Questions to the Director,

This is a series of common issues that have been brought to my attention by our members when they contact me for help.  

Question:

I know a coworker whose mother lives with her and her husband. Her mother receives a small disability check that it is not enough to cover basic expenses. The mother is financially dependent on this couple. She told me that her current FEHB health insurance will not cover her mother. If she were to become an APWU Health Plan member, would the APWU Health Plan cover her mother as an adult dependent?

Answer:

The question of parents living with their children is more common than many folks may think, I get asked this often. All decisions on who is eligible for health care are made by their employing agency under OPM guidelines.

OPM is very clear, in my opinion, on this issue. Here is the language I am referring to from the OPM website “Relatives Who are Not Family Members: Your parents and other relatives are not eligible family members, even if they live with and are dependent upon you.”  Please see the below link to the OPM website. As with all eligibility questions, they must be resolved with the employing agency, in the case of postal employees I refer the employee to USPS HR Shared Services for an answer.

 https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/reference-materials/reference/family-members/