September 2017 NARFE magazine

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FEDERAL ANNUITANT SURVEY RESULTS

COVER STORY Volume 93 • Number 9

HOW TO CONTAIN

HEALTH CARE COSTS Federal Employees, Retirees and Industry Experts Share Their Strategies

P.24

If you are a federal employee or retiree with Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan insurance coverage you may be eligible for:

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Call Beltone at 1-866-376-1445 to schedule your complimentary hearing screening today! *The insured may need to submit for reimbursement. State and/or local taxes may apply. Prices and products subject to *The insured may need to submit for reimbursement. State and/or local taxes may apply. Prices and products subject to change. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan will pay a hearing aid benefit up to $2,500 every 3 calendar years for change. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefi t Plan will pay a hearing aid benefi t up to $2,500 every 3 calendar years adults age 22 and over, and up to a $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22. Do not rely on this communication for adults age 22 and over, and up to a $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22. Do not rely on this piece alone for complete benefit information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions in your communication piece alone for complete benefi t information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and Service Benefit Plan brochure. The Blue365® Discount Program offers access to savings on items that you may purchase exclusions in your Service Benefi t Plan brochure. The Blue365® Discount Program offers access to savings on items that you directly from independent vendors, which may be different from items covered under your Service Benefit Plan or any other may purchase directly from independent vendors, which may be different from items covered under your Service Benefi t Plan applicable federal healthcare program. For hearing aids, acupuncture, chiropractic and vision services, you must exhaust your or any other applicable federal healthcare program. For hearing aids, acupuncture, chiropractic and vision services, you must Service Benefit Plan benefits first. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact the Service Benefit Plan. The products exhaust your Service Benefi t Plan benefi ts first. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact the Service Benefi t and services described herein are neither offered not guaranteed under any local Blue company’s contract with the Medicare Plan. The products and services described herein are neither offered not guaranteed under any local Blue company’s contract program. In addition, these items are not subject to the Medicare appeals process. Any disputes regarding these products with the Medicare program. In addition, these items are not subject to the Medicare appeals process. Any disputes regarding and services are not subject to the Service Benefit Plan’s Disputed Claims process. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association these products and services are not subject to the Service Benefi t Plan’s Disputed Claims process. Blue Cross and Blue (BCBSA) may receive payments from Blue365 vendors. Neither the Service Benefit Plan, BCBSA, nor any local Blue company Shield Association (BCBSA) may receive payments from Blue365 vendors. Neither the Service Benefi t Plan, BCBSA, nor any recommends, endorses, warrants or guarantees any specific Blue365 vendor or item. The Service Benefit Plan reserves the local Blue company recommends, endorses, warrants or guarantees any specifi c Blue365 vendor or item. The Service Benefi right to change, modify, or terminate any item and vendors made available through Blue365, at any time. Blue Cross and Blue t Plan reserves the right to change, modify, or terminate any item and vendors made available through Blue365, at any time.

Shield Association is an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Companies. State and local Blue Cross Shield Available Association is an association of until independent, taxes and/orand feesBlue may apply. at participating locations 12/31/17. locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Companies. State and local taxes and/or fees may apply. Available at participating locations until 12/31/17.

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WASHINGTON WATCH

6

Government Funding Deadline Approaches

7

TSP Companion Legislation Introduced

8

Advancing Advocacy After August

9

Combat Zone Tax Parity Act

10

Bill Blocking Fiduciary Rule Passes in House

11

NARFE Bill Tracker

COLUMNS

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4

COVER STORY HOW TO CONTAIN HEALTH CARE COSTS. narfe magazine readers and experts highlight 10 overarching strageties you can use to address the health care costs challenge.

From the President

42 Managing Money 44 Alzheimer’s Update DEPARTMENTS

16 Questions & Answers 46 For the Record:

34

FEDERAL ANNUITANT SURVEY. The results showed a high level of satisfaction with health care benefits.

TSP Returns, Retirement Claims Status, Countdown to COLA

48 NARFE News 56 The Way We Worked

On the Web VISIT US ONLINE AT:

www.narfe.org LIKE US ON FACEBOOK:

NARFE National Headquarters FOLLOW US ON TWITTER:

@narfehq

ON THE COVER

Illustration by GRAPHEK W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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SEPTEMBER 2017 | Volume 93 | Number 9

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association EDITOR Susan Boswell GRAPHIC DESIGN GRAPHEK EDITORIAL BOARD Richard G. Thissen, Jon Dowie Barbara Sido EDITORIAL OFFICE: narfe magazine 606 North Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Phone: 703-838-7760 Fax: 703-838-7781 Email: communications@narfe.org ADVERTISING SALES: Warren Berger Media People Inc. 122 East 42nd St., Suite 1622 New York, NY 10168 Phone: 212-779-7172, ext. 223 Email: wberger@mediapeople.com

NARFE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED ON THE TELEPHONE: This publication can be heard on the telephone by persons who have trouble seeing or reading the print edition. For more information, contact the National Federation of the Blind NFB-NEWSLINE® service at 866-5047300 or go to www.nfbnewsline.org.

ON DIGITAL AUDIO: Issues of narfe magazine are also available in audio format through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). For availability, call 202-727-2142 or your local NLS service provider.

The Association, since July 1970, has been classified by the IRS as a tax-exempt labor organization [not a union]; however, dues and gifts or contributions to the Association are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

NATIONAL OFFICERS RICHARD G. THISSEN, President; natpres@narfe.org JON DOWIE, Secretary/Treasurer; natsectreas@narfe.org EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BARBARA SIDO, execdir@narfe.org

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS

REGION I James P. Crawford (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) TEL: 603-630-5191 EMAIL: crawfordjim62@gmail.com REGION II Evelyn Kirby (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) TEL: 410-604-1141 EMAIL: ekirby@atlanticbb.net REGION III Clarence Robinson (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands) CELL: 404-312-8028 EMAIL: crobin8145@att.net

REGION VI Marshall L. Richards (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Republic of Panama and Texas) TEL: 903-660-2784 EMAIL: pappysdad@cobridge.tv REGION VII Rodney L. Adelman (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) TEL: 623-505-4719 EMAIL: narfe7vp@cox.net REGION VIII Helen L. Zajac (California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada and Republic of Philippines) TEL: 707-644-7565 EMAIL: HLZajac125@gmail.com

REGION IV Edward J. Konys (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin) TEL: 937-470-0566 EMAIL: region4vp@gmail.com

REGION IX Richard Wilson (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) TEL: 253-210-5609, CELL: 425-736-6899 EMAIL: narfe1404@comcast.net

REGION V Carol R. Ek (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) TEL: 620-241-1131, CELL: 620-504-2202 EMAIL: ek617@att.net

REGION X William Shackelford (Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) TEL: 703-830-6590, CELL: 703-201-6304 EMAIL: wshack1951@aol.com

HERE’S HOW TO CONTACT US…

TO JOIN NARFE, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR FIND A LOCAL CHAPTER:

CALL (TOLL-FREE) 800-627-3394 OR GO TO www.narfe.org TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL LISTING:

CALL (TOLL-FREE) 800-456-8410, EMAIL memberrecords@narfe.org OR GO TO www.narfe.org, log in and click on “Update My Record”

TO REACH A FEDERAL BENEFITS SPECIALIST:

EMAIL fedbenefits@narfe.org NARFE HEADQUARTERS

606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 703-838-7760

www.narfe.org

narfe (ISSN 1948-4453) is published monthly by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA, and additional mailing offices. Members: Annual dues includes subscription. Nonmember subscription rate $40. Postmaster: Send address change to: NARFE Attn: Member Records, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. To ensure prompt delivery, members should also forward changes of address without delay. Because of the volume involved, NARFE cannot acknowledge nor be responsible for unsolicited pictures and manuscripts, although every reasonable precaution is taken. All submissions become the property of NARFE. Copyright © 2017, NARFE. Advertisements in the magazine are not endorsements of products and/or services by NARFE, unless officially stated in the ad. We shall accept advertising on the same basis as other reputable publications: that is, we shall not knowingly permit a dishonest advertisement to appear in narfe, but at the same time we will not undertake to guarantee the reliability of our advertisers.

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From the President

THE FIGHT TO END ALZHEIMER’S

I

n July, I had the pleasure of participating in the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London,

as you’ll read on page 50. It was truly an exciting and encouraging event. There were more than 5,000 attendees from 64 countries.

To illustrate that Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects all of mankind, there were large delegations from countries such as China, Japan, Russia, India, Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, and all of the other European countries, as well as representatives from the United States, including almost every state. These delegations included individuals from government, the pharmaceutical industry, academia and private researchers.

There were more than 2,200 scientific presenta-

NARFE’s Mission Statement To support legislation and regulations beneficial to federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants under any federal civilian retirement system and to oppose those detrimental to their interests.

To promote the general welfare of federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants, to advise and assist them with respect to their rights under retirement, health and other employee and retiree benefits laws and regulations, and to represent their interests before appropriate authorities.

To cooperate with other organizations and associations in furtherance of these general objectives.

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tions on all aspects of Alzheimer’s and dementia research that is underway throughout the world.

The presenters were optimistic and energetic — a sign that the additional research funds being provided by the U.S., other countries and private donors are creating opportunities for new research.

In 2017, the U.S. Congress committed to provide an additional $400 million per year to Alzheimer’s research, for a total of nearly $1.4 billion annually. At the conference, it was announced that there is support in Congress to add another $400 million per year, an increase that would bring overall research funding to $1.8 billion annually in 2018. This is very good news in light of the proposed cuts to many other programs.

In the 1980s, forward-thinking NARFE members developed a partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association. This resulted in NARFE members contributing more than $12.3 million dollars to Alzheimer’s research. The Alzheimer’s Association is very grateful for the efforts of NARFE members. I would encourage all NARFE members to continue this effort to support the Alzheimer’s Association by donating to research or participating in local support groups. As a reminder, NARFE is now recognized as a national team in the 2017 Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 14. Please contact us or visit the Alzheimer’s website to see how you can form a local walk team.

RICHARD G. THISSEN NARFE NATIONAL PRESIDENT natpres@narfe.org

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Washington Watch

GOVERNMENT FUNDING DEADLINE APPROACHES

A

s Congress returns from its August recess, members face a September 30 deadline to fund government operations for the upcoming fiscal year. At press time,

Congress had not yet reached a bicameral, bipartisan agreement on an overall budget for fiscal year 2018 spending.

Republicans and Democrats are at odds with respect to topline spending targets for nondefense discretionary spending, which includes all annually funded programs that are not within the Department of Defense. With the impasse, Senate Democrats could hold up spending bills through procedural rules that allow 40 senators to block consideration of a measure. Meanwhile, Republicans have not been able to come to an internal agreement within the House or between chambers on what defense and nondefense spending levels they can agree upon.

Congressional appropriators, who are responsible for crafting the bills that fund annual agency budgets, have been working on 6

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the specific funding levels within broad categories. However, without a bipartisan agreement, the full Senate will not consider the bills, and they will not pass into law.

Even with a bipartisan agreement, other controversies over government funding remain.

Notably, the Trump administration and some congressional Republicans will push for funding for a wall on the Mexican border.

ACTION ALERT!

This funding was not included in the fiscal year 2017 budget, breaking one of the administration’s major campaign promises.

There already has been talk about threatening to shut down the government over that dispute and the failure to fund other administration priorities.

Without congressional action, and either presidential approval or an overridden veto, the government would shut down on October 1, 2017, with only “essential” employees continuing to work. If an agreement is not reached, the deadline could be pushed back by a continuing resolution appropriations bill, which would extend funding levels from the previous fiscal year.

SEPTEMBER

Write your legislators using NARFE’s Legislative Action Center today! Ask your legislators to support the federal community by defending the fiduciary rule and supporting positive legislation, such as the TSP Modernization Act and the Federal Employee Combat Zone Tax Parity Act. Visit the Action Center to tell your legislator these issues are important to you!

LEGISLATION TO INCREASE TSP FLEXIBILITY MOVES THROUGH COMMITTEES

R

eps. Elijah E. Cummings, D-MD, and Mark Meadows, R-NC, introduced the TSP Modernization Act of 2017, H.R. 3031, the companion bill to its Senate counterpart, S. 873. These bills provide more flexible withdrawal options for Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts and are supported by the Employee Thrift Advisory Council, of which NARFE is a member. The legislation was approved by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on July 19, 2017, and by the Senate Homeland Secruity and Governmental Affairs Committe on July 26, 2017.

The bills add flexibility to the TSP by allowing the election of quarterly or annual payments and permitting periodic withdrawals to be changed at any point during the year.

(Continued from p. 6) At press time, Congress has until mid-October to raise the statutory debt limit or risk running out of cash, leading the government to default on its debts, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

A government default on its debts would cause a more severe crisis than a government shutdown.

—BY JOHN HATTON, DEPUTY LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR

These bills provide more withdrawal options for Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts and are supported by the Employee Thrift Advisory Council, of which NARFE is a member.

Under the proposals, payments could be stopped while allowing the account balance to remain in the TSP. Currently, periodic payments can be selected only in monthly intervals, can be adjusted only once per year and cannot be stopped unless the participant withdraws the entire remaining balance.

