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Electronic copies of our newsletters are available from the links to
the left. Our newsletters are published monthly, except for July and August.
NEWS:
The NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 636, released
Thursday, July 17 (2008). Consumer price news is the lead and the override of
President Bush’s veto of Medicare legislation is covered. The next Hotline is
set for Friday, July 25. (424 words; 2::35)
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
increased 1.1 percent in June (2008), the second-biggest monthly increase since
1982. Released on July 16 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov/cpi or
202/691-6994), the CPI-W for June is 215.223. For purposes of calculating the
next COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) the index is currently 5.7 percent above
the 2007 third quarter average base index of 203.6. July consumer price indices
will be released on Thursday, August 14.
Benefits awarded under the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) to
individuals who left the workforce due to work-related injuries or illnesses are
adjusted according to each calendar year’s percentage change in the CPI-W.
June’s index (215.223) is 4.6 percent higher than the December 2007 base of
205.7.
On July 15, the House and Senate voted to override President Bush’ veto (see
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/07/20080715.html) of
legislation, H.R. 6331, to reverse the July 1st 10.6 percent payment cut for
physicians who treat Medicare beneficiaries. NARFE supported enactment because
widespread doctor participation in Medicare is essential for current and future
federal retirees. House and Senate override votes gathered even more support
than earlier votes in the two chambers. The House voted 383-41 (see http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll491.xml)
and the Senate voted 70-26 (see
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00177).
NARFE magazine will again report on this subject (now Public Law 110-275) in the
September issue. Both June (page 16) and August (page 16) issues provided
coverage.
(Web of the Week: Congressional Quarterly and National Journal are print and
electronic publishers covering politics and public policy. They are rivals in a
very competitive environment. Both make some of their content available on the
Internet for FREE. This week’s web of the week points you to sources of
information. Congressional Quarterly (www.cqpolitics.com)
continues to test a site offering useful coverage and a place to “Sign up for
CQ’s Free E-mail Newsletters.” National Journal (www.nationaljournal.com)
offers a daily tease and weekly columns about politics. Each Tuesday Charlie
Cook’s “Off to the Races” provides valuable insights into major campaigns.)
Top of Page
The NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 635, released Friday,
July 11 (2008). Senate passage of legislation on Medicare payments to doctors
is, again, the lead item. The next Hotline, set for Friday, July 18, will
report June consumer price news. (537 words; 3:25)
On July 9, the Senate overcame
a procedural obstacle when Sen. Kennedy, D-MA, surprised most of his colleagues,
contravened his doctors and cast the deciding vote (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00169)
on a procedural motion (cloture) to allow for a vote on an important, NARFE-supported
bill. The bill, H.R. 6331, then passed the Senate by voice vote. This
legislation, facing a possible Presidential veto, includes a key provision to
reverse the July 1st 10.6 percent payment cut for physicians who
treat Medicare beneficiaries. Widespread doctor participation in Medicare is
essential for current and future federal retirees. The basis of a possible
White House veto are continued objections to reducing subsidies to private
Medicare plans, called Medicare Advantage (MA). NARFE’s position on Medicare
Advantage plans is covered in the August magazine, page 16: “NARFE supports
congressional action to bolster traditional fee-for-service Medicare plans
against Medicare Advantage plans’ higher reimbursement rates.” A June
Government Accountability Office report (http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/summary.php?rptno=GAO-08-827R&accno=A82510)
and other studies have shown that Medicare Advantage plans are paid more than
the average, traditional fee-for-service Medicare plans in their area.
Less than a month after the
last Congressional primary in Utah resulted in
a third House incumbent ’s defeat, Georgia conducts its congressional
primary on July 15th. All 13 incumbents are seeking renomination as
is Sen. Chambliss. 21 other states and the District of Columbia are
yet to hold their Congressional primaries. Several, in early September, will
conflict with the NARFE Convention in
Louisville. The
remaining primary states and their primary dates are: Oklahoma, July 29; Kansas,
Michigan and Missouri, August 5th; Tennessee, Thursday August 7th;
Colorado, Connecticut and Nevada, August 12th; Washington and
Wyoming, August 19th; Alaska and Florida, August 26th;
Arizona, September 2nd; Louisiana, Saturday, September 6th;
Delaware, District of Columbia, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island
and Wisconsin, September 9th; and Hawaii, Saturday, September 20th.
