(a) The carrier of a PSHB plan shall meet the minimum standards as described in 1609.7001.

(b) To the greatest extent practicable, an FEHB Carrier (defined in 1602.170-1) that offers an FEHB plan (defined in 1602.170-9) in which the total enrollment includes 1,500 or more Postal Service employees or Postal Service annuitants in the contract year beginning January 2023 must offer a PSHB plan in the initial contract year. OPM may exempt a comprehensive medical plan, as described in 5 U.S.C. 8903(4), from the requirement in this paragraph (b).