Additionally, the withdrawal election deadline would be eliminated.

Right now, participants are required to make a post-separation withdrawal election by April 1 of the year following the year in which they turn age 70-½ and are separated from federal service.

The legislation would allow multiple partial post-separation withdrawals, which participants can time to their individual needs, and

would provide multiple age-based withdrawals for participants who are still working and are older than age 59-½.

Presently, federal employees who have separated from the federal workforce are allowed only two post-separation withdrawals.

NARFE encourages its members to write their legislators in support of the TSP Modernization Act of 2017 at www.narfe. org/legislation.

—ROSS APTER, LEGISLATIVE ASSOCIATE

Legislative Resources • Legislative Hotline: A weekly update of legislative news, compiled by the NARFE Legislative Department staff, distributed via email and available by phone (toll-free) at 877-217-8234 and online at www.narfe.org.

• Legislative Action Center: A one-stop site to send a letter to Congress, and more, at www.narfe.org.

W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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Washington Watch

ADVANCING ADVOCACY AFTER AUGUST: FOLLOW-UP IS KEY TO SUCCESS

T

hank you for taking action on behalf of NARFE this August! Now that NARFE’s Grassroots Advocacy Month has ended, it is time to reflect on your experiences with your members of Congress and initiate follow-up conversations with the staff about NARFE’s legislative priorities.

Your engagement with your legislators demonstrates your knowledge and shows them you are watching how they react to proposals harmful to federal employees and retirees. This Congress is unpredictable, which calls for NARFE members to facilitate and nurture stronger bonds between NARFE and members of Congress.

Following up with a legislator and their staff about NARFE’s legislative priorities via multiple mediums is crucial to being successful in building a relationship with that office and preventing harmful budget cuts. When you contact staff, you have the opportunity to informally revisit the

issues and gently remind them of action items discussed at your prior meeting. Providing new information in a timely manner also shows your awareness of the legislative process. Congressional staff appreciates being kept abreast of any updates to the issues. Meanwhile, your check-in demonstrates to staff that NARFE is dedicated to its mission of protecting and preserving earned federal benefits.

If your legislator has taken a requested action, such as cosponsoring a NARFE-supported bill, take a moment to say “thank you.”

If you haven’t done so already, tell NARFE’s legislative staff the details of your advocacy efforts by filling out a quick form on the Legislative Action Center called the “Congressional Meeting or Event Feedback Form.” Please be sure to fill out this form to let us know how your meeting went while the conversation is fresh in your mind so we can coordinate our lobbying and grassroots efforts. We appreciate your time in advocating on

SEPTEMBER KICKS OFF CFC SEASON The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the world’s largest workplace charity campaign, is gearing up for its 2017 campaign season.

Typically from September 1 - December 15, the pledging season allows the federal community to make donations in support of eligible nonprofit organizations. There are nearly 200 campaigns that raise millions of dollars each year.

There are two notable changes to the program this year. First, beginning in September, federal retirees will be able to donate to the CFC via deductions from 8

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monthly annuities. Secondly, federal employees who volunteer with certain charities will have those hours monetized and count toward CFC goals.

Although a slight decrease from years prior, recent campaign seasons have come close to $200 million in donations, all thanks to the proud men and women who serve this nation. This important program, which has existed formally for nearly six decades, continues to show the goodwill and dedication of the federal community.

behalf of NARFE and all federal employees and retirees – and we want to hear about it.

There is more work to be done, so continue to fight for what you’ve earned!

—MOLLY CHECKSFIELD, GRASSROOTS PROGRAM MANAGER

MYTH vs.

REALITY MYTH: The president’s annual budget proposal sets the federal government’s spending for the fiscal year.

REALITY: The president’s budget is a request to Congress and is rarely considered by Congress in full. In fact, it’s common for Congress to declare presidential budgets, in whole or in part, “dead on arrival.” Instead, Congress must come to an agreement on overall spending levels within broad spending categories for each fiscal year, and then appropriate money within those categories for specific functions and programs.

The congressional budget process also may be used to make changes to tax and spending policies that extend beyond the current fiscal year through “reconciliation” legislation.

While the president must sign appropriations bills and reconciliation legislation, or overcome a veto, ultimately Congress holds the power of the purse.

COMBAT ZONE TAX PARITY ACT WOULD EXTEND CREDIT TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

T

he Federal Employee Combat Zone Tax Parity Act, H.R. 2929, was introduced in the House by Reps. Rob Wittman, R-VA, and Gerald E. Connolly, D-VA, and would extend the tax credit available to military personnel who serve in combat zones to the federal civilian employees working alongside them. Currently, only members of the military and federal contractors qualify for federal income tax exemptions on their base pay as a result of serving in designated combat zones.

NARFE worked with Wittman on this effort and endorses the bill.

The IRS currently defines a

“combat zone” as a general term that refers to hostile areas where the military may serve. These hostile areas are considered actual combat areas, direct combat support areas and contingency operations areas.

The legislation aims to compensate federal employees and their families for the hardships they face from the separation and stress that accompany service in a combat zone. It also would provide a valuable incentive for civil servants to apply for overseas duty. U.S. missions require individuals with expertise not often found in the military to fill

critical positions in such areas as transportation reconstruction and health care.

A previous version of this bill was introduced in the 113th Congress but failed to see action. The House Committee on Ways and Means is considering the latest version, which has bipartisan support.

NARFE members should encourage their representatives to cosponsor the Federal Employee Combat Zone Tax Parity Act, H.R. 2929, by visiting the NARFE Legislative Action Center at www.narfe.org/legislation.

—ROSS APTER, LEGISLATIVE ASSOCIATE

Contribute To NARFE-PAC I want to make a monthly sustainer credit card contribution:

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Only members of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association may contribute to NARFE-PAC. NARFE will neither favor nor disadvantage anyone based on the amount of a contribution or the failure to make a voluntary contribution to this political action fund. NARFE-PAC contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.

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Washington Watch

BILL BLOCKING FIDUCIARY RULE PASSES IN THE HOUSE

T

he House of Representatives recently passed the Financial CHOICE Act of 2017, H.R. 10, in a party-line vote of 233-186. Of special interest to NARFE members is a provision included in the bill that would block the Department of Labor (DOL) fiduciary rule. Under the fiduciary rule, financial advisers are subject to new impartial conduct standards when recommending rollovers of assets into individual retirement accounts (IRAs), including rollovers from the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). For this reason, NARFE supports the

NARFE supports the rule and is working to prevent any attempts to undo it. rule and is working to prevent any attempts to undo it.

The Senate companion bill to the CHOICE Act, S. 1321, was introduced by Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-GA. The bill, known as the Affordable Retirement Advice Protection Act, is pending before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Action will likely be delayed due

to the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.

Before the House passed the CHOICE Act, DOL Secretary Alexander Acosta allowed the June 9 effective date of the fiduciary rule to go into effect. However, the Secretary noted in May that a review of the final rule would continue.

A separate bill was also introduced in the House by Rep. Phil Roe, R-TN. The Affordable Retirement Advice for Savers Act, H.R. 2823, would repeal the current fiduciary rule. NARFE opposes this bill.

—ROSS APTER, LEGISLATIVE ASSOCIATE

Order your copy of NARFE’s CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTORY for the 115th CONGRESS (2017-2018) today!

Clip and mail to: NARFE Congressional Directory / 606 N. Washington Street / Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Name___________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________

Only $20

City _________________________________________ State ______ ZIP ___________ Member ID# (as it appears on narfe magazine label) ________________________________________________________________________

o Check (payble to NARFE) or cash enclosed o Charge to my credit card o MasterCard

o VISA o Discover o AMEX

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Name on card (print) ______________________________________________________ Signature ____________________________________________ Date _____________

Quantity ________________ $20 each (includes shipping and handling) VA sales tax _____________ VA residents add 6% tax ($1.20 per book) Total cost _______________

Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

Call NARFE’s Legislative Department at 703-838-7760 to order by phone.

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narfe bill tracker

THE NARFE BILL TRACKER IS YOUR MONTHLY GUIDE TO THE CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION THAT NARFE IS FOLLOWING. CHECK BACK EACH ISSUE FOR UPDATES. ISSUE

BILL NUMBER / NAME / SPONSOR

WHAT BILL WOULD DO

H.R. 756: Postal Service Reform Act of 2017 / Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-UT Cosponsors: 9 (D), 7 (R)

Requires postal retirees to enroll in Medicare in order to continue receiving their current federal health insurance coverage.

Enrollment would be automatic.

Approved by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; pending in two other committees narfe, June 2017

H.Res. 15: As a resolution, it will not be sent to the president and, therefore, cannot become law/ Rep. Sam Graves, R-MO Cosponsors: 174 (D), 58 (R)

Expresses the sense of the House that the U.S. Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of six-day delivery.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Expresses the sense of the House that the U.S. Postal Service should take all measures to restore service standards in effect on July 1, 2012.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Cosponsors: 184 (D), 56 (R)

Expresses the sense of the House that the U.S. Postal Service should take all measures to ensure the continuation of door-to-door delivery for all businesses and residential customers.

H.R. 757: The Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act / Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-VA

Provides for a 2 percent pay raise for federal employees and 1.2 percent increase in locality pay in 2018.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

POSTAL REFORM H.Res. 31: As a resolution, it will not be sent to the president and, therefore, cannot become law / Rep. Dave McKinley, R-WV Cosponsors: 155 (D), 41 (R) H.Res. 28: As a resolution, it will not be sent to the president and, therefore, cannot become law / Rep. Susan Davis, D-CA

LATEST ACTION(S)

Cosponsors: 67 (D), 1 (R)

FEDERAL COMPENSATION

S. 255: The Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act / Sen. Brian Schatz, D-HI

Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Cosponsors: 7 (D), 0 (R)

narfe, April 2017

H.R. 1594: Wage Grade Employee Parity Act / Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-PA Cosponsors: 2 (D), 1 (R)

TAXES

H.R. 2929: Federal Employee Combat Zone Tax Parity Act / Rep. Rob Wittman, R-VA Cosponsors: 4 (D)

NARFE’s Position:

Support

Oppose

Gives the president the authority to provide wage grade, or hourly, employees a pay raise.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform narfe, June 2017

Extends the tax credit Referred to the available to military personnel House Committee on who serve in combat zones Ways and Means to civilian employees narfe, September 2017 No position

(Continued on p. 12)

W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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11

Washington Watch

(Continued from p. 11) ISSUE

CAMPAIGN FINANCE

BILL NUMBER / NAME / SPONSOR

WHAT BILL WOULD DO

H.R. 20: The Government By the People Act of 2017 / Rep. John Sarbanes, D-MD

Reforms campaign finance laws to put small donors on par with wealthier donors. Provides a tax credit for contributions and government matching contributions.

Referred to three House committees

Requires Social Security and many federal retirement programs to use the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) to calculate cost-ofliving adjustments in retirement benefits.

Referred to the House Committees on Ways and Means, Veterans’ Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform, and Armed Services

Updates age-based and postseparation withdrawal options, creates new withdrawal intervals, grants flexibility in payment amounts and eliminates the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) withdrawal election deadline.

Approved by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Cosponsors: 155 (D), 1 (R) H.R. 1251: CPI-E Act of 2017 / Rep. John Garamendi, D-CA COLA

Cosponsors: 38 (D), 1 (R)

S. 873: TSP Modernization Act of 2017 / Sen. Rob Portman, R-OH Cosponsors: 1 (D), 0 (R) FEDERAL RETIREMENT

EDITOR’S NOTE: These bills are all listed online at www. narfe.org/legislation/votervoice.cfm.

H.R. 3031: TSP Modernization Act of 2017 / Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-MD

DC STATEHOOD

H.R. 1291: Washington, DC Admission Act / Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-DC

H.R. 1205: Social Security Fairness Act of 2017 / Rep. Rodney Davis, R-IL Cosponsors: 111 (D), 36 (R) S. 915: Social Security Fairness Act of 2017 / Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH Cosponsors: 4 (D), 3 (R), 1 (I) 12

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Approved by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Repeals the Affordable Care Referred to nine H.R. 1408: Access to InsurHouse committees ance for All Americans Act / Act and establishes a national health program administered Rep. Darrell E. Issa, R-CA by the Office of Personnel Cosponsors: 0 Management to offer Federal Employees Health Benefits Program plans to individuals who are not federal employees or retirees. The bill would place non-federal participants into the federal employee risk pool.

Cosponsors: 133 (D)

GPO/WEP

narfe, May 2017

See story, p. 7

Cosponsors: 2 (D), 1 (R)

HEALTH CARE

LATEST ACTION(S)

Sets forth procedures that would allow the District of Columbia to become a state known as the State of Washington, DC.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Committee on Rules

Repeals both the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means narfe, May 2017 Referred to the Senate Committee on Finance

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Call TruHearing today and start saving 877-360-2432 | TTY 800-228-5480 Hours 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday–Friday | All appointments must be scheduled through TruHearing * Price shown does not include cost of comprehensive hearing exam. Examination and testing for prescribing of hearing aids is covered under the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Federal Employee Program (FEP). The member should confirm that the provider rendering the hearing exam participates with their local Blue Cross Blue Shield plan. If the provider does not participate, the member may be charged a maximum fee of $75 for the exam, and the member may need to submit for reimbursement. Must be a FEP member to access TruHearing discounted pricing. † FEP will pay a hearing aid benefit up to $2,500 total every 3 calendar years for adults age 22 and over, and up to $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22. Do not rely on this communication piece alone for complete benefit information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions in your FEP brochure.

