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Pay & Benefits

House approves new dental, vision benefits package

While employees must pay entire cost, pre-tax dollars may be used.

Tom Shoop

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Tom Shoop
Tom Shoop
Editor at Large / tshoop@govexec.com
The Senate has already approved the measure, so now it goes to President Bush.

The House voted Monday afternoon to allow federal employees to purchase supplemental dental and vision care insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

The House passed the legislation (S. 2657) unanimously on a voice vote.

Under the measure, employees must pay the entire cost of the supplemental coverage, but may use pre-tax dollars to do so.

The Office of Personnel Management will begin soliciting bids from companies to participate in the new program next year. The benefit will not be available until 2006.

Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, pushed for the bill, along with Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.

Members of Congress and employee representatives said the measure was necessary to close a gap in coverage between the federal health plan and those provided by most private companies.

"An overwhelming majority of private sector plans provide dental and vision coverage," said House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va. "In addition, there has been a groundswell among federal employees and annuitants through numerous surveys and focus groups on this issue."

Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, praised the House vote: "This legislation addresses a glaring hole in the federal employee benefit package."

NEXT STORY: Workers will still receive 3.5 percent raise, observers say

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