(WEB of the Week: The first
site is especially important to NARFE leaders organizing Meet Your Candidates
Forums. 1) The Green Papers, a useful web site, provides a gateway to listings
of Congressional candidates. The home page is
www.thegreenpapers.com and the link
to a display of the states is
www.thegreenpapers.com/G08 By selecting your state you will see a rich
display of election information including listings and links for Senate and
House candidates. A second site will help NARFE members eager to participate in
primary elections. This site augments telephone listings for Boards of Election
(often listed in the blue pages of telephone directories). 2) The Federal
Voting Assistance Program, www.fvap.gov, can
help persons wishing to learn about regular, early and absentee balloting. VPAC
provides a gateway to each state’s chief election officer at
http://www.fvap.gov/links/statelinks.html)
Top of Page
A Tribute to Judy Park
In the early 1980s, when Congress moved to bring
federal employees into Social Security, the outlook for the civil service
pension system was uncertain. But Judy Park
had a plan.
Park was the legislative director for the
National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association (NARFE), and, with the help of colleagues and a
consulting firm, she spent two years building consensus among unions and
employee associations on how to revamp federal retirement.
The effort helped develop the framework for what
became the Federal Employees Retirement System, which provides today's retirees
with Social Security benefits, a modest annuity and the opportunity to invest in
the Thrift Savings Plan, a 401(k)-type program. NARFE's plan also preserved the
fiscal stability of the old Civil Service Retirement System, a traditional
pension program, for workers who wanted to stay with it.
Park retired from NARFE at the end of May, after
nearly 40 years with the association. She joined the group in 1968, only four
years out of college, and became NARFE's first legislative director in 1976,
when the group decided it needed a legislative and lobbying department.
"It really hasn't been like being in the same job
all the time, because the job, the organization and the Congress has changed so
much," she said in an interview.
It has been a lot of fun. I have had great
experiences and lots of opportunities to help see changes come about. I have met
and worked with great people."
When Park joined NARFE, it had about 130,000
members. The membership has tripled since then, and the association, founded in
1921, keeps watch over issues that are important to employees and retirees, such
as retirement benefits, cost-of-living adjustments and health care.
When it became clear that Congress was going to
revamp federal retirement, NARFE also worked to ensure some degree of equity
among employees, so that they would mostly contribute the same percentage of
their pay toward retirement, regardless of whether they were in the Civil
Service Retirement System or the newer Federal Employees Retirement System, Park
said.
While at NARFE, Park pushed for broader eligibility
rules for survivor benefits, fought to have the government pay a higher share of
health insurance premiums for employees and won a regulatory change so that
federal retirees, along with employees, could participate in the "open season"
and change their medical coverage as their health needs evolved.
"The most important thing for today's federal
workers and federal retirees to do is recognize that they have got to involve
themselves in the next several years to protect the benefits they now have,"
Park said.
In the global economy, an increasing number of
companies are cutting or eliminating retirement and health benefits to save
money and to become more competitive, she said. These fiscal realities are
"sifting down and will hit the public sector. And when it hits the public
sector, it will hit the federal government first," she predicted.
If that happens, Park added, "then we're going to
see benefits begin to disappear, I'm afraid."
Although she has made a career working on issues
and legislation important to federal employees and retirees, Park worked only
two years for Uncle Sam, at the old Civil Service Commission, and does not
receive the retirement and health-care benefits she fought to create and
preserve.
She recently had to purchase supplement coverage
for her
Medicare benefit, and the search for the
insurance "drove me crazy," she said, laughing. "I can't imagine what it is like
for those poor souls who are confused by the system, because I felt clueless."
Top of Page
The NARFE
Legislative Hotline, number 631, released Friday, June 6 (2008). Planning for
August’s “Meet Your Candidates Month” is the lead item. The next Hotline is set
for Friday, the 13th of June. (496 words; 3:16)
As
reported in the May issue of NARFE, page 15, and an earlier
Hotline, this year NARFE has declared August as “Meet Your Candidates Month.”
