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- SES bonuses under fire at GSA, other agencies
- VA's Gould moves the needle on VA challenges
- Obama appoints Danny Werfel acting IRS head
- Photo Gallery: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Next-gen Apple devices cleared to join Defense IT networks
- In fight over intelligence IT system, Army prioritizes access to data
- White House wants to root out copycat programs - starting with STEM
- Pentagon furloughs to begin July 8
- Causey: Don't work or we'll fire you!
- House bill protects homeland security budget
- Intelligence Community free from furloughs
- DoD aims to speed approval process for mobile devices
- OMB fuels the passion, synergy between mobile, open data
- GAO, OMB spar over whether to measure data center cost savings
- Agencies craving STEMM talent should bolster skills of persuasion
- DoD wants to know real costs of IT business systems
LTC = Long-term peace of mind
Joan Melanson of Long Term Care Partners answers calls and emails about the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program.
April 15, 2013
Federal Drive Interviews -- Dec. 7, 2012
Carmen Middleton talks about overcoming stereotypes at the CIA. Paul Wormeli of IBM talk about how new technology is improving communication between law enforcement agencies. Registered employee benefit consultant Ed Zurndorfer offers tips for last minute Open Season choices.
Your health plan and the Nixon curse
Did you ever hear of the Nixon curse? Are you sick of having people push you to shop around for a health insurance plan? If so, rejoice, because Monday is the deadline for picking your 2013 health plan. After that, you won't have all those confusing options to kick around anymore for a long time, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
FEHBP open season part 2
Insurance expert Walton Francis will answer your questions and emails about federal benefits.
December 5, 2012
Health premiums: It pays to go postal
The health-insurance hunting season ends next Monday. When shopping around, this is a case where it pays to go postal if you can, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Insurance options to consider as Open Season draws to a close
Benefits consultant Walton Francis offers top tips for federal employees considering a new health plan. Open Season runs from Nov. 12 to Dec. 10.
Reality check: Shop or drop this Open Season
For most federal workers and retirees going over the fiscal cliff in January isn't the problem du jour. If you or a family member gets really sick, or has a serious accident in the new year that is reality, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. That, rightly so, will be your No. 1 problem. And whether you come out of it alive and kicking or financially strapped could depend on what you do between now and next Monday.
Changes coming in 2013 to flexible spending accounts
As federal employees weigh health plan options during Open Season, federal benefits consultant Ed Zurndorfer advises feds not overlook flexible spending accounts.
Playing catch-up with health insurance
Long before there was the Affordable Care Act, aka ObamaCare, there was the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, which actually became a model for the new health-care law, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
FEHBP open season
Walton Francis, author of the Consumer's Checkbook
Guide to Federal Health Plans, will provide tips
on what to look for when choosing your health
benefits.
November 28, 2012
The end is near, seriously!
Not to put a damper on things but you have less than two weeks to pick your health plan and less than a month until the end of the world. We can help you big time with the first deadline, but when it comes to the Mayan calendar warnings, you are on your own, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Jimmy Choo at Payless Shoes?
Wouldn't it be great if you could get Jimmy Choo shoes or Savile Row suits at Payless Shoes or Wal-Mart? The hitch is you can't, and it's a reality federal workers and retirees need to consider when picking their 2013 health plan, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Two's a couple, three's a family!
Whether your family consists of just a husband or you have 18 dependents, a family is a family as far as Uncle Sam is concerned. And that ticks off couples who resent paying the same health premiums as those charged a large family, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Is that right?
Your other health plan option - failure
In inspirational movies, a heroic general often says things like, "failure is not an option." And that's silly, of course, because failure is always an option and that's especially true for millions of current and former federal workers - some of whom are sleepwalking their way through the health insurance hunting season, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Health insurance and the single life
When it comes to picking a federal health plan, two cannot live as cheaply as one - you want to be the Lone Ranger, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Aetna options for FEHB during Open Season
Tom Bernatavitz, senior vice president and head of federal plans for Aetna, talks about the federal employee health benefit options that his company is offering.
November 19, 2012
Health premiums - Some agencies provide missing link
What do the Office of Personnel Management, the General Services Administration and the Defense Intelligence Agency have in common? Although their missions are very different, they are among the 40-plus agencies that are shelling out time and money to make it easier for their employees to pick the best health plan for 2013.
Open season, Medicare part B, Petraeus, & sequestration
Federal health benefits expert Walton Francis
will
talk about FEHBP open season, and Federal Times
reporter Sean Reilly will discuss sequestration
and other issues affecting federal workers.
November 14, 2012
Pick a health plan: Monkey, goldfish or you?
There are several ways to select your 2013 federal health plan: You can do nothing, and stay where you are. You can let your pet chimp or clever goldfish make the selection. Or, you can do a little homework and save yourself $1,000 or more next year. It's your call, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
A guide to the federal health plans for Open Season
Walton Francis, editor of the Checkbook Guide to
the Health Plans for Federal Employee, answers
your questions about health care benefits and
costs.
November, 12, 2012