The Blue365® Discount Program offers access to savings on items that you may purchase directly from independent vendors, which may be different from items covered under FEP or any other applicable federal healthcare program. For hearing aids, acupuncture, chiropractic and vision services, you must exhaust your FEP benefits first. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact FEP. The products and services described herein are neither offered nor guaranteed under any local Blue company’s contract with the Medicare program. These items are not subject to the Medicare appeal process. Any disputes regarding these products and services are not subject to FEP’s Disputed Claims process. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) may receive payments from Blue365 vendors. Neither the FEP, BCBSA, nor any local Blue company recommends, endorses, warrants or guarantees any specific Blue365 vendor or item. The FEP reserves the right to change, modify, or terminate any item and vendors made available through Blue365, at any time.

All content ©2016 TruHearing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. TruHearing® is a registered trademark of TruHearing, Inc. All other trademarks, product names, and company names are the property of their respective owners. Savings based on a survey of national average retail hearing aid prices compared to average TruHearing pricing. Actual customer savings will vary. Three follow-up visits must be used within one year after the date of initial purchase. ‡ Forty-five day money-back guarantee and hearing aid returns, repairs, and replacements subject to provider and manufacturer fees. For questions regarding fees, contact TruHearing customer service.

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Questions & Answers

The following Questions & Answers were compiled by NARFE’s Federal Benefits Service Department staff.

NARFE does not provide advice or assistance on legal, financial planning or tax matters.

EMPLOYEES FLTCIP CONTACT INFORMATION

Q

I am an active federal employee and need assistance in contacting the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP).

A

We suggest that you contact the FLTCIP by phone at 800-582-3337 or online at www.ltcfeds.com.

OPTIONS FOR ANNUITY CONTRIBUTIONS

Q

I left my government job before becoming eligible for retirement. What are my options regarding my retirement contributions?

A

Several options are available for former employees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). You can 16

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ask that your retirement contributions be returned to you in a lump sum payment. If you have at least five years of creditable service, you can wait until you reach retirement age to apply for monthly benefit payments, which is called a deferred retirement. However, if you elect to receive a refund of your FERS retirement contribution deductions now, you will no longer be eligible to receive monthly annuity payments when you reach retirement age. The Application for Refund of Retirement Deductions is SF-3106.

EMPLOYED WITH A SURVIVOR ANNUITY

Q A

Does employment income affect my survivor annuity?

Generally, your income from employment with the government or any other employer will not affect your survivor annuity.

Q A

When is a medication considered a generic drug?

When a drug patent expires, other companies may produce a generic version of the brand name drug. A generic medication, also approved by the Food and Drug

Administration, is basically a copy of the brand name drug and is marketed under its chemical name. A generic drug may have a different color or shape than its brand name counterpart, but it must have the same active ingredients, strength and dosage form and provide the same effectiveness and safety as its brand name counterpart.

RETIREES RECEIVING A RIF BEFORE MINIMUM RETIREMENT AGE

Q

I have retired under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) from my agency based on a reduction-in-force (RIF). As an involuntary retiree before my Minimum Retirement Age (MRA), I need clarification on whether I am eligible for the FERS Annuity Supplement.

A

If you retire voluntarily on an immediate annuity which is not reduced for age, you may be eligible for the FERS Annuity Supplement, in addition to the FERS basic retirement benefit. You also may receive the FERS Annuity Supplement if you retired involuntarily before attaining your MRA or because of a major reorganization, RIF, or voluntarily as an early retirement for members of Congress.

However, in these three instances, you will not be eligible for the annuity supplement until

you reach your MRA. If you receive a deferred benefit, a disability benefit or an immediate MRA+10 benefit, you will not be eligible for the Annuity Supplement.

INTERACTION OF TRICARE AND MEDICARE PART B

Q A

How does Medicare Part B work together with Tricare at age 65 if I am retired?

If you are under the Tricare military health program, and you’re trying to decide whether to enroll in Medicare Part B, you should know that one requirement to having Tricare beyond age 65 is enrollment in Medicare Part B. Tricare recipients are required to enroll in Medicare Part B at age 65.

TIMEFRAME FOR MAKING A SURVIVOR ELECTION

Q

When I retired, I did not elect a survivor benefit for my spouse. I just learned that without this election, no health benefits are payable upon my death. What is the time period to make a survivor’s election?

A

You may elect a survivor benefit for your spouse at retirement or upon marriage or remarriage after retirement to provide a surviving spouse with continued federal health benefits upon your death.

Recent retirees can make this

election within 18 months of retirement.

COORDINATION OF INSURANCE PAYMENT

Q

I retired from the federal government and enrolled in a Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) plan (GEHA). My wife is currently working in the private sector and I am covered under her plan (BCBS). My FEHBP plan was my primary and my wife’s plan was my secondary. After my enrollment in Medicare at age 65, my wife’s insurance says that they are no longer the secondary plan. Medicare is now primary, the FEHBP plan is secondary (GEHA), and my wife’s plan is tertiary (BCBS). Why is my wife’s plan third in the coordination of payment?

A

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Medicare and FEHBP Primary Payer Chart reflects the following information about which plan is primary if you are retired with FEHBP coverage and Medicare coverage with additional coverage through a spouse’s insurance. Since you are retired but covered under your working spouse’s policy, your spouse’s policy is your primary coverage. Medicare will pay secondary benefits and your FEHB plan will pay third.

The chart is available on the OPM website at www.opm.gov/ healthcare-insurance/healthcare/ medicare/75-12-final.pdf.

W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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Questions & Answers

that are covered by Social Security.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO AVOID THE WEP?

Q A

How can I avoid the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reduction?

The WEP reduces an individual’s Social Security benefit if they also receive an annuity from non-covered employment on which Social Security payroll taxes were not paid.

The WEP can reduce an individual’s retirement benefit but not eliminate it. The reduction is limited to up to half of the amount of the annuity, not to exceed $442.50 per month in 2017. The primary way to avoid the WEP reduction is by accumulating 30 years of substantial earnings

RECEIVING MORE THAN ONE ANNUITY

Q A

In what circumstances is it possible to receive more than one annuity?

You may receive a survivor annuity and a separate benefit that is based on your own service. Generally, if you are the surviving spouse of more than one federal retiree, you must elect one of the benefits. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) cannot pay you two survivor annuities. However, under certain circumstances, it is possible for

a widow or widower to receive more than one survivor annuity simultaneously. If, after age 55, you marry a federal employee and you are again widowed, you may be eligible to receive annuities based on the service of both of your spouses.

HOW ARE COLAS CALCULATED?

Q A

How is the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) determined?

The COLA is based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and

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Questions & Answers

Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

Each fall, the CPI-W for the third quarter is compared with the CPI-W for the third quarter of the last year in which a COLA was awarded.

If the comparison shows that consumer prices have gone up between those two periods, benefits go up. The Social Security Administration will not make its official announcement about the 2018 COLA until mid-October, and the final figure will go into effect in January 2018. The narfe magazine and website provide monthly updates on the CPI-W www.FreedomPlaza.com (888) 467-5202 and COLAs. NARFE supports

Retired Officers’

the use of the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) to calculate COLAs. This better measures prices experienced by those age 62 and older, who tend to rely more on medical care, which has dramatically increased in price.

DOES TRICARE MEET THE FIVE-YEAR RULE

Q

I am retired and have had Tricare Health coverage my entire federal career. I have read this coverage counts toward the five-year coverage requirement to convert to the Federal

Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). Does that mean I would have had to disenroll from Tricare a month or two prior to retirement to sign up for FEHBP to retain future enrollment rights?

A

Tricare is viewed as equivalent to FEHBP. Your enrollment in Tricare counts toward meeting the requirement for enrollment for the five-year period immediately preceding retirement as long as you are covered by FEHBP when you retire.

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NARFE at Your Service ARE LIFE INSURANCE PROCEEDS TAXABLE?

Q A

Is it true that life insurance proceeds are taxable income for federal income tax?

Life insurance proceeds are not considered taxable income for beneficiaries for personal income tax purposes. However, interest paid on Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) proceeds is reportable as income for federal income tax purposes.

The Office of Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance pays interest on claims from the date

of the insured’s death to the date of the payment. There is a payment maximum of two years interest, even if the time from date of death to date of payment is more than two years. You may wish to consult your tax advisor for further advice.

At NARFE headquarters, experts are available to answer questions and to assist in helping with a variety of

To obtain an answer to a federal benefits question, NARFE members should call 703-838-7760 and ask for the Federal Benefits Service Department; send the question by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Federal Benefits; or submit it by email to fedbenefits@narfe.org.

benefit matters.

Call NARFE at:

703-868-7760, ext. 202 www.narfe.org

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Mark your calendar for these upcoming NARFE programs, presented by federal benefits and retirement expert Tammy Flanagan.

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Widely recognized in the federal community as the expert who is able to handle the complex questions by providing easy-to-understand answers, Tammy Flanagan consults with, and trains, federal employees at every stage of their careers to help set and achieve their retirement goals and make informed decisions about their benefits.

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10 WAYS

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FOR FEDS TO SAVE ON

HEALTH CARE COSTS Federal Employees, Retirees, and Industry Experts Share Their Strategies By David Tobenkin The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) is generally regarded as one of the strongest and best administered health care programs in the United States, but for an increasing number of members of the federal family, particularly those in retirement, the pressure of health care cost increases is mounting.

W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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10 WAYS FOR FEDS TO SAVE ON

HEALTH CARE COSTS

While FEHBP premium increases for 2018 will not be announced until fall, health care costs are outpacing the financial resources of federal employees and annuitants over the longer term.

In the past six years, pay raises for federal employees have totaled a mere 5.4 percentage points, and cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for Social Security benefits and federal annuities grew 8.8 percent. That contrasts with a 27.8 percent increase in FEHBP premiums over the same time period and a compounded annual increase in premium costs of roughly 7.7 percent for Medicare Part B premiums over the past 51 years ending in 2016, according to a Motley Fool analysis. New executive branch and legislative proposals threaten to place further financial pressure on federal employees’ and annuitants’ health care coverage.

Although the finances and health care needs of every federal employee and annuitant are different, a recent narfe magazine survey and input from federal benefits experts highlighted 10 overarching strategies you can use to address the health care costs challenge.

Recognize the Scope of the Problem

Many younger employees and retirees may not realize the degree to which challenges posed by medical costs may dominate their later years, particularly after retirement. “Health insurance costs are the number two financial planning issue for our clients after general planning for adequate cash f low — it’s a huge issue,” says Micah Shilanski, an Anchorage, AK-based certified financial planner (CFP ®) and founder of the federal retirement website plan-your-federal-retirement.com.

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It’s also important to realize that health care costs are separate from, and in addition to, the costs of long-term care and long-term care insurance, which are rapidly increasing.

Be as Healthy as Possible

Many health risks can be significantly reduced with better health practices, such as not smoking, engaging in appropriate exercise, drinking in moderation and avoiding obesity.

“Problems such as obesity, diabetes, lipid disorders and hypertension are improved by better dietary habits and weight loss,” notes Hugh Naylor III, a retired Department of Veterans Administration primary care physician. “This has been my first priority for addressing health care costs. I’ve reduced my weight, so I can prevent new problems and better control established problems. As a result, I’ve reduced my insulin needs and blood pressure medication.” Survey respondents also noted that skin cancers and dental issues are often easy to address but can spiral into vastly more costly, and sometimes incurable, conditions without preventive services.

In addition to adhering to standard checkups, wellness programs offered by many FEHBP plans can assist with improving general health.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has promoted a wellness incentive program to encourage FEHBP members to focus on wellbeing and to learn how to be active participants in their health care, and many FEHBP plans have responded. GEHA members receive financial incentives up to $250 for participating in its Health Rewards program, notes Karen Schuler, vice president at GEHA. “The program includes online health assessments, online classes and

opportunities to manage weight, stress, fitness and smoking cessation,” Schuler says. “Our free biometric screening includes readings for weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and kidney function. It’s our goal to help you know your numbers and take care of your health.”

Know the Rules

Perhaps the most important strategy is to know how to make sure you don’t fall out of an excellent health care plan like the FEHBP. It is important to know the FEHBP rules for retirement coverage: Federal employees must be covered under the FEHBP continuously for the five years preceding retirement to continue enrollment after retirement (although there are rare exceptions, such as certain agency downsizing situations).

If you should die and you are not enrolled in a FEHBP family plan, your spouse will lose eligibility for the program. In addition, electing a survivor annuity for your spouse is critical, because if you die and your spouse does not receive a federal annuity, the spouse will lose FEHBP eligibility. As most private-sector employers do not continue health care coverage past retirement, the FEHBP offers a critical advantage for federal employees and the only guarantee that an employee’s spouse will maintain coverage is to be continually enrolled.

