and a contracted vendor. Employing agencies, payroll 
offices, and participating health insurance carriers will be 
incorporated in subsequent phases. Enrollees whose family member's 
eligibility has not been verified will receive FPA Portal generated 
emails and mailed notices. These notices will direct enrollees to 
securely sign in to the FPA Portal enabling them to provide 
documentation to allow verification of the eligibility of their family 
members.

[[Page 66173]]

The FPA Portal will send status updates and reminders when a response 
or additional action is required. The enrollee will use online forms 
and document-upload features within the FPA Portal to enter requested 
information and submit supporting eligibility documents. The documents 
required depend on the family member's relationship to the enrollee and 
include records used to establish a spouse's or child's eligibility. 
The list of these records can be found in the FEHB Handbook at <a href="https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/reference-materials/reference/family-members/">https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/reference-materials/reference/family-members/</a>. The FPA Portal will use automated document-
verification capabilities to review the submitted information and 
documentation and determine whether the submission is sufficient to 
support an eligibility decision. If a case cannot be resolved through 
the automated review process, it will be referred to the contracted 
vendor and OPM. The results of that review will be returned to the FPA 
Portal for continued processing.

Analysis

    Agency: Office of Personnel Management.
    Title: FEHB Protection Act Portal.
    OMB Number: 3206-NEW.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: Eligible individuals or household members.
    Number of Respondents: ~2.7 million.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: 30 minutes.
    Total Burden Hours: 1.4 million hours.

Alexys Stanley,
Federal Register Liaison.
[FR Doc. 2026-21380 Filed 10-16-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-64-P


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