[Entitlement to Refund of Health Benefits Premiums]

The Department of Health and Human Services requested a decision regarding an employee's entitlement to a refund of health benefit premiums for a 14.5-year period. An administrative error had caused high-option health benefit premiums to be deducted from the employee's paycheck rather than low-option premiums. GAO noted that, although the employee was paying high-option premiums, she was only covered under the low-option plan because she did not indicate otherwise. Since the employee had been underpaid as a result of the agency's error, she was entitled to a refund. However, regulations provide that a refund may be granted only for those excess deductions which accrued within 6 years prior to the claim.