FEHB Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) After a Federal Employee Dies

Two Paths for Health Coverage After a Federal Employee Dies

A covered family member may be able to continue FEHB coverage after a federal employee dies in service. Permanent continuation as a survivor annuitant depends on whether three specific conditions are met.

Permanent continuation as a survivor annuitant requires all three:

1. The deceased employee was enrolled in a Self Plus One or Self and Family plan
2. The survivor qualifies for a monthly FERS or CSRS survivor annuity, or the FERS Basic Employee Death Benefit
3. The survivor was actually covered under the enrollment at the time of death

If all three are met, FEHB coverage continues seamlessly. Premiums deduct from the monthly survivor annuity — or if the annuity is too small to cover them, the survivor pays OPM directly through Pay.gov.

Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) may be available to an eligible covered family member when no survivor annuity or BEDB allows permanent continuation. For example, a child who loses coverage after the employee's death and does not qualify for a survivor annuity may elect TCC. A Self Only enrollment does not cover survivors, and someone who was not an eligible covered family member cannot continue that enrollment through TCC.

How TCC Works

Eligible survivors can continue FEHB coverage through TCC for up to 36 months. They may choose an FEHB plan they are eligible to join; they pay 102% of the total premium, meaning both the employee share and the government share, plus a 2% administrative charge.

Under TCC, you pay the full premium plus 2%. For the 2026 nationwide Self Plus One Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard plan, the full monthly premium plus the TCC charge comes to about $2,480.

Enrollment and Deadlines

For an eligible child, the employing office's notice and election deadlines depend on when it receives notice of the loss of coverage: if notified within 60 days, the child generally has 65 days after the agency's notice to elect; otherwise, the election window can end 60 days after the qualifying event. Notice rules for other eligible family members differ, so contact the employing office promptly for the deadline and election form that apply.

TCC generally takes effect when the 31-day temporary extension of coverage ends. If the agency completes enrollment later, coverage is retroactive to that date. Ask the employing office to confirm the effective date and any premiums due.

What TCC Does Not Cover

TCC is a bridge, not a permanent solution. After the TCC period of up to 36 months, coverage ends; except when coverage ends by cancellation or the plan is discontinued, OPM provides a 31-day extension and an opportunity to convert to an individual policy. Survivors approaching the end of TCC need a transition plan — typically enrolling in a marketplace plan, Medicare (if age-eligible), or a spouse's employer plan.

The 18-Month Service Rule

The 18-month threshold matters because it determines whether the surviving spouse receives the FERS Basic Employee Death Benefit. Without the BEDB or a survivor annuity, there is no qualifying event for permanent FEHB continuation — and TCC becomes the only option.

An employee who dies with 15 months of creditable service leaves a surviving spouse with no BEDB, no monthly annuity, and FEHB coverage only through TCC for 36 months at full premium cost. This is one of the harshest edges in the federal benefits system.

PSHB: The Postal Variation

Postal employees and their survivors fall under the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) program as of January 1, 2025. Eligible surviving spouses must meet PSHB's 5-year or first-opportunity enrollment rules and maintain entitlement to a survivor annuity. Medicare-eligible survivors must also enroll in Medicare Part B to maintain PSHB coverage unless exempt. Statutory exemptions include certain people who retired before 2025 and were not enrolled in Part B on January 1, 2025; postal employees who were age 64 or older on that date; and survivors living outside the United States or covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs or Indian Health Service.

The Part B premium adds to the ongoing cost of maintaining health coverage.

What to File

Health insurance continuation is handled through OPM alongside the death-benefit application. Ask agency HR or OPM which health-benefit election paperwork is required with the SF 3104 package.

If TCC is your only option, the employing agency handles the enrollment — not OPM. Contact the agency's benefits office directly.

For the complete filing sequence across all six benefit channels — including how SF 3104 and SF 3104B fit alongside the FEGLI claim, TSP, unpaid compensation, and Social Security — the Federal Employee Death Benefits Claims Guide walks through each step in order.

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