During the August summer recess, set to begin after the last House votes on
Friday, August 1st and continuing until September 8th,
NARFE federation and chapter leaders are planning multi-chapter forums and other
meeting formats with incumbents, challengers and candidates, particularly in the
still growing number of open seats. A week-long series of conference calls,
connecting Regional Vice Presidents, National Officers and Legislative
Department staff with most federation Presidents and National Legislative Chairs
has just concluded. Federation leaders will take the lead in organizing NARFE
forums with Senate candidates. District/Area Officers and Congressional
District Liaisons coordination with federation officers will be crucial for
successful forums with candidates for the House of Representatives. Future
Hotlines will provide additional information. (Internet resources will be
critical in finding candidate contact information. In addition to using a
search engine such as Google to find a specific candidate,
www.thegreenpapers.com, has one stop shopping for Senate and House candidate
web sites at
www.thegreenpapers.com/G08.)
On June 5th,
the House-Senate conference report on the fiscal year 2009 budget resolution
(Senate Concurrent Resolution 70) passed the House (214-210
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll382.xml). The Senate had adopted the
final budget measure on June 4th (by vote of 48-45
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00142).
The budget resolution is a tax and spending blueprint for the fiscal year that
runs October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. The budget resolution guides
congressional committees but does not require presidential action nor does it
carry the force of law. This budget resolution contains no reductions in civil
service retirement benefits. However, as reported in May’s NARFE
magazine (pages 10-12), during House consideration a budget substitute was
debated and defeated (157-263) that could have resulted in reductions to federal
civil service retirement and health benefits.
NARFE members, especially
those who participated in the nation’s largest one day food drive, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive,
on May 10th, will be pleased to learn that a new record amount, 73.1
million pounds of food donations, was collected by city and rural letter
carriers. The food was delivered to local food
banks, pantries and shelters to help needy families in all 50 states and
U.S. jurisdictions.
Top of Page
The NARFE Legislative Hotline,
number 630, was released Tuesday, May 27 (2008). NARFE’s H.R. 3579 testimony
before a House Subcommittee is the lead item. Due to the continuing Memorial Day
recess, the next Hotline is set for Friday, June 6. (361 words; 2:56)
On May 20, NARFE testified in support of legislation (H.R. 3579) to allow more
efficient re-hiring of federal retirees into temporary federal assignments.
Testifying before the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, Postal
Service, and the District of Columbia, Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, Daniel Adcock, NARFE’s Assistant Legislative Director, said NARFE has
long held that federal retirees who are interested in returning to government
service ought to be able to receive the full salary of their new job without any
offset as the result of the retirement annuity they earned through prior federal
service. Prepared testimony of the four witnesses is available on the
Subcommittee’s web site and a NARFE press release appears at the top of our home
page, www.narfe.org. (The subcommittee address is: http://federalworkforce.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1945)
41 of 43 federations conducting a 2008 convention have concluded. Sixteen (16)
elected a new president. They are: Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon,
Panama, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee. (The gateway to federation
web sites is http://www.narfe.org/departments/nn/articles.cfm?ID=819)
Members of the House and Senate continue to enjoy the Memorial Day recess, May
24 through June 2. This time, also called the Memorial Day District Work Period,
is a good opportunity to meet with your legislators and/or their staff. The
NARFE legislative department (leg@narfe.org or 703/838-7760) is eager to help
you. CongressMerge.com provides a useful Online Congressional Directory, with
full information about each District Office including phone number and street
address. Unique to this site are maps and driving directions. (The URL is
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm)
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available to
telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE’s Internet site, www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net Coordinators;
and broadcast to more than 44,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery channel
is a service of the NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
The NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 629, was released
Friday, May 16. April consumer price news is the lead item. The next Hotline
is set for Friday, May 23 or Tuesday, May 27. (357 words; 2:56)
The
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
increased 0.7 percent in April 2008 according to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (www.bls.gov/cpi
or 202/691-6994). Released on May 14, the CPI-W for April is 210.698. For
purposes of calculating the next COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) the index is
currently 3.5 percent above the 2007 third quarter average base index of
203.6. May consumer price indices will be released on Friday, June 13.
Benefits awarded under the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) to
individuals who left the workforce due to work-related injuries or illnesses are
adjusted according to each calendar year’s percentage change in the CPI-W.