It’s important to know the qualifying life events that allow you to switch health plans outside of the FEHBP Open Season. Among these are marriage, birth or adoption of a child, having a foster child, legal separation, divorce, death of a spouse or dependent, certain changes in employment status, geographic transfer or if you or a family member lose FEHBP or other coverage. In addition, if you belong to an HMO

Perhaps the most important strategy is to know how to make sure you don’t fall out of an excellent health care plan like the FEHBP. and move out of its service area, you may enroll in a new plan. There are obviously a myriad of additional health care insurance-related rules.

NARFE offers a variety of educational resources online and in this magazine, including webinars and many specialized training forums, that provide additional resources on this topic.

In addition, many federal agencies offer seminars for employees.

Medicare interacts with the FEHBP and has separate rules that are also important to know. Official information on the rules for Medicare are available at www.medicare.gov.

Some states offer Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA), who can help retirees determine the best Medicare coverage strategy for individuals.

Pick Your Health Plan Wisely

The single biggest mistake federal consumers make in containing health care costs is failing to compare plans, says Walton Francis, an economist and public policy analyst who prepares “Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees” (Checkbook’s Guide).

“If you are a single employee in the Washington, DC, area, our estimates show that you can save almost $1,000 in total annual costs and expenses W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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10 WAYS FOR FEDS TO SAVE ON

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by enrolling in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Basic plan rather than the Standard Option,” Francis notes.

Shilanski agrees that there are often good options that are less expensive than the high-option variants of provider plans. He recommends switching to a lower-cost option if your health is relatively good but keeping the gold-plate, more expensive option, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard, if you have significant heath issues.

Checkbook’s Guide offers a rigorous comparison of plans and calculates the dollar value of advantages and disadvantages of different plans. Many federal departments, agencies and unions purchase special access to the online version of the guide for their employees.

“Everyone is different.

Don’t make decisions based on what others do—consider your own situation and do the math.”

The guide can be used to narrow down the plan options to the top three or four, but policyholders should then review the plan brochures to determine which plan is best for them, giving consideration to factors such as whether a medical condition is covered or a physician is in-network.

The OPM website, as well as the Checkbook’s Guide, includes plan comparison charts that summarize coverages, provide employee survey results, list plan premiums and contact information, and provide links to downloadable brochures. The OPM website is www.opm.gov/ insure and the Checkbook’s Guide website is at www.guidetohealthplans.org.

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“Everyone is different. Don’t make decisions based on what others do — consider your own situation and do the math,” says one federal retiree survey respondent. “For example, another federal retiree recommended that I enroll in a specific FEHBP plan. However, he didn’t know that my wife takes a drug that would cost several thousand dollars a year through that plan. My FEHBP plan allows my wife to purchase the drug for far less money.”

Don’t Set It and Forget it

It’s important for policyholders to annually reassess the adequacy, cost and strength of their health insurance plan. Many Feds set it and forget it. Health care plan data shows that only 6 percent or less of federal employees and retirees overall, and one in five retirees, change plans each Open Season.

Why reexamine? Life events, for example, may change your needs. Events that should cause you to reexamine your health insurance needs include a new child, anticipated dental work or major medical procedures, retirement, divorce, separation from federal employment, or joining Medicare, Francis notes. In addition, plan coverage for doctors, drugs, and services and cost levels can change.

Consider ConsumerDriven and HighDeductible Plans

Policyholders should consider the use of consumer-driven and high-deductible plans.

Consumer-driven plans allow members to use health savings accounts (HSAs), health reimbursement accounts (HRAs), or similar

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tax-advantaged medical payment products to pay routine health care expenses directly.

These plans have “Personal Care Accounts” that policyholders can spend on dental costs and drugs, including those that Medicare doesn’t cover. High-deductible plans are health insurance plans with lower premiums and higher deductibles than traditional health plans, which cause policyholders to pay more of the initial costs below a higher threshold.

The general purpose of health insurance is to protect against catastrophic costs, and this type of health plan uses HSAs and higher deductibles to reduce premiums. The premiums saved can be shifted to tax-advantaged HSAs to pay for any high costs incurred in future years.

Understand How Medicare and FEHBP Interact

This is a complicated part of health cost analysis and readers are encouraged to access a previously recorded NARFE-sponsored online seminar, “FEHBP and Medicare: Make the BEST Choice,” and to look for coverage of this topic in the magazine.

Medicare has four parts, which have implications for FEHBP. Generally, Medicare Part A, which covers hospital care for overnight stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care and home health services, does not require premiums for those who paid Medicare tax during employment and thus should be obtained as a matter of course. Medicare Part D, which provides prescription drug coverage, will rarely benefit federal retirees, who have good drug coverage from their former employer. As a consequence, Francis recommends that most federal retirees should not join a Part D plan, given a typical plan costs four or five hundred dollars in premiums.

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The more difficult decision involves Medicare Part B, which covers most medically necessary doctors’ services, preventive care, durable medical equipment, hospital outpatient services, laboratory tests, x-rays, mental health care, and some home health and ambulance services. Part B participation requires paying hefty premiums for coverage that overlaps with what is offered through many FEHBP plans.

However, in most cases, retirees are subject to a late enrollment penalty for every 12 months they could have been enrolled but were not.

Those with group health coverage based on current employment may be able to delay Part A and B and won’t have to pay a lifetime late enrollment penalty if they enroll later.

“I have had many clients have major medical conditions, and with their FEHBP in force and active, none have ended up with debilitating financial consequences. I cannot say that for those with similar conditions who only had Medicare coverage.”

—Micah Shilanski Medicare Part C is a collection of plans under the Medicare Advantage umbrella that duplicate FEHPB coverage and require significant premiums. Therefore, there is little benefit to enrolling in Medicare Advantage if participating in an active FEHBP plan, Francis points out. An alternative option for those with Medicare Part A and B, he says, is to join the Medicare Advantage

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Plan, which is like the FEHBP plan, and then suspend (but not cancel) the FEHPB plan and pay only one premium, likely $2,000 instead of $4,000 in monthly premiums.

On the other hand, Shilanski says he prefers that consumers maintain their FEHBP coverage as active, if at all possible, despite the cost. Shilanski encourages his clients to sign up for Medicare just before the penalty is about to be incurred.

“I have had many clients have major medical conditions, and with their FEHBP in force and active, none have ended up with debilitating financial consequences,” Shilanski says.

“I cannot say that for those with similar conditions who only had Medicare coverage.”

Go to In-Network Providers

Going to a doctor outside the network is almost always a poor financial decision, particularly with respect to the larger plans that have extensive networks of participating physicians, Francis notes. For physicians who are crucial, such as the outstanding pediatrician or internist who works on Saturdays and lives a block away, check plans ahead of time to make sure they are included.

Narrowing down plans to the top two or three presents a good chance that the indispensible doctor will be in a plan network. If you must use a non-network provider, try to bargain down the price before the procedure.

Another cost-reduction strategy is following other related plan design rules that limit costs, such as obtaining preapproval of procedures by the insurance company. “When you have an urgent need that’s not an emergency, think twice before making a visit to a hospital ER,” GEHA’s Schuler says.

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Police Policies and Caregivers

Many experts note that to be a good health care consumer means making health care providers clearly explain the need for procedures or prescription drugs and looking for cost-saving opportunities as actual health events occur.

“Talk with your doctor about procedures and medications to see whether lower-cost options are available,” Schuler says. “If you are unsure about a course of treatment, seek a second opinion. You may have other choices.”

In addition, providers and insurance companies make mistakes, and those who do not check their bills will often end up paying those costs.

Consumers must also be alert for outright fraud, Schuler notes. The following are simple steps policyholders can take to detect or avert health cost billing fraud: Reviewing your explanation of benefits (EOB) to make sure you received the services indicated Being careful with providers that refer to alternative treatments Refusing to sign blank insurance forms Exercising caution regarding “free” services Declining to provide insurance card numbers to marketers

• • • • •

Location, Location, Location

As with housing, geographic location can be an enormous factor in health care costs, even within the same state, such as California, where medical costs in the northern part of the state are far higher than in the lower part of the state. The relative costs of health care could be a contributing factor in whether to relocate to a state with abundant and inexpensive health care options.

—DAVID TOBENKIN IS A FREELANCE WRITER BASED IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON, DC AREA.

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WHAT DO ANNUITANTS THINK OF THEIR HEALTH CARE?

BY DAVE TOBENKIN

A

new Office of Personnel Management (OPM) survey suggests that federal annuitants who are enrolled in both the Federal Employees Health Benefits

Program (FEHBP) and Medicare are generally satisfied with their FEHBP plans. Just as important as the survey results may be the survey itself. Benefits experts have praised the survey as an important step toward gaining a better understanding of the benefits needs of the federal annuitant population.

THE FABS SURVEY The new Federal Annuitants Benefits Survey (FABS) was a voluntary online survey conducted from October through December 2016, during which more than 40,000 federal annuitants participated. The FABS was designed to gather feedback about ease and timeliness of health care, prescription drug coverage, tobacco use, and health and wellness. OPM released a report on the FABS survey results in March 2017.

The FABS survey contained questions that parallel those made in a separate survey, the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), which is conducted by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The annual CAHPS survey is sent to a sample of participants in FEHBP plans, but beginning in 2015, Medicare enrollees were excluded from CAHPS samples reported to OPM to conform to standardized sampling rules for commercial plans.

The FABS survey was designed to gain insights into those federal annuitants with Medicare, as that is the population that was excluded from the CAHPS survey, according to an OPM spokesperson.

Other FABS survey questions were similar to those asked in OPM’s Federal Employee Benefits Survey (FEBS), which provides feedback from active employees on their health insurance.

The new FABS survey offers some basis for comparisons between responses of employees and some annuitants as to their satisfaction with FEHBP plans. The FABS report juxtaposed the results of the FABS survey with those of the other two surveys in some sections. However, due to survey methodology differences, “direct comparisons should not be made and definitive conclusions cannot be drawn between the relative results of the FABS survey and the FEBS and CAHPS surveys,” says an OPM spokesperson, who added that it has not yet been determined how often the FABS survey will be replicated in the future.

Read the Report The “2016 Federal Annuitant Benefits Survey Report” (FABS Report) is available at www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/data-analysis-documentation/employee-surveys/ results/results-of-the-employee-benefits-survey 34

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MORE THAN 40,000 FEDERAL ANNUITANTS PARTICIPATED IN THE FEDERAL ANNUITANTS BENEFITS SURVEY (FABS)

SURVEY RESPONDENTS WERE:

HOW LONG AGO DID ANNUITANTS RETIRE?

FEHBP MET ANNUITANTS’ NEEDS:

2.4% TO A SLIGHT EXTENT OR NOT AT ALL ADEQUATE EXTENT

14.9% TO A MODERATE EXTENT

82.7% TO A GREAT EXTENT

14.4%

FEMALES

23%

MALES

0

29.1%

64.9% 35.1%

33.5%

35%

11–20 YEARS

5–10 YEARS

<5 YEARS

>20 YEARS

ANNUITANTS’ ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE:

98.5% “ALWAYS” OR “USUALLY” RECEIVED CARE RIGHT AWAY

86.8% “ALWAYS” OR “USUALLY” EASY TO GET CARE

W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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KEY RESULTS

Among the key findings of the FABS report were the following: • FEHBP plans are important: 98.8 percent of annuitant respondents characterized their FEHBP plan as “extremely important” or “important” to them, which is higher than the corresponding ranking of 90.1 percent for active employees in the 2016 FEBS survey.

• FEHBP plans generally meet the needs of respondents: 82.7 percent of annuitant respondents characterized their FEHBP plan as meeting their needs to a “great extent” and 14.9 percent to a “moderate extent.” This is a more favorable rating compared to 61.3 percent of active employees who selected to a “great extent” and 33.2 percent who selected to “moderate extent” in the 2016 FEBS survey.

• FEHBP plans are highly valued: 42.8 percent of FABS respondents characterized their plan as “an excellent value for the money” and 41 percent as “a good value for the money,” a more favorable rating than the 25.8 percent of active employees who selected an “excellent value” and 47.8 percent who selected a “good value” in the 2016 FEBS survey.

• Needed care was available: 95.8 percent of respondents said that in the last 12 months, it was “always” or “usually” easy to get the care, tests or treatment they needed; 86.6 percent of respondents said they “always” or “usually” received care right away when they needed it.

Of the respondents, 94 percent said they got an appointment for a check-up or routine care at a doctor’s office or clinic as soon as they needed it.

• Health care claims were timely and accurately

42.8%

OF ANNUITANTS SAID THEIR FEHBP PLAN WAS AN “EXCELLENT VALUE FOR THE MONEY.” 36

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processed: Respondents generally gave their individual plans high marks for customer service in the preceding 12 months: 83.9 percent of respondents said their FEHBP health plan usually or always handled their claims quickly, and 86.8 percent of respondents said their FEHBP health plan usually or always handled their claims correctly.

• A majority of respondents indicated they were receiving the plan and prescription drug information. These results, however, were clouded somewhat by a significant portion of respondents who indicated the question was not applicable and by the significant percentage of less favorable ratings.

• Filling prescriptions did not appear to be a problem for most respondents: 89.2 percent indicated that in the last 12 months, they “always” or “usually” could fill such prescriptions at their local pharmacy, which was somewhat less favorable than the CAHPS survey respondents, 82 percent of whom selected “always” and 15 percent selected “usually.”

