In 1948, an organization known as the Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) allowed a small section of Federal Government employees to obtain group health insurance plans. Since that time, a number of insurance plans have been added or changed.[1]
In 1960, the newly established Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Act of 1959 provided all Federal employees, annuitants, and eligible family members with the opportunity to voluntarily enroll in a group health benefits program with the government sharing the cost of participation.[2] GEHA qualified under this Act and quickly entered into the FEHB program. Due to name similarities with another insurance carrier, GEHA changed its health plan name to the Association Benefit Plan (ABP).[3]
For over 55 years, the Association Benefit Plan was underwritten by Mutual of Omaha. In 2006, the company name was changed to Compass Rose Benefits Group (CRBG) and eligibility was extended to include all employees of the Intelligence Community (IC). In 2007, Coventry Health Care became the health plan underwriter. In 2008, CRBG extended eligibility to include civilian employees and retirees of the Department of Defense (DoD). In 2011, eligibility expanded to include employees of the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development and the network provider changed to UnitedHealthcare (UHC), which is one of the largest network providers and facilities in the FEHB market.[4] In 2021, eligibility expanded to include civilian employees and retirees of the Department of Homeland Security. In 2024, eligibility expanded once again to include all employees and retirees of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.[5] Beginning in 2025, the Compass Rose Health Plan will be open to all federal employees and retirees eligible for the FEHB Program.
- 1948: Government Employees Health Association (GEHA)
- 2006: Compass Rose Benefits Group (CRBG)
- 1948: Government Employees Health Association (GEHA)
- 1960: Association Benefit Plan [3]
- 2011: Compass Rose Health Plan