April’s index is 2.4 percent higher than the December 2007 base of 205.7.
The
Members of the House and Senate will be in your neighborhood not ours for the
Memorial Day recess, May 24 through June 2. This time, also called the Memorial
Day District Work Period, is a good opportunity to meet with your legislators
and/or their staff. The NARFE legislative department (leg@narfe.org
or 703/838-7760) is eager to help you.
www.CongressMerge.com
provides a useful Online Congressional Directory, with full information about
each District Office including phone number and street address. Unique to this
site are maps and driving directions. (The URL is
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm)
June’s
NARFE magazine has been printed. The Legislative Report beginning on
page 10 has “OPM Calls for FEHBP Plan For Retirees Only” and “Medicare Physician
Pay in Question” page 16. An annual feature, annuitant counts by state, appears
on page 19. The Cover Story, “Results of NARFE’s Membership Survey” runs on
pages 22-25.
Top of Page
The NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 628, was released
Friday, May 9. NARFE testimony at a Subcommittee hearing on reemployment of
annuitants is the lead item. The next Hotline set for Friday, May 16, will
report April consumer price news. (359 words; 2:19)
On May 20,
NARFE will testify in support of legislation, H.R. 3579, to facilitate the
temporary reemployment of federal annuitants. Annuitant reemployment occurs now
typically with the individual’s new pay being offset by the dollar amount of the
previously-earned annuity, and in rare cases a restrictive OPM-led waiver
process can allow a specific agency to pay these annuitants without the dollar
for dollar loss. This legislation would allow annuitants to earn full pay and
their annuities. The hearing will be held by the Federal Workforce Subcommittee
(http://federalworkforce.oversight.house.gov/),
chaired by Rep. Danny Davis, D-IL. Proponents, NARFE and the Office of
Personnel Management (www.opm.gov)
and opponents, National Treasury Employee Union (www.nteu.org),
will testify and answer questions from Members of the subcommittee. H.R. 3579
is sponsored by Rep. Tom Davis, R-VA. A Senate companion bill, S. 2003, is
sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME. (The Library of Congress “Thomas”
service has additional information at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR03579:@@@L&summ2=m&)
Of the
first twenty-two (22) federations to complete their conventions, a dozen elected
a new president. They are: Indiana, Kansas,
Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska,
New Mexico, North Carolina,
Ohio, Panama, Rhode Island,
South Carolina and Tennessee. (The gateway
to federation web sites is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/nn/articles.cfm?ID=819)
Saturday,
May 10, is the Stamp Out Hunger
Food Drive, sponsored by the National Association of
Letter Carriers (www.nalc.org)
and supported by NARFE. The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive
is the nation’s largest single-day food drive. NARFE President, Margaret
Baptiste, urges you to collect and bag non-perishable food items and place the
bag by your mailbox for your letter carrier on Saturday, May 10.
Top of Page
Retirees, Disabled Vets Still Can File for 2008
Stimulus Payments
WASHINGTON — Even though April 15 has passed, the Internal Revenue Service today
reminded retirees, disabled veterans and others who normally do not file a tax
return that there is still time to submit a 2007 form to receive an economic
stimulus payment.
People who have no tax filing requirement but have at least $3,000 in qualifying
income should file a simple Form 1040A. Qualifying income includes any
combination of earned income, nontaxable combat pay as well as certain payments
from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement.
“Don’t worry if you did not file a return by April 15. If you meet the criteria,
you are still eligible for a stimulus payment. The quicker you file, the quicker
you’ll get your payment,” said Doug Shulman, IRS Commissioner. People must file
a return by October 15 to receive an economic stimulus payment this year.
Shulman urged friends and family members to reach out to acquaintances or
relatives who may either be unaware of the Economic Stimulus Payment or unable
to file the tax return themselves. “We need everyone’s help to make sure all
eligible people get the economic stimulus payments,” he added.