A POPULATION APART

The survey is significant because it measures the specific preferences and opinions of the federal annuitant population, which differ from the federal employee population. The annuitant population tends to use medical and prescription drug services more often than younger populations, and as retirees, they lack federal agency support in accessing information about plans enjoyed by employees. In many cases, they live on a fixed income and a small change in costs or difficulty in accessing coverage or plan information can have large impacts on quality of life.

“OPM is to be commended for taking seriously the need for a federal agency to get feedback from those they serve. This is a great model, and they should expand it,” says Walton Francis, an economist and public policy analyst who is the principal author of “Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees,” which compares all FEHBP plans. “The FABS survey is a nice piece of work that benefitted from a huge response and that was performed in a very competent, professional manner.”

SURVEY LIMITATIONS

The FABS report notes that the survey results are not intended to be representative of the opinions of the entire federal annuitant population. The FABS survey was limited to retired federal employees

INFORMATION ABOUT PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE: IN THE PAST YEAR, PLAN PARTICIPANTS WERE ABLE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE...

11.8% “SOMETIMES” OR “NEVER”

25.2% NOT APPLICABLE

63%

“ALWAYS” OR “USUALLY” and their spouses who were at least 65 years of age and participating in both a FEHBP plan as well as Medicare, thus appearing to filter out large annuitant subgroups who are younger than 65 and not eligible for Medicare or are otherwise not participating in Medicare.

The higher scores among FABS participants may be due to their dual enrollment in Medicare and FEHBP, with the associated benefit levels leading to higher ratings and a more favorable view of health plan performance, the report notes.

These results are consistent with a major 2002 survey of Medicare recipients by Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis and colleagues titled, “Medicare versus Private Insurance: Rhetoric and Reality,” which reported on plan participants with Medicare Parts A and B. “They were overwhelmingly satisfied,” Francis comments.

“That is consistent with results that say there is something unusual about these people, and that is that over half of all Medicare enrollees in the country have wraparound employer plans or Medigap plans that pay for 100 percent of their costs, or close to it. They are very happy with their insurance. You would not expect similar satisfaction from other groups without that level of coverage.”

A more comprehensive survey of annuitant experiences with FEHBP would recognize the different annuitant subgroups, develop survey questions that distinguish between these groups and begin gathering data on them. This would allow OPM, health plans and health advocates to better understand the needs and preferences of those different annuitant groups. To do so, Francis recommends collecting and distinguishing information for three other groups of annuitants: Those participating in Medicare Part A but not Part B, those in neither Part A nor Part B, and those who do not yet have Medicare.

The FABs survey also was limited because the survey was voluntary and conducted via internet, says Matthew Rutledge, a research economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. The survey was open to all who satisfied its sampling criteria and did not seek a random, representative sampling of the annuitant population. “The problem with voluntary surveys is that the people with the strongest opinions have the strongest incentive to participate in the survey,” Rutledge says. “The results of that survey would reflect mostly that vocal minority. A random survey, by contrast, includes everyone, including those with more moderate opinions, or no opinion at all, which should make it more representative of the underlying population of interest.”

In addition, the online survey could filter out the opinions of annuitants who do not have access to or comfort with the internet. This lack of access might influence their views about whether the information they are receiving is adequate and accessible.

In recent years, OPM has greatly reduced the dissemination of information in print format, for example eliminating a guide to federal benefits which compared all FEHB plans, and has increased online information.

An ideal FEHBP annuitant survey would ask questions that elicit responses that would show how savvy annuitants are regarding benefits and benefits strategies, Francis says. An example, he says, would be to ask annuitants about their awareness of Medicare Advantage plans. “Many are not aware that there is an option for those with Medicare Part A and Part B to join any Medicare Advantage plan in their area. These are good plans that are like FEHBP plans.

Annuitants can then suspend FEHBP enrollment and pay only one monthly premium, likely about $2,000, instead of about $4,000,” Francis says.

“That is a great option, and it is not displayed W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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prominently in FEHBP materials or highlighted in mailings to annuitants. Awareness of that option is probably quite low.”

Another possible expansion for the survey would be to expand questions to other benefits received by annuitants. The benefits issues examined in the FABS survey were not as wide as in the 2016 FEBS survey, which asked employees about a wide range of other federal benefits issues, including the Thrift Savings Plan, Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance, Federal Employees Dental and Vision Program, Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program and flexible spending accounts.

PLAN PREFERENCES

FABS respondents made clear what elements they cared about most in their FEHBP plans. The five elements selected by survey respondents included: prescription drug coverage (43.9 percent), universal acceptance of insurance (38.5 percent), minimal out-of-pocket costs (31.7 percent), coverage of needed services (31.6 percent) and medical coverage (30 percent). The OPM report noted FEHB plan features most frequently selected as the best by annuitants were in line with active employee trends reflected in the 2016 FEBS survey results.

PLANPREFERENCES: PREFERENCES: PLAN MOST IMPORTANT FEHBP PLAN COMPONENTS

43.9% PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE

38.5% UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE OF INSURANCE

31.7% MINIMAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES

31.6% COVERAGE OF NEEDED SERVICES

30% MEDICAL COVERAGE 38

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The FABS survey did ask respondents to specify which FEHBP plan to which they belonged; however, the FABS report did not release this information, which Francis says would be useful to annuitants in determining which plans are a good fit for them.

“The other missing survey element is analysis by which plan participants are in,” Francis says. “The CAHPS survey is done plan by plan and there are different results for different plans, which offers valuable information to participants. However, CAHPS doesn’t break out information by age, annuitant or Medicare status. That is significant because some plans have more participants who are older, like Blue Cross Standard, while others have more participants who are younger, like Blue Cross Basic. That type of information would be very valuable to plan participants during Open Season.”

ACCESS TO PLAN INFORMATION

Ensuring adequate plan information access is a particularly important issue for annuitants, given they no longer have access to federal computer systems, dedicated HR personnel, benefits seminars, and other standard educational and support efforts for employees.

With respect to plan information, FABS survey results showed: • 56.7 percent of respondents reported that in the last 12 months, they were “always” or “usually” able to find out from their health plan how much they would have to pay for a health care service or equipment, while 28.2 percent of respondents selected “N/A”, and 15.2 respondents answered “sometimes” or “never.” No comparable CAHPS survey figure was provided.

• 58.4 percent of respondents reported that in the last six months, their FEHBP health plan’s customer service “always” or “usually” provided the information or help they needed, while 31.9 percent of respondents selected “N/A” and 9.7 percent answered “sometimes” or “never.” This was a lower result than the corresponding 81 percent in the CAHPS survey who indicated “always” or “usually.”

• For both of the above questions, OPM noted that the substantial number of respondents who gave a “sometimes” or “never” response to the questions indicated an opportunity for customer service improvement.

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- Simplicity: Easy Climber features an uncomplicated mechanism. It’s the simplest, quietest, most reliable, with the least need for maintenance and repair.

- Safety: Easy Climber has been tested continually and features a wide range of safety features, including swivel seats, not available on other models. Plus, it’s anchored to the steps, not the wall, so there’s no chance of it pulling loose. It even features “Always Charged” technology, so it will even work in the event of a power outage - Easy Installation: Expert installation technicians will come to your home, measure your stairs and recommend and install the exact right unit for you. Then they’ll show you how to operate it, clean up and in most cases be gone in under three hours. If not… they’ll give you $50 on the spot.

This innovative and affordable solution enables you to maintain your independence and stay in the home you love.

Like most people, the older I get, the more I miss life’s simple pleasures. The thing is, I want to stay in the home I love, the home where my husband and I raised our children. Recently, when my Doctor told me that I should not climb stairs, I thought I had no choice but to move. Our bedroom’s on the second floor, and neither my husband or I feel safe walking up or down the stairs.

I’d thought about getting a stair lift, but the one’s I’d seen just weren’t right for me or my house.

Then a friend told me about Easy Climber® Stair Lift.

If you or someone you love lives in a home with more than one floor, the staircase can be more than an inconvenience, it can be a health threat. Why risk your life… or your lifestyle, when an easy solution is only a phone call away. You’ll be surprised how easy, simple and affordable an Easy Climber Stair Lift system is.

Call our toll-free hot line now, and a friendly, knowledgeable product expert can answer all of your questions and help you get your very own Easy Climber Stair Lift.

“My wife is now able to go up and down the stairs without the fear of falling.”

– David L., Henrico VA

- Warranty: Unlike most Stair Lifts, Easy Climber comes with a Lifetime Guarantee on the motor, gearbox, rail, power supply and control board– the best in the business.

Call now toll free to find out how you can get your own Easy Climber Stair Lift.

For fastest service call now.

1-888-376-4096 Please mention promotional code

“I am so happy with the Easy Climber Stair Lift, I made the decision to buy two of them!”

– Eloise D., Dawsonville, GA

Actual Easy Climber Stair Lift customer testimonials. Professional models shown

107113.

55817

Stair Lift design may vary.

“The Easy Climber Stair Lift has made it possible for us to remain in our home.”

– Dorleen B., Missoula, MT © 2017 Aging in the Home Remodelers Inc.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COST OF CARE: IN THE PAST YEAR, PLAN PARTICIPANTS WERE ABLE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH CARE COSTS...

ANNUITANTS’ TOP PRIORITIES: HEALTH AND EXERCISE

64.6%

15.2%

OF ANNUITANTS SET GOALS TO MANAGE THEIR HEALTH IN THE PAST YEAR

“SOMETIMES” OR “NEVER”

28.2% NOT APPLICABLE

76.5%

56.7%

“STRONGLY AGREE” OR “AGREE” THAT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS IMPORTANT TO THEM

“ALWAYS” OR “USUALLY”

• 63 percent of respondents said that in the last year, information about prescription drug coverage was “always” or “usually” accessible, with 25.2 percent reporting “N/A.” This was a less favorable response in comparison to the CAHPS survey, in which 84 percent of respondents indicated that prescription drug coverage was “always” or “usually” accessible.

• 64.7 percent of respondents reported that information about prescription drug payment obligations was “always” or “usually” accessible, which was lower than the corresponding 83 percent of CAHPS respondents.

The FABS survey respondents also described how they accessed plan information. The most frequent manner of accessing FEHBP resources was by internet (75.3 percent), mailings and plan brochures (45.7 percent), and phone (29.7 percent). Of the respondents, 1.6 percent wrote in other ways in which they accessed information and 1.4 percent listed former agencies as an information source.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES

To gain a more comprehensive picture of the overall health of the annuitant population, the FABS survey included several questions addressing health and wellness topics. Among the key findings were: 40

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• Many respondents reported improving personal health and physical activity as priorities: More than half (64.6 percent) reported setting one or more health goals in the past 12 months, and more than three-quarters (76.5 percent) reported that they “strongly agree” or “agree” that physical activity is an important part of their lifestyle.

• Survey participants reported a relatively low completion rate for the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) screening tool: 29.2 percent of FABS respondents reported completing an HRA compared to 31 percent who said they had not. According to the 2016 FEBS report, approximately 27 percent of employees responded that they had completed a HRA within the past three years.

• Access to, and participation in, wellness programs was limited: Slightly more than half (51.7 percent) of FABS respondents reported having access to wellness programs, and of these respondents, 39.6 percent indicated that they participated in a wellness program. Wellness programs included activities such as nutritional counseling, medication management, fitness classes and health coaching, according to the FABS report.

DAVID TOBENKIN IS A FREELANCE REPORTER BASED IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA.

New amplified phone lets you hear AND see the conversation.

o ct N t ra e n Fe o Co N hly t on M

Breakthrough technology converts phone calls to captions.

The Hamilton® CapTel® Captioned Telephone converts phone conversations to easy-to-read captions for individuals with hearing loss.

A simple idea… made possible with sophisticated technology. If you have trouble understanding a call, captioned telephone can change your life. During a phone call the words spoken to you appear on the phone’s screen – similar to closed captioning on TV. So when you make or receive a call, the words spoken to you are not only amplified by the phone, but scroll across the phone so you can listen while reading everything that’s said to you. Each call is routed through a call center, where computer technology – aided by a live representative – generates voice-to-text translations. The captioning is real-time, accurate and readable. Your conversation is private and the captioning service doesn’t cost you a penny.

Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) is regulated and funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and is designed exclusively for individuals with hearing loss. To learn more, visit www.fcc.gov. The Hamilton CapTel phone requires telephone service and high-speed Internet access. WiFi Capable. Callers

do not need special equipment or a captioned telephone in order to speak with you.

Finally… a phone you can use again. The Hamilton CapTel phone is also packed with features to help make phone calls easier.

The keypad has large, easy to use buttons. You get adjustable volume amplification along with the ability to save captions for review later. It even has an answering machine that provides you with the captions of each message.

“For years I avoided phone calls because I couldn’t understand the caller… now I don’t miss a thing!”

SEE what you’ve been missing!

See for yourself with our exclusive home trial. Try a captioned telephone in your own home and if you are not completely amazed, simply return it within 60-days for a refund of the product purchase price. It even comes with a

5-year warranty.

Captioned Telephone Call now for our special introductory price!

Call now Toll-Free

1-888-737-2564 Please mention promotion code 107111.

