---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 8981"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "8981"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/8981"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart G — Insurance and Annuities"
  - "Chapter 89B — Enhanced Vision Benefits"
---

# §8981. Definitions


In this chapter:

- (1) The term “[employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2)” means an [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) defined under [section 8901(1)](/usc/5/8901.md?p=1) and an [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) of the District of Columbia [courts](/usc/5/8401.md?p=7).
- (2) The terms “[annuitant](/usc/5/8401.md?p=2)”, “[member of family](/usc/5/8901.md?p=5)”, and “[dependent](/usc/5/8951.md?p=2)” have the meanings as such terms are defined under paragraphs [(3)](#3), [(5)](#5), and (9), respectively, of section 8901.
- (3) The term “[eligible individual](/usc/5/8951.md?p=3)” refers to an individual described in paragraph [(1)](#1), [(2)](#2), or [(8)](#8), without regard to whether the individual is enrolled in a [health benefits plan](/usc/5/8901.md?p=6) under chapter 89.
- (4) The term “[Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3)” means the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management.
- (5) The term “[qualified company](/usc/5/8951.md?p=5)” means a company (or consortium of companies or an [employee organization](/usc/5/8901.md?p=8) defined under [section 8901(8)](/usc/5/8901.md?p=8)) that offers indemnity, preferred provider organization, health maintenance organization, or discount vision programs and if required is licensed to issue applicable coverage in any number of [States](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-3), taking any subsidiaries of such a company into [account](/usc/5/8401.md?p=1) (and, in the case of a consortium, considering the [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) companies and any subsidiaries thereof, collectively).
- (6) The term “[employee organization](/usc/5/8901.md?p=8)” means an association or other organization of [employees](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) which is national in scope, or in which membership is open to all [employees](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) of a [Government](/usc/5/4101.md?p=3) [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) who are [eligible](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-3) to enroll in a [health benefits plan](/usc/5/8901.md?p=6) under chapter 89.
- (7) The term “[State](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-3)” includes the District of Columbia.
- (8)
  - (A) The term “[covered TRICARE-eligible individual](/usc/5/8951.md?p=8)”—
    - (i) means an individual entitled to medical care under [chapter 55](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch55.md) of title 10, pursuant to section 1076d, 1076e, 1079(a), 1086(c), or 1086(d) of such title, who the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of Defense determines in accordance with an agreement entered into under [subparagraph (B)](#8-B) should be an [eligible individual](/usc/5/8951.md?p=3) for purposes of this chapter; and
    - (ii) does not include an individual covered under [section 1110b of title 10](/usc/10/1110b.md).
  - (B) The [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of Defense shall enter into an agreement with the [Director](/usc/5/8401.md?p=8) of the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) relating to classes of individuals described in [subparagraph (A)(i)](#8-A-i) who should be [eligible individuals](/usc/5/8951.md?p=3) for purposes of this chapter.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 108–496, § 3, Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 4006; amended Pub. L. 109–356, title I, § 117(a)(2), Oct. 16, 2006, 120 Stat. 2027; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VII, § 715(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2221.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2016—Par. (3). Pub. L. 114–328, § 715(a)(2)(A), substituted “paragraph (1), (2), or (8)” for “paragraph (1) or (2)”.

Par. (8). Pub. L. 114–328, § 715(a)(2)(B), added par. (8).

2006—Par. (1). Pub. L. 109–356, which directed insertion of “and an employee of the District of Columbia courts” at end of par. (1), was executed by making the insertion before the period, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2016 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–328 applicable with respect to the first contract year for chapter 89A or 89B of this title, as applicable, that begins on or after Jan. 1, 2018, see section 715(c) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 8951 of this title.

### Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 23, 2004, and applicable to contracts that take effect with respect to the calendar year 2006, see section 7 of Pub. L. 108–496, set out as a note under section 8951 of this title.