For taxpayers who are required to file an income tax return, the IRS will use
the 2007 tax return to determine eligibility for economic stimulus payments of
up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples). There also is a payment of $300 for
each qualifying child younger than 17.
Those not required to file a return because their income is too low or
nontaxable must file a tax return to obtain their economic stimulus payment. The
Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 provides a minimum payment of $300 ($600 for
married couples) plus the $300 payment per eligible child, if the person (or
married couple) has at least $3,000 in qualifying income.
The types of Social Security benefits that are considered qualifying income
include retirement, disability and survivor payments. Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) is not qualifying income. The types of Veterans Affairs benefits
that are considered qualifying income include disability compensation,
disability pension and survivor payments. Qualifying Railroad Retirement
payments include the social security equivalent portion of Tier 1 benefits.
People not otherwise required to file an income tax return must file a simple
Form 1040A with basic information to ensure that they receive the economic
stimulus payment. This information includes their name; address; dependents, if
any; amount of their qualifying income (which must be $3,000 or more); direct
deposit information and their signatures. Forms 1040A and instructions are
available at www.irs.gov.
Eligible people, including their qualifying children, must have Social Security
numbers. Also, people cannot be claimed or be eligible to be claimed as a
dependent on another’s tax return. People with Individual Taxpayer
Identification Numbers are not eligible.
There are IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers open during the week to provide
assistance. To find an IRS office near you, go to IRS.gov and click on “Contact
IRS,” then “Contact Your Local IRS Office.” These sites offer free tax
preparation and filing for individuals and families whose income is $40,000 or
less. A select number of volunteer tax assistance sites in local communities may
also remain open. People can call 1-800-906-9887 to find the volunteer tax
assistance site closest to them.
If people want to file their own return electronically, they can still use Free
File – Economic Stimulus Payment, also available at www.irs.gov. This program
provides free software and free electronic filing of Form 1040A, and it remains
open after April 15.
Top of Page
The NARFE Legislative
Hotline, number 627, was released Wednesday, April 30. This Hotline
requests feedback on NARFE contact with congressional campaigns. The next
Hotline is set for Friday, May 9. (493 words; 3:22)
Politics is not a spectator sport. NARFE
members, chapters and federations are actively participating in the
political process. This should be encouraged and celebrated. However, when
it occurs the Legislative Department is eager to learn what is taking
place. Chapter or multi-chapter forums with one or more congressional
candidate(s) can have immediate and lasting impact. It is where an enduring
relationship can be planted for later cultivation. This applies to
candidates of either political party, or none, as well as incumbents, their
challengers and open seat candidates. Of course, this applies to the 35
Senate races too. See the May issue of
NARFE in
which Laura Scott, Legislative Assistant, urges members to plan now for
“August: Meet Your Candidates Month” (page 15).
Since the last Hotline, Federation Conventions
in Ohio and Maine have elected new Presidents. So far,
seven (7) of the earliest federations to conclude their conventions have
elected a new president. New leaders are certain to be elected at
conventions held during May and June.
Rep. Tom Davis, R-VA, the sponsor of NARFE
priority legislation, Premium Conversion, H.R. 1110, added six (6)
cosponsors on April 29. The total is now 329. Enactment of Premium
Conversion would allow civilian and military retirees to pay certain health
care premiums on a pre-tax basis. The 329 cosponsors is an impressive
number but is 13 shy of high water mark reached at the end of the 108th
Congress (2003-2004). (To see a state-by-state listing of cosponsors and
NOT YET cosponsors go to:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/bills/?bill=9692431&cs_party=all&cs_status=all&cs_state=ALL
On April 29, the Subcommittee on the Federal
Workforce heard testimony from the Thrift Savings Investment Board (http://www.tsp.gov/curinfo/pressrel/index-2008.html)
and the National Federation of Federal Employees (http://www.nffe.org/ht/display/ArticleDetails/i/5731)
in support of legislation to automatically enroll newly hired federal
employees in the Thrift Savings Plan. New hires could opt out with a refund
in the first 90 days, but automatic enrollment would increase the number of
FERS covered employees prepare for retirement. (For more information visit
the Subcommittee’s web site:
http://federalworkforce.oversight.house.gov/)
The
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive,
sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers (www.nalc.org)
and supported by NARFE, is the nation’s largest single-day food drive.