The Captioning Telephone is intended for use by people with hearing loss. In purchasing a Captioning Telephone, you acknowledge that it will be used by someone who cannot hear well over a traditional phone. Hamilton is a registered trademark of Nedelco, Inc. d/b/a Hamilton Telecommunications. CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc.

81135

Do you get discouraged when you hear your telephone ring? Do you avoid using your phone because hearing difficulties make it hard to understand the person on the other end of the line? For many Americans the telephone conversation – once an important part of everyday life – has become a thing of the past.

Because they can’t understand what is said to them on the phone, they’re often cut off from friends, family, doctors and caregivers. Now, thanks to innovative technology there is finally a better way.

Managing Money

TSP BENEFICIARY RULES: WHO GETS YOUR BENEFITS?

A

s a federal employee, you have several benefits to which you may name a beneficiary to receive any remaining value when you pass. Given that

the TSP is typically the largest federal benefit for a federal retiree, this column will focus on the TSP beneficiary rules.

To ensure your benefits pass to your intended heirs, it’s important to understand how the beneficiary designations work for each benefit and to verify that your designations are set up correctly in light of your circumstances.

To get started, the TSP permits you to name one or more primary beneficiaries. If you name multiple primary beneficiaries, and if one of your primary beneficiaries predeceases you, the deceased beneficiary’s share will be split among the remaining primary beneficiaries.

If, instead, you would like a deceased primary beneficiary’s share to go to someone else, you also may name one or more contingent beneficiaries to a primary beneficiary. When naming a contingent beneficiary, you will need to link the contingent beneficiary to a specific primary beneficiary.

For example, let’s assume you name your spouse as primary beneficiary and then you want to name your two children as contingent beneficiaries to receive equal shares should your 42

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spouse predecease you. In this case, you list your spouse as sole primary beneficiary, to receive 100 percent, and then list your two children as contingent beneficiaries, linking them to your spouse, with each to receive 50 percent.

It gets a bit more complicated in situations in which you would like the descendants of a named beneficiary to receive money if the beneficiary predeceases you.

For example, suppose you have grandchildren and you want them to get their parent’s share in the event one of your children predeceases you. What makes this so complicated is the fact you may not name contingent beneficiaries to your contingent beneficiaries. Furthermore, the TSP does not accept a “per stirpes” designation, which allows for the descendants of a deceased beneficiary to receive the deceased beneficiary’s share.

For example, with a per stirpes designation, if your spouse and child in the above example died in a car wreck, your surviving child would get his or her 50

BY MARK A. KEEN,

CFP®

percent share, and the descendants of your deceased child would split the deceased child’s share equally.

However, as the TSP does not permit a per stirpes designation, when a primary beneficiary and a linked contingent beneficiary predecease you, the deceased contingent beneficiary’s share will be divided among any remaining linked contingent beneficiaries. If there are no remaining linked contingent beneficiaries, the money will be divided up among any remaining primary beneficiaries. If there are no remaining named beneficiaries, then the “order of precedence” will kick in, which we’ll discuss later.

Applying this to our example, the deceased child’s share would be paid out to any remaining contingent beneficiaries, which in this case, is your surviving child. In other words, the children of your deceased child – your grandchildren – would be disinherited.

As previously mentioned, if there are no remaining beneficiaries, or you have not named any beneficiaries, the order of precedence will apply. In this case, your TSP will be paid out in the following order: 1. To your spouse; 2. If none, to your child or children equally, and to descendants of deceased children by representation;

BENEFITS RESOURCES NARFE offers members a wide range of information on federal benefits. Visit www. narfe.org/federalbenefits and www.narfe.org/ FederalBenefitsInstitute.

3. If none, to your parents equally or to the surviving parent; 4. I f none, to the appointed executor or administrator of your estate; or 5. I f none, to your next of kin, who would be entitled to your estate under the laws of the state in which you resided at the time of your death.

I typically recommend having beneficiaries listed on all accounts; however, when dealing

with the TSP, it may be better to not name beneficiaries in certain circumstances.

For example, notice that number 2 in the order of precedence works like a per stirpes designation for your family. If your circumstances are similar to the above example, you may find it better to not name a beneficiary and let the order of precedence apply.

You should review your TSP beneficiary designations and consider how your benefits would be paid out given your current designations. You may discover one or more of your heirs would be disinherited under the right (or wrong) circumstances.

To make changes, visit www.tsp.gov and download Form TSP-3.

MARK A. KEEN, CFP®, IS PARTNER, KEEN & POCOCK, 10300 EATON PLACE, FAIRFAX, VA, AND AN INVESTMENT ADVISER REPRESENTATIVE AND REGISTERED PRINCIPAL OF THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ALLIANCE, INC. (SFA). SECURITIES AND ADVISORY SERVICES ARE OFFERED THROUGH SFA. EMAIL: MKEEN@KEENPOCOCK.COM.

NARFE NATIONAL LIFE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION National Life Membership offers a hedge against future dues increases and affirms a member’s ongoing support of NARFE’s mission to serve federal employees and retirees. National dues are paid for life; applicable chapter dues are billed annually.

CONTACT INFORMATION o Mr. o Mrs. o Miss o Ms. Full Name _____________________________________________ Street Address _________________________________________ Apt./Unit ______________________________________________ City _______________________ State _____ ZIP _____________ Phone (__________) ____________________________________ Email ________________________________________________ Date of Birth _____ /_____ /_________ dd

mm

yyyy

Recruiter ID # (if applicable) _______________________________ Chapter Number (if applicable) ____________________________ (call 800-456-8410 for chapter information) MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Member Number: _______________________________________ (New members) Membership is open to civilians in any agency of the federal or D.C. (before Oct. 1, 1987) governments eligible for a federal annuity.

Thank you for becoming a National Member for Life. You will receive a membership card, certificate and special lapel pin.

Please allow six weeks for processing. Dues payments & gift contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

I am a (check all that apply)

o Active Federal Employee o Active Federal Employee Spouse

o Annuitant o Annuitant Spouse o Survivor Annuitant

Life Membership Fee Schedule Ages 30-39 40-50 51-55 56-60 61-65 66-70 71-75 76-80 81-90 91-100+

Single or Quarterly Payment Installments $1,796 $450.25 1,408 353.25 1,127 283.00 960 241.25 801 201.50 653 164.50 514 129.75 392 99.25 251 64.00 127 33.00

PAYMENT INFORMATION o Single Payment or o Quarterly Installments (4 payments) Life Membership fee amount: $ _____________________ PAYMENT OPTIONS o Check or Money Order (Payable to NARFE) o Charge my: o MasterCard o VISA o Discover o American Express Card No. _________________________________________ Expiration Date _____ /_______ mm

yyyy

Name on Card _____________________________________ Signature ________________________ Date ___________ MAIL THIS APPLICATION TO NARFE Member Records 606 N. Washington St. / Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 W W W. N A R F E . O R G

|

43

Alzheimer’s Update

COMBINATION THERAPY: A NEW APPROACH

C

ombination therapy uses more than one medication.

This means multiple therapies are used to treat a single disease and often all the therapies are

pharmaceutical. Combination therapy has been used successfully in treating cancer, heart and HIV diseases. Many now feel that such an approach may be the most effective in treating Alzheimer’s disease.

HIV/AIDS was spreading unchecked in the 1980s, but deaths from AIDS have fallen 45 percent since their peak in 2005, according to UNAIDS. Today, people with HIV receive a powerful three-drug antiviral cocktail allowing them to live much longer.

The Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation are challenging the research community to find promising drug combinations that produce more effective treatments.

A grant initiative called the Alzheimer’s Combination Therapy Opportunities (ACTO) is a joint effort that will provide $2 million this year for testing approaches. It will simultaneously target two or more processes believed to underlie, exacerbate or occur in the disease. An ACTO-funded study must use drugs that have been determined safe for use in treating other conditions.

Combination therapy for Alzheimer’s is promising, but studying it is challenging. While

44

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there are partnerships that exist in Alzheimer’s prevention trials, there are still many issues to solve.

Another issue that must be solved is determining which treatment combinations to test.

More basic research is needed to have a better understanding of how Alzheimer’s develops and progresses.

Brain inflammation and blood circulation problems may become worse as the disease progresses.

Research on possible Alzheimer’s combination therapies with mice is encouraging. One study used a hormone that inhibits hunger (leptin) in combination with an approved diabetes drug (pioglitazone) that may reduce both amyloid plaque accumulation and brain inflammation.

Pioglitazone and other similar medications for diabetes may cause or worsen heart failure, in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the other parts of the body. Patients with heart failure may be advised not to take pioglitazone or must be carefully monitored.

BY MERV STUCKEY NARFE-ALZHEIMER’S CHAIR

Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease Diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease are connected in ways that aren’t fully understood.

Many studies suggest people with Type 2 diabetes are at higher risk of eventually developing Alzheimer’s.

Diabetes may damage blood vessels which is considered a risk factor for vascular dementia, which causes brain damage due to reduced or blocked blood flow to the brain.

Many people with diabetes often have brain changes that also are seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

Diabetes also may increase the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, which may precede or accompany Alzheimer’s disease. Preventing diabetes or managing it successfully may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and also help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

The study found that Alzheimer’s disease and Type 2 diabetes are so closely related that drugs currently used to control glucose levels in diabetes may also alleviate the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

MERV STUCKEY IS CHAIR OF THE NARFEALZHEIMER’S NATIONAL COMMITTEE. EMAIL: NARFEROADRUNNER@COMCAST.NET. THIS COLUMN APPEARS QUARTERLY.

BETTER HEARING BEGINS HERE.

Attn: Federal Employees and Retirees

The first hearing device proven to make it easier on the brain.

Federal Employees and Retirees may be eligible for a pair of Oticon Opn™ 3 hearing aids for $0 out-of-pocket.* Your brain works at incredible speeds to process sound.

Finally there’s a hearing device that can keep up. Only Oticon Opn uses BrainHearing™ technology to process all the sounds around you exceptionally fast. Oticon Opn takes the work out of hearing, so you can enjoy a more effortless, natural hearing experience.

Take advantage of your $2,500 hearing benefit.

Call YHN at 877-696-5335.

Your Hearing Network gives you easy access to a network of carefully screened hearing care professionals and a wide selection of digital hearing aids.

* Disclaimer: Your out-of-pocket costs may vary depending on plan benefits, eligibility, deductible, co-insurance and model of device chosen. This is not a guarantee of coverage or payment. Benefit is not available through all insurance plans. Please consult your plan for coverage details.

2017

G FUND

F FUND

C FUND

S FUND

I FUND

0.19%

0.43%

2.05%

1.11%

2.88%

JUNE

0.19%

-0.09%

0.62%

2.33%

-0.18%

MAY

0.19%

0.81%

1.41%

-0.77%%

3.76%

YTD

1.36%

2.92%

11.59%

8.61%

17.39%

1 YEAR

2.12%

-0.24%

16.06%

16.72%

18.13%

3 YEAR*

2.06%

3.08%

10.93%

9.20%

3.12%

5 YEAR*

2.00%

2.41%

14.83%

14.85%

9.53%

10 YEAR*

2.48%

4.70%

7.80%

8.54%

1.84%

—BY SEAN MCCAFFREY, DEPUTY CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN

L INCOME

L 2020

L 2030

L 2040

L 2050

JULY

0.60%

0.96%

1.42%

1.63%

1.82%

COUNTDOWN TO COLA

JUNE

0.26%

0.35%

0.46%

0.52%

0.58%

MAY

0.55%

0.86%

1.22%

1.38%

1.51%

YTD

3.69%

5.96%

8.53%

9.78%

10.91%

1 YEAR

4.81%

7.79%

11.05%

12.68%

14.24%

3 YEAR*

3.56%

4.89%

6.25%

6.91%

7.40%

5 YEAR*

4.36%

7.64%

9.54%

10.72%

11.78%

10 YEAR*

3.77%

4.78%

5.53%

5.86%

N/A

2017

*ANNUALIZED

RETURNS are net of the effect of accrued administrative expenses and investment expenses/costs. Source: TSP (For additional monthly returns, go to www.tsp.gov.)

G Fund: Government securities (specially issued to the TSP) F Fund: Government, corporate and mortgage-backed bonds C Fund: Stocks of large- and medium-size U.S. companies S Fund: Stocks of small- to medium-size U.S. companies (not included in the C Fund) I Fund: International stocks of 21 developed countries L Fund: (Lifecycle) Invested in the G, F, C, S and I Funds (The proportion of L Fund balance invested in each of the individual TSP funds depends on the L Fund chosen.)

