The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) recently sent comments opposing OPM’s proposed rule to remove members of Congress and their staff (employed by their official / personal office) by the federal government from the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).(The closing date for comments on the Federal Register notice was September 8, 2013). This applies to the Office of Personnel Management proposed rule amending the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) eligibility regulations to comply with the Affordable Care Act. According to NARFE:
“OPM published a proposed rule to implement the change that would allow for an employer contribution towards health benefits premiums in exchange plans that is of the same magnitude as that offered through FEHBP to other federal employees. At the same time, the proposed rule prevents employees retiring from federal service as a congressional staffers from receiving FEHBP in retirement.
We commented on the proposed rule for two reasons: (i) the rule affects the health benefits of federal employees and retirees, albeit limited to those in the legislative branch; and (ii) taking away FEHBP coverage (while working or in retirement) from members of Congress and their staff decouples the interests of a powerful interest group (members of Congress and their staff) from that of all other federal employees and retirees, which makes things easier for those who would propose removing employees and retirees from FEHBP, and a bit harder for us to oppose successfully such proposals.
read the 5-page NARFE letter regarding FEHBP (PDF)
A friend once said that a blue collar worker, especially a union worker who votes Republican is like carrying water for the people who are trying to drown you. I don’t care what your beliefs are about gun control, abortion…. just WAKE UP AND VOTE FOR THE PARTY WHO WILL PROTECT YOUR JOB AND ENABLE YOU TO AFFORD TO FEED AND SHELTER YOUR FAMILY! Nothing else on their agenda will matter if you don’t have a job!
Unbelievable, first they took our pensions and put us at the mercy ( csrs vs fers ) of the stock market which is owned by the richest 10% of Americans. Then they spend the soc sec trust fund $$, so we don’t have that anymore. Lets face it, they will never pay the $$ back, because they would have to raise the debt ceiling or agree to pay past promises( print more $$$) that’s why they already say they will just reduce our benefits to 75% of the promised amount.. Now they want to take our health benefits that we received instead of higher wages and give us a substandard health plan. This coming from the squabbling ( sell my vote) elected leaders, who say this is for all of you except us. Lets face it, our gov’t is bankrupt and so are our elected leaders(morally). Lets just declare bankruptcy and let the chips fall as they may, anything is better than continually watching the thieves in Washington continue to sell votes, steal $$ and not care about next year when they may not even be in office. TERM LIMITS will limit the thievery.
The proposed legislation should be called The Postal Deform bill of 2013! It is nice to know that the Postal Service wants to ruin the slave’s health insurance, while protecting the big time operators benefits. This is our reward for working for the greedy jesters. People without any integrity! They only care about themselves. At least congress might provide some Vaseline for us. This is what we got for placing trust in others.
Here’s a piece of history for you: Congress has NEVER cut it’s own benefits, so you can see where this new Rule is going…Nowhere…
Beanmaster-As long as Darrell Assa and the Repubs control the House Government Oversight Committee,there will be no reform bill.
Well said.
Postal Pete– just how smart do you think the group of idiots that passed obie-care can be?
Where’s the new postal reform lol no where to be herd or seen they more they say it is going to change the more it stays the same.
I don’t believe Congress is dumb enough to break up FEHB,which works well and allow the incompetent and corrupt Postal Service mismanagement to break off and control USPS health plans.
No body like to work for gov. again.
crap benefit!
effffed up!
If I could have foreseen that I would lose FEHB, I would have been working with state government 32 years ago. I guess that I made a bad choice!
I would guess the main reason many of us made a career with the federal government was because of its good health benefits. Now that will be taken away.It seems this is becoming the norm both in private and government jobs. It does not pay to stay with a job for the long haul anymore. You can not be dedicated to a career anymore and this attitude that you must have now certainly can not be good for the economy or the country.