NARFE members are urged to collect and bag non-perishable food items and
place the bag by your mailbox for your letter carrier on Saturday, May 10.
Chapters are encouraged to share this information at chapter meetings.
Results of the Food Drive will be reported in our
magazine.
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly
legislative message is available to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll
free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE’s Internet site,
www.narfe.org,
made available to NARFE-Net Coordinators; and broadcast to
more than 46,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery channel is a service
of the NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Top of Page
The NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 626, was released
Friday, April 25. Federation conventions lead this Hotline. The next Hotline
is set for Friday, May 2. (355 words; 2:47)
Five of
the first eight federations to conclude their conventions have elected a new
president. These five federations are:
Indiana, New Mexico,
Panama, Rhode Island and South Carolina. New leaders are certain to be
elected at conventions held during April, May and June.
Sen. Arlen
Specter, R-PA, is the newest cosponsor of NARFE priority legislation, Premium
Conversion. Sen. Warner, R-VA, sponsor of S. 773, to allow civilian and
military retirees to pay certain health care premiums on a pre-tax basis, made
Specter the 61st cosponsor on April 23. During the 109th
Congress, 2005-2006, identical legislation reached 64 cosponsors. Companion
House legislation, H.R. 1110, sponsored by Rep. Tom Davis, R-VA, has 323
official cosponsors and two waiting to be added. This impressive number is
still twenty shy of Premium Conversions 108th Congress total.
The
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive,
sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers and supported by NARFE,
is the nation’s largest single-day food drive. Second Harvest (www.secondharvest.org)
reports food banks in most areas of the country have low food stocks and high
demand. On SATURDAY, May 10, the National Association of Letter Carriers
(www.nalc.org)
and allied postal crafts will conduct their 16th annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. In 2007, this
NARFE supported drive delivered 70.7 million pounds of non-perishable items
donated by patrons to local food organizations. NARFE members are urged to
collect and bag non-perishable food items and place the bag by your mailbox for
your letter carrier on Saturday, May 10, 2008. Chapters are encouraged to share
this information at chapter meetings. Results of the
Food Drive will be reported in our magazine.
Top of Page
NARFE TROUBLED BY OPM CALL FOR SEPARATE FEHBP RETIREE COVERAGE AND OPPOSES PLANS
TO EXPAND CONTROVERSIAL HSAs (March 20, 2007 Dan Adcock or Jill Crissman 703-838-7760)
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) President
Margaret L. Baptiste said today that her association has concerns about
proposals in the Office of Personnel Management’s “2008 Federal Employees Health
Benefits Program (FEHBP) Carrier Letter” (also known as the “Call Letter”) which
would create separate health plans for Medicare-eligible federal annuitants and
expand controversial Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). However, Baptiste applauded
OPM’s decision to encourage FEHBP carriers to offer enhanced hearing benefits
for adults, including professional services and hearing aids.
“While OPM says that enrollees in the Medicare pilot “sub-option” would pay the
same premiums set for their counterpart FEHBP plans, we are troubled that a plan
specifically created for Medicare-eligible federal annuitants could open the
door for separately rated retiree plans in the future with substantially higher
premiums than other FEHBP plans,” the NARFE President said. “In the 48 year
history of the program, there has never been a separate FEHBP plan based on
retirement status or age.”
Baptiste also said that NARFE is concerned that the cost of the Medicare pilot
sub-option’s “pass-through accounts” could result in benefit cuts or higher
deductibles, copayments and coinsurance for federal retirees and survivors.
In addition, the Association is disturbed that payments from the pass-through
accounts would be used to encourage federal annuitants to join private Medicare
options, like “Medicare Advantage” and the Medicare “Part D” prescription drug
program.