OPM RETIREMENT CLAIMS PROCESSING STATUS

2016

Claims Received

Inventory

Avg # of Days (Steady State % Processed in to Process Case in is 13,000) 60 Days or Less (FYTD) More Than 60 Days

JUNE 5,929 13,529 JULY 9,238 15,562 AUGUST 6,818 16,334 SEPTEMBER 6,946 15,146 OCTOBER 7,326 16,677 NOVEMBER 5,065 16,019 DECEMBER 5,483 15,097 JANUARY 15,317 23,087 FEBRUARY 9,114 23,916 MARCH 7,216 20,530 APRIL 6,581 18,932 MAY 5,548 16,140 JUNE 6,141 14,530

79% 79% 78% 77% 58% 60% 56% 51% 56% 61% 56% 54% 62%

115 110 112 100 91 94 95 89 104 105 80 89 99

FOR THE NUMBER of new retirement cases the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) receives each month by agency and the percent with errors that it returns to those agencies, go to www.opm.gov/retirement-services/. Source: OPM 46

Better corporate earnings growth continued to lift stocks, benefitting the C and the S Funds, which marked gains. The I Fund benefitted as well, and received an additional boost from the declining value of the dollar relative to other currencies. The Federal Reserve took a pause from raising interest rates as it continued to watch the inflation picture. As a result, Treasury yields moved a bit lower during the month, causing the F Fund to climb.

JULY

*ANNUALIZED

2017

For the Record

STOCK FUNDS POST GAINS IN JULY; F FUND RECEIVES BOOST

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN FUND RETURNS

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T

he Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.09 percent in June 2017. To calculate the 2018 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the indices of July, August and September 2017 will be averaged and compared with the 2016 third-quarter average of 235.057. The percentage increase, if any, determines the COLA. June’s index, 238.813, is up 1.60 percent from the base.

Benefits awarded under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) to individuals suffering work-related injuries or illnesses are adjusted according to each calendar year’s percentage change in the CPI-W. June’s index is 1.45 percent higher than the December 2016 base index of 235.390.

The CPI represents purchases of food and beverages, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication, and other goods and services. Included are various government fees, such as water charges, auto registration fees, and sales and excise taxes.

MONTH

CPI-W

Monthly % Change

% Change from 235.057

OCTOBER 2016

235.732

+0.10

+0.29

NOVEMBER

235.215

-0.20

+0.06

DECEMBER

235.390

+0.07

+0.14

JANUARY 2017

236.854

+0.62

+0.76

FEBRUARY

237.477

+0.26

+1.03

MARCH

237.656

+0.08

+1.11

APRIL

238.432

+0.33

+1.44

MAY

238.609

+0.07

+1.51

JUNE

238.813

+0.09

+1.60

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

Donate to NARFE Programs Support Alzheimer’s Research

YOUR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.

WRITE YOUR CHAPTER NUMBER ON CHECK; MAKE IT PAYABLE TO: NARFE-Alzheimer’s Research

Enclosed is my NARFE-Alzheimer’s contribution: $ Every cent that is contributed is used for research.

Please circle: Mr. Mrs. Miss Ms. AND MAIL TO: Name: Alzheimer’s Association Address: 225 N. Michigan Ave., 17th Floor City: State: ZIP: Chicago, IL 60601-7633 Chapter Number: Credit Card Information:

MasterCard VISA NARFE MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED FOR If you have any questions, write to:

Discover AMEX ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH: $13 Million Fund NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR Card Number: Merv Stuckey, 2272 E. Buster Mountain Dr. Expiration Date: (mm)/ (yy) Oro Valley, AZ 85755-4709 *Total as of June 30, 2017 3-Digit Security Code: 100% of all contributed funds go to Name: (please print) EMAIL: narferoadrunner@comcast.net

$12,355,786* Alzheimer’s research.

Signature

Join the Silver CIrcle CLIP THIS CONTRIBUTION FORM AND MAIL TO: NARFE Silver Circle 606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314

•For a contribution of $25 or more, you will receive a Silver Circle pin, and your name will be listed in narfe magazine with other contributors.

•For a contribution of $1,000 or more, your name will be placed on the “Wall of Fame” at NARFE Headquarters.

YOUR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.

/

Enclosed is my Silver Circle contribution: $ ID # (ID # may be found on your narfe magazine label or your NARFE membership card)

Name: Address: City: State: ZIP: Silver Circle contributions are NOT deductible for federal income tax purposes.

INSTALLMENT PLAN Wall of Fame 12-month installment plan

Give to the Scholarship and Disaster Funds

PLEASE MAIL COUPON AND CHECK TO: FEEA 1641 Prince St. Alexandria, VA 22314

/

All donations go to the NARFE General Fund to support NARFE programs and operations.

My check is enclosed

(Please make check payable to NARFE Silver Circle.)

Please charge my credit card Card type MasterCard VISA

Discover AMEX Card Number: Expiration Date: (mm)/ (yy) Name: (please print)

Signature

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund or NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund.

Date

YES!

Date

/

/

I would like to help with my contribution.

Please check appropriate box(es). To make credit card contributions, call 800-338-0755. Scholarships are available to children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of federal civilian retirees and current federal employees who are NARFE members.

NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund

Amount: $

NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund

Amount: $

Name: Address: City: State: ZIP:

NARFE News

NARFE-FEEA DISASTER SUPPORT FUNDS

READY, SET, RECRUIT!

F

or every NEW member recruited from September 1 through December 31, the recruiter will receive $10 and be eligible for monthly prizes throughout the contest as well as the grand prize, an Apple Watch.

In previous campaigns, federations and chapters have offered additional incentives and prizes to their membership drive participants. You may want to consider offering extra incentives, which can spur excitement among chapters and provide for some healthy competition among members!

As we are all working toward the common goals of increasing NARFE membership and engaging members in our mission, we

encourage members at all levels to spread the word and get involved in this important effort.

Please publicize the 2017 membership drive in your newsletters, on your websites and at meetings.

Frequent reminders – and even a “goal” thermometer – can help keep members focused and excited about the program.

Contest rules will be printed in the October issue of narfe magazine, in the upcoming Recruiting and Retention Journal, and on the NARFE website at www.narfe.org.

Updated brochures and materials are available to support the field in recruiting efforts.

—MONICA WILLIAMS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP MARKETING

JOIN US IN JACKSONVILLE FOR THE 2018 NARFE NATIONAL CONFERENCE

48

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NARFE partners with the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund (FEEA) to provide emergy grants and loans to federal employees affected by a natural disaster through the NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund.

The fund is supported by tax-deductible donations from NARFE members and friends of NARFE and is administered by FEEA. NARFE members have donated some $458,000 in aid to NARFE members who were affected by Hurricane Katrina, Superstorm Sandy and other natural disasters.

NARFE disaster funds in the form of cash grants ($500 maximum per grant per household) are available to all NARFE members in good standing who have been injured, incurred property damage, or have other needs during and after a declared natural disaster.

NARFE contributions are kept separate from FEEA’s own emergency assistance fund and are disbursed to NARFE members whose applications are approved. To find out more, visit www.narfe.org/disasterfund.

CORRECTION In the July 2017 issue of narfe magazine, the “Managing Money” column (p. 41) should have correctly stated the following sentence: While you can’t convert a required minimum distribution (RMD) to a Roth IRA, you may convert money after taking out your RMD. In other words, once you have satisfied your RMD, you may take out additional money and convert it to a Roth IRA.

Thank You NARFE Strategic Planning Committee

W

hen NARFE’s 2017 Strategic Planning Committee convened in January, they began their work reviewing and discussing NARFE’s current state of affairs. You can read the entire 2017 NARFE situation analysis document, which was the basis of that discussion, online at www.narfe.org in the Strategic Planning section. A brief summary of the situation analysis appears below.

NARFE has recently taken critical steps to evolve into an association more relevant and responsive to both current and prospective members.

PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES At the 2016 biennial convention, delegates recognized the recruitment and retention obstacle that a mandatory chapter membership model had become and voted to make chapter membership optional.

At the same convention, delegates voted to adopt a One Member, One Vote policy, allowing each member a say in the association’s governance.

NARFE recognized that years of budget cuts had left federal employees limited access to human resource staff and that federal retirees faced unacceptable wait times when phoning or emailing OPM, and so NARFE developed the Federal Benefits Institute to fill this void. The Institute offers webinars and is a go-to resource on critical and complex benefit issues.

NARFE successfully fought off $318 billion in cuts to federal pay and benefits proposed in the fiscal year 2016 House budget as well as $170 billion proposed by the Senate, but legislative threats to

active and retired federal highlighted that 43 percent employees have greatly of federations – or, 23 intensified in the out of 54 – cannot current Congress. fully function and Additionally, the require financial first budget from support from President Donald headquarters.

SECURE Trump introduced • The number of new threats to the federations that THE financial security of are vulnerable has FUTURE federal retirees. grown, and they are NARFE has hired looking for guidance to a professional Executive avoid shutting down.

Director to provide a level of • Federal benefits are growing in professionalism and continuity. complexity while there are fewer Despite this progress, significant trained service officers. challenges remain. The membership • There is a need to clarify existing decline, although slowing, continues. guidance and provide additional NARFE’s 2016 year-end total guidance on finances and budget. membership was 215,760, down Based on the statements above, 9,798 or 4 percent from the close the 2017 Strategic Planning of 2015, an improvement from 5 Committee focused on: a) defining percent at the close of 2015 and 7 minimum roles and responsibilities percent for 2014. Member losses of a federation to best support the have steadily declined each month association mission; b) defining since January 2014. perceived strengths at the federation level and strengths of headquarters; MOVING FORWARD and c) providing national guidance Based on the situation analysis, the to federation budgets/expenditures, 2017 Strategic Planning Committee so they are aligned to support the created a framework consisting of association’s mission statement. several statements to guide their Read the synopsis from their recommendations: meetings online at www.narfe.org • Federations vary widely in number under Strategic Plan. of members, geographic size and The committee recommendations resources. were given to the Strategic Planning • Leadership is in crisis with Team, which will develop strategies federations (like chapters) having based on the committee work as great difficulty recruiting members well as additional key objectives. to fill officer positions.

The finalized plan will be published, • Since the fiduciary responsibility and the team will seek National of federations is to provide service Executive Board approval. Finally, to all members, the transition approved strategies will be the to One Member, One Vote and basis of the 2018-2019 NARFE Optional Chapter Membership has headquarters’ operating plan.

S T R AT E G I C PL ANNING

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NARFE News

NARFE President Joins Town Hall Discussion on Alzheimer’s

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n July, NARFE President Richard G. Thissen joined Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-VA, for a town hall meeting held by the National Capital Area Alzheimer’s Association. Thissen appeared with a panel of Alzheimer’s activists from Northern Virginia and spoke at the event, titled “Facing Alzheimer’s: Community Resources, Support and Action.”

Connolly opened the discussion with a story about the effect Alzheimer’s has had on his family.

The congressman spoke of his grandmother who “survived the boat journey to America, even being robbed on the ship. She worked hard. She saved. She was able to bring her own mother and her brothers over from Ireland.

She wasn’t able to fight off Alzheimer’s.”

During NARFE’s remarks, Thissen thanked Connolly for his continued support for finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and reaffirmed NARFE’s commitment. He noted the dedication of NARFE members toward the cause.

“The members and leadership of NARFE recognized many years ago that Alzheimer’s was taking a toll – financially and emotionally – on families and the health care system and that progressive action must be taken,” Thissen said. “For over 30 years, NARFE has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association in searching for a cure to this terrible disease and developing support structures for those who are affected and, just as importantly, support for the families and caregivers.”

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A “MOON SHOT” Following remarks by the panelists, Connolly put forward the need for an influx of federal funding to support Alzheimer’s research. “We have a ‘moon-shot’ for fighting cancer. We need a ‘moon-shot’ to fight Alzheimer’s NARFE President Richard Thissen joined by Rep. Gerald disease,” he said.

Connolly and Chris Broullire, president of the AlzheimBuilding on that er’s Association National Capital Area Chapter statement, the congressman urged Across our country, nearly everyone attendees to call their legislators has been touched by this disease. and ask that they support legislaWe know someone with Alzheimtion to provide more funding for er’s, or who is caring for a person Alzheimer’s research. affected by this disease, and we are When the congressman pressed all too familiar with the devastating the panelists on what more was impacts on both the patient and the needed, the conversation led to an caregivers,” Thissen said. open discussion about the need for more public senior care cenINTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ters, training for both caretakers On July 16-20, Thissen attended and family members, and ways to the 2017 Alzheimer’s Associainform medical professionals on tion International Conference in how to interact with Alzheimer’s London, which provided a forum patients. for discussing the groundbreaking research underway and providing PARTNERSHIP FOR information about diagnosis, treatPROGRESS ment and prevention of Alzheimer’s Thissen noted that since partdisease and related disorders. nering with the Alzheimer’s AsResearchers, clinicians and the sociation, NARFE members have care research community from donated more than $12.3 million to 64 countries gathered to discuss help find a cure for this debilitating studies, results and theories. For disease, directly funding more than information on some of the latest 70 Alzheimer’s research projects. research on treatment using combi“I am certainly proud of our nation therapy, see the Alzheimer’s members’ past and continuing efUpdate on p. 44. More information forts, and I stand committed to con- on the Alzheimer’s Association can tinuing these efforts in the future. be found at www.alz.org.

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Active and Retired Federal Employees ...

Join NARFE Today!

The only organization dedicated solely to protecting and preserving the benefits of all federal workers and retirees, NARFE informs you of any developments and proposals that affect your compensation, retirement and health benefits, AND provides clear answers to your questions.

Who Should Join the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association?

If your future security is tied to federal retirement benefits – federal retirees, current employees, spouses and individual survivors – you should join NARFE.

NARFE MEMBER BENEFITS

• • • • •

Get monthly issues of narfe magazine with news and insights for the federal community.

