FederalDaily.com > OPM Announces FEHB Premium Hikes

Federal Daily - September 29, 2008

OPM Announces FEHB Premium Hikes

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Sept. 25 announced the 2009 premium rates for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. Overall, an average enrollee’s share of the premium will increase 7.9 percent, according to the agency. OPM said enrollees with self-only coverage will pay, on average, $4.83 more each pay period (about $125 per year) next year. Family coverage will cost an average $11.12 more per pay period (about $280 per year). OPM said 20 percent of FEHB enrollees would see their share of premiums rise by less than 5 percent, based on 2008 enrollment data. However, enrollees in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard Option, the most popular FEHB plan choice, would see their share of the premium increase 12.9 percent for self-only coverage, and 13.4 percent for self and family coverage. National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley was sharply critical of the increases, saying that OPM needs to do a better job of using the heft of the largest health plan in the United States to keep costs down. “The need to leverage the size of FEHBP becomes even more apparent,” Kelley said, “when you take into account that OPM once again dipped into the plan’s cash reserves to hold down the increase. This is an enormous increase that erodes federal employees’ standard of living.” The FEHB Open Season for 2009 runs from Nov. 10 through Dec. 8. During the period, employees can modify their mix of health- and family-care insurance products—and current federal employees who are not enrolled may elect FEHB coverage. During open enrollment, active feds and retirees can choose from among 269 health-plan options, including 10 nationwide fee-for-service options that are available to all enrollees, and 27 high deductible health plans. To see more, go to: www.opm.gov/news/opm-announces-open-season-for-health-benefits-dental-and-vision-insurance-and-flexible-spending-accounts,1435.aspx.

Postal Service Acts to Freeze Hiring

The Postal Service has moved to freeze all hiring, according to a Sept. 17 internal memo issued by the agency’s chief human resources officer, Anthony J. Vegliante. “Our current financial situation demands a more effective, controlled approach to managing our complement,” the memo said. “Therefore a freeze on all organizational structure changes is effective immediately.” The Postal Service memo also stated that the organization would cease to use Kelly Services as a contractor at its Washington headquarters, effective Oct. 1. Kelly currently provides contract personnel for clerical services at the facility. The memo was issued to all Postal Service vice presidents. At the Postal Service Board of Governors’ Open Session, held Sept. 24, the latest financial update cited “inflation, driven by fuel prices” and “accelerated deterioration in the housing and financial industries” as factors in the worsening outlook for the Postal Service’s revenue. These factors—combined with increased use of e-mail by individuals and businesses—have led mail volume to plummet by a greater-than-expected 9 billion pieces so far this year. The Postal Service, it has been widely reported, now expects to lose more than $2 billion in 2008—an outlook that has forced Postal Service officials to take the extreme step of a hiring freeze. For more, go to: www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm/

TRICARE Expands Retiree Dental Benefits Overseas

TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) on Sept. 25 announced that it is expanding the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) to include beneficiaries living overseas. Effective Oct. 1, the Enhanced-Overseas TRDP is available for eligible uniformed services retirees and their families, TMA said. Previously, TRDP was available only to retirees and their families in the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Canada. The Enhanced-Overseas TRDP now allows retirees worldwide to purchase dental coverage. Coverage highlights include: immediate coverage upon effective enrollment date for all routine, preventive and emergency services, such as cleanings, exams, X-rays, fluoride treatments, fillings, oral surgery, periodontal treatment and root canals. Separate dental accident coverage is included. There is no TRDP dentist network overseas. However, Enhanced-Overseas TRDP enrollees who need to locate a dentist for covered services may call the International SOS Assistance, Inc. (I-SOS) 24-hour referral service toll-free from inside the United States at 800-523-6586, or outside the United States via collect call to 215-942-8226, TMA said. To see more, go to:
www.tricare.mil/pressroom/news.aspx?fid=458.

SSA Agrees to Pay $200,000 Settlement to Deaf Worker

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has agreed to pay $200,000 as part of an out-of-court agreement to settle a discrimination claim filed by a deaf woman the agency hired as a claims representative, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) said in a Sept. 25 statement. Alli Friends was hired by SSA in the belief that she could successfully rely on lip-reading to carry out claimant interviews, according to her complaint. When it became clear that lip-reading under these conditions could not work well enough, Friends asked for an accommodation—either an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for claimant interviews, or reassignment to interviewing primarily deaf claimants, or some other appropriate reassignment. The request for an ASL interpreter was denied by SSA’s Office of Disability Services on the grounds that SSA has an unwritten policy against ever providing interpreters to allow deaf staff to communicate with members of the general public, the complaint said. AFGE noted that SSA interpreters are provided so deaf members of the public can communicate with non-deaf SSA staff. Although SSA agreed to the settlement, there is no evidence that SSA has “learned its lesson,” AFGE said. The policy against hiring and promoting deaf people who require an accommodation to deal with members of the public remains intact, AFGE said. To see more, go to: www.afge.org/Index.cfm?Page=PressReleases&PressReleaseID=892.

Federal Daily - September 29, 2008