Access the NARFE Federal Benefits Institute for powerful resources to help you fully understand and manage your benefits.

Visit the Legislative Action Center to contact your representatives about bills affecting federal benefits.

Visit the Member Perks page for a full listing of the many time-, money- and hassle-saving benefits available only to NARFE members.

The opportunity to get involved at the local level by joining a chapter in your area.

1Q6

NARFE MEMBERSHIP APPLIC ATION q YES. I want to join NARFE for the low annual dues of $40. q Mr. q Mrs. q Miss q Ms.

____________________________________________________

Full Name

____________________________________________________

Street Address

____________________________________________________

Apt./Unit

____________________________________________________

City

State

ZIP

____________________________________________________

Phone

____________________________________________________

Email

I am a (check all that apply) q Active Federal Employee q Active Federal Employee Spouse q Annuitant

q Annuitant Spouse q Survivor Annuitant

q Please enroll my spouse _______________________________________________

Spouse’s Full Name

_______________________________________________ Spouse’s Email

THREE EASY WAYS TO JOIN 1. Complete this application and mail with your payment to NARFE / Member Records / 606 N. Washington St. / Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

2. Join online at www.narfe.org.

3. Call 800-627-3394, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

PAYMENT OPTIONS q Check, Money Order or Bill Pay (Payable to NARFE) q Bill me (NARFE membership will start when payment is received.) q Charge my: q MasterCard

q VISA q Discover

q AMEX

_________________________________________________ Card No. Expiration Date _____ /________ mm

yyyy

_________________________________________________ Name on Card _________________________________________________ Signature _________________________________________________ Date

TOTAL DUES $40 Annual Dues X ___________ = ___________ Per Person # Enrolling Total Dues Dues payments are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

Looking to meet others in the federal community and participate in NARFE at a local level? Call 800-627-3394 to learn about a NARFE chapter in your area.

Or, if known, add Chapter # to join now ________________

MAY WE THANK SOMEONE? If applicable, please provide the name, membership and chapter number of the member who introduced you to NARFE: _________________________________________________ Recruiter’s Name _________________________________________________ Recruiter’s Membership ID _________________________________________________ Recruiter’s Chapter Number

NARFE respects the privacy of our members. Personal information is used to provide content and relevant communications to our members, and will not be sold or rented to third parties without your express permission.

NARFE’s Dues Withholding Program What is dues withholding?

It is a dues-payment method that gives NARFE members (retirees) the option of having their annual NARFE membership dues deducted from their annuities on a monthly basis.

Advantages • Save 15% off your annual NARFE dues!

• Sign up your spouse and double your savings!

• You’ll never get another dues reminder from us!

• Your monthly payment is affordable and convenient!

• You may cancel your dues withholding at any time!

How does it work?

One-twelfth of your total dues is automatically deducted from your monthly annuity. Your monthly deduction is determined by the following formula: (NARFE dues ÷ 12) + (Chapter dues - if applicable ÷ 12) = Total Monthly Deduction How do I sign up?

It takes 60-90 days to process your application. Once the process is complete, you will receive a special membership card distinguishing you as a NARFE dues-withholding member.

To learn more about dues withholding, call 800-627-3394.

Retirees, spouses of retirees and annuitant survivors are eligible for dues withholding.

NARFE Dues Withholding Application for Retirees YES. I want to enroll in NARFE’s Dues Withholding Program (Annual NARFE dues of $34 and, if applicable, Chapter dues of record to be withheld annually.)

Social Security Number (9-digit number)

– Mr.

Mrs.

Civil Service Annuity Number

– Miss

C S

Ms.

–

–

–

(Include prefix, CSA or CSF) (Include any applicable suffix)

Full Name ______________________________________

NARFE MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

Street Address __________________________________

NARFE Membership ID ____________________________________

Apt./Unit _______________________________________

NARFE Chapter # (If applicable) _______________________________

City _________________________ State _____ ZIP _____ Phone (__________) ______________________________ Email __________________________________________ Date of Birth _________ /_________ / ____________________ dd

mm

yyyy

YES. I Also Authorize My (NARFE Member) Spouse’s Dues To Be Withheld From My Annuity. (Additional annual dues of $34 and, if applicable, chapter dues to be withheld annually.)

If YES, enter spouse’s information below.

Spouse’s Name ___________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Spouse’s Membership ID ___________________________________

AUTHORIZATION (Withholding will begin in 60-90 days). No payment should be forwarded with application.

I authorize the United States Office of Personnel Management to make appropriate deductions from my annuity payments, not to exceed the amount certified by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association as the amount of dues for which I am annually obligated, in accordance with elections I made above, and to pay the deducted sum to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). This authorization shall also apply to any and all dues changes certified by NARFE membership in accordance with elections I made above: Please allow 60-90 days for processing.

I understand that this authorization shall be valid until NARFE receives and processes my written notice of cancellation in accordance with its agreement with the Office of Personnel Management and that any disputes regarding this authorization shall be a matter between NARFE and myself. I hold the Office of Personnel Management harmless for any erroneous allotment deduction made pursuant to this authorization. ___________________________________________________________________________

______________________________

Signature of Annuitant or Survivor-Annuitant

Date

Dues payments and gifts or contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

MAIL THIS FORM TO: NARFE, ATTN: Member Records, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 www.narfe.org 800-627-3394 rr@narfe.org Do not send money with this form

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Member Perks

SAVE MONEY WITH NARFE PERKS NARFE appreciates your service, and so do businesses across the country.

Whether you are planning your next vacation or planning for retirement, members can save money on everyday purchases, thanks to our Affinity Partners.

It’s just one more way we’re able to say “thank you” for being a NARFE member.

INSURANCE

MiniMoves 800-300-6683 GEICO 800-368-2734 www.geico.com/fed/narfe GEICO offers a special discount opportunity for NARFE members. To find out how much you could save, visit our website or call today and mention that you are a NARFE member. Have your current coverage information available in order to secure a comparable quote. Your completed quote will help benefit NARFE! For complete terms and conditions, visit www.narfe.org/memberperks.

NARFE Insurance Services 800-233-5764 www.narfeinsurance.com Designed and administered by Mercer Consumer, exclusively for NARFE members: senior age whole life, term life, Medicare supplements, hospital income plan, short-term recovery insurance, pet insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, cancer care, enhanced dental insurance and longterm care.

MOVING SERVICES

Bekins Van Lines 800-456-6832 narfe@bekins.com All NARFE members will receive contracted pricing for all interstate shipments. This will apply to packing, transportation and full-value coverage against damages. Please mention you are a NARFE member.

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NEW

MiniMoves is America’s only national mover exclusively focused on small shipments; a piece, a room or a full condo. There’s no minimum weight charge. Our binding quote helps you plan your move with confidence. Member discount - $25 off 500 pounds; $50 off larger moves. Use code 1292.

Wheaton World Wide Moving 800-248-7960 narfe@wvlcorp.com At Wheaton, we know interstate relocating is much more than trucks and boxes. Moving is not simply an address change. It’s a life change. With a network of top-quality agents throughout the United States, Wheaton provides peace of mind with every relocation.

We offer you, as a NARFE member, benefits to help you have a positive interstate relocation experience. Call today and mention you are a NARFE member to start the moving process.

PRODUCTS

Omaha Steaks 800-228-9055 www.omahasteaks.com/ NARFE Since 1917, Omaha Steaks has been delivering customers the finest gourmet steaks, seafood, poultry, pork, sides and desserts. Omaha Steaks make memo-

rable gifts for any holiday, or you can enjoy a gourmet meal right at home.

NARFE members can enjoy FREE SHIPPING on select combos and an additional 10% DISCOUNT at checkout! If calling, use promo code YTZ.

NEW

Purchasing Power 866-670-3479 purchasingpower.com/NARFE With Purchasing Power, thousands of brand-name products are within reach.

As members of NARFE, you can buy today and pay over time through payroll or annuity allotment. Choose from the latest computers, appliances, vacation packages and more. Never worry about hidden fees, credit checks or interest.

Pay over 6 or 12 months, and you’re done. Save 5% with code NARFEVIP.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Verizon FiOS www.narfe.org/memberperks NARFE members can save up to $10 a month on a new qualifying Triple Play bundle with Verizon Fios Internet, TV and home phone service – savings of up to $120 per year. This exclusive onlineonly savings is only available to new Verizon customers or those upgrading to the Triple Play Package.

TRAVEL

Alamo 800-462-5266 www.alamo.com Drive Happy® with Alamo® where

NARFE members receive year-round discounts. Call or visit our website today and reference Contract ID 262544.

Avis Car Rental 800-633-3469 www.avis.com Avis Car Rental is one of the world’s best-known car rental brands with approximately 5,500 locations in more than 165 countries. Avis has a long history of innovation in the car rental industry and is one of the world’s top brands for customer loyalty. Call or book your reservation now at Avis.com using the NARFE AWD number A701900.

Budget Car Rental 800-218-7992 www.budget.com Budget Car rental was founded in 1958 for the “budget-minded” renter. Today, with approximately 3,500 locations around the world, Budget is a leading rental car supplier now offering discounts to members of NARFE. Call or book your reservation now at Budget. com using the NARFE BCD number D871500.

Choice Hotels International 800-258-2847 www.choicehotels.com With 6,200 hotels in the United States and throughout the world, Choice Hotels® offers something for everyone. As a NARFE member, receive 20% off your next stay at participating hotels when you use Special Rate ID 00801967. This offer is subject to availability and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Advance reservations required through phone number or website above; cannot be redeemed at individual hotels.

Choice Hotels brands are: Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites and more.

WELLNESS

National 800-CAR-RENT www.nationalcarrental.com You Drive A Hard Bargain. Receive up to 20% off rentals at National Car Rental. To make a reservation, call National Car Rental at 1-800-CARRENT® and reference Contract ID 5282909. For complete terms and conditions, visit www.narfe.org/ memberperks.

Wyndham Hotel Group 877-670-7088 NARFE members receive up to 20% off the “Best Available Rate” at participating locations. Call and give the agent your special discount ID number, 8000002694, at time of booking to receive discount. Call to reserve your room today at one of these fine hotels: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Days Inn, Ramada Inn, Microtel Inns and Suites and more. Advance reservations required through phone number above; cannot be redeemed at individual hotels.

NEW HearUSA www.hearusa.com/narfe The Nation’s Most Trusted Name in Hearing Care. Choose from 250+ hearing aids from 11 manufacturers with $0 co-pay for many plans. Wireless. Bluetooth. Smartphone compatible. Nearly invisible. Risk-free 60-Day trial. Free follow-up care. Free 3-Year warranty. Call 1-855-845-2706 to see if you qualify for 2 FREE hearing aids.

Life Line Screening 800-324-9906 www.lifelinescreening.com/ NARFE Life Line Screening, America’s leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will conduct health screenings using state-ofthe-art ultrasound technology in your neighborhood. To schedule an appointment, please call the number above and give the operator code number BKHN075 or visit the website.

NEW

Wyndham NEW Extra Holidays 800-428-1932 www.extraholidays.com Excellent service and the finest comforts are standards you can always rely on with Wyndham Extra Holidays. With more spacious floor plans than a regular hotel, you can enjoy a One-, Two- or Three-Bedroom suite with separate living areas and partial or fully equipped kitchens. Please use promo code 8000002694 when calling or booking online.

Sunrise Senior Living www.SunriseSeniorLiving.com Sunrise Senior Living, a leading provider of high-quality, individualized, senior living services, offers NARFE members a special, discounted rate. Mention code: NARFE-discount during your visit and receive a one-time 5% off of suite/room rates at any of Sunrise’s U.S. communities for one year. For a complete list of Sunrise locations, visit www.SunriseSeniorLiving.com. For a complete list of any restrictions, visit www.narfe.org/ memberperks.

NARFE Member Perks are designed to provide NARFE members with a quality option in their search for commonly used products and services. NARFE makes no guarantee on any products and services listed and encourages its members to shop and compare before making a decision on any financial matter.

Check out Member Perks in the NARFE website for more details!

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The Way We Worked

MEASURING OUR POLLUTION CRISIS In this 1972 photo, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff partnered with NASA staff to take smog measurements and monitor air pollution using aircraft. Shortly after Congress created EPA, this effort was undertaken as part of a massive photo documentary project, called Documerica, to record humanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adverse effects on the environment. More than 100 photographers captured more than 80,000 images. Today the EPA continues to partner not only with other agencies, but also with businesses, nonprofit organizations and state and local governments to advance its mission of protecting the environment.

PHOTO from the records of the Environmental Protection Agency, National Archices, courtesy of the National Archives History Office; in collaboration with the Society for History in the Federal Government (SHFG), bringing together government professionals, academics, consultants, students and citizens interested in understanding federal history work and the historical development of the federal government. To join, visit http://shfg.org.

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DID YOU KNOW? The EPA Documerica Project was initiated to capture images related to environmental problems, EPA activities and everyday life. Documerica collected more than 15,000 images that are now online. The photos serve the agency and the public as a visual baseline for how our environment looked then compared to how it looks now and in the future. The original project was completed in 1977 and revitalized from 20112013, according to the EPA website at www.epa.gov.

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