According to Baptiste, the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget would weaken
traditional Medicare by reducing payments to doctors and hospitals and, as a
result, make private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans more attractive to
beneficiaries. Most federal annuitants enroll in traditional Medicare because
the program’s coverage coordinates better with FEHBP benefits than Medicare
Advantage. Recent studies have shown that Medicare Advantage plans are paid more
than the average traditional-fee-for-service Medicare plan in their area. NARFE,
and its 53 member Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) sister
organizations, have urged lawmakers to cut overpayments to Medicare Advantage
plans ensuring equitable funding and treatment of all beneficiaries by the
Medicare program.
The Medicare Part D program was created to offer a prescription drug benefit for
the 16 million older Americans who had no such coverage. Federal annuitants do
not need to pay the Part D premium because they currently receive drug coverage
through their FEHBP plan. NARFE has long been concerned that Medicare Part D
would encourage employers, including
NARFE/Page 2
the federal government, to reduce or eliminate prescription drug coverage to
Medicare-eligible retirees under FEHBP. Part D drug coverage is substantially
inferior to what FEHBP now provides.
To add insult to injury, OPM persistently has refused to apply for a payment --
available to other public and private employers who provide drug coverage as
generous as Medicare Part D – which could be used to lower FEHBP premiums.
OPM continues to encourage FEHBP insurance carriers to expand the availability
of High Deductible Health Plan/Health Savings Accounts (HDHP/HSA) despite the
fact that the controversial option has only attracted a minute fraction of
federal workers and retirees. Indeed, a report released March 18 by the
nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Commonwealth Fund
found “little evidence that the tax benefits of such plans [HDHS/HSAs] have the
potential to help change the trajectory of health care cost growth, are leading
health plans or providers to provide more information about the quality and
price of services to patients…”.
NARFE opposes HSAs because they could increase premiums for comprehensive plans
since relatively healthy enrollees with higher incomes could be siphoned off
into HSAs. Such concerns were confirmed by a January 2006 report of the
nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found that HSAs tended
to attract younger and wealthier FEHBP enrollees.
NARFE opposes OPM’s decision in their 2008 call letter to solicit proposals for
insurance carriers to offer the long dormant “Indemnity Benefit Plan” as a
backdoor attempt to jump start anemic participation in HDHP/HSAs. The
President’s FY 2009 budget said that the “Indemnity Benefit Plan” should provide
HSAs as a system-wide option. Despite being named in the law which authorizes
FEHBP, the Indemnity plan has not been available since the Aetna insurance
company stopped offering the coverage in 1990. The entry of a large insurance
carrier with an HDHP/HSA option available to most enrollees also could boost
participation in HSAs.
# # #
NARFE, one of America’s oldest and largest associations, was founded in 1921
with the mission of protecting the earned rights and benefits of America’s
active and retired federal workers. The largest federal employee/ retiree
organization, NARFE represents the retirement interests of nearly 5 million
current and future federal annuitants, spouses, and survivors.
Top of Page
The NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 622, was released Friday, March 14.
February consumer price news leads this Hotline. Due to the two week Easter
recess, the next scheduled Hotline is set for Friday, April 4. (517 words; 3:49)
On March 14, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov/cpi
or 202/691-6994) reported that the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners
and Clerical Workers, the CPI-W, for February 2008 is 207.254, up 0.2 percent
from the January index of 206.7. The CPI-W for February is 1.8 percent higher
than the 2007 third quarter average base index of 203.6. For purposes of
calculating the next COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) the index has risen 1.8
percent. March consumer price news will be released Wednesday, April 16.
Former federal employees now receiving monthly benefits under provisions of the
Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) receive a COLA based on the change in
the CPI-W during each calendar year. The February 2007 index of 207.254, is 0.8
percent higher than the December 2007 index of 205.7. The CPI-W increase during
calendar year 2007 was 4.3 percent, meaning that FECA beneficiaries will see a
4.3 percent COLA in their April benefit payments. (Consumer prices for the first
five months of the measurement year are posted at
http://www.narfe.org/departments/leg/guest/articles.cfm?ID=942)
The House and Senate passage of their respective budget resolutions (H. Con.
Res. 312 and S. Con. Res. 70), allows staff to start the process for a
House-Senate conference committee. Neither the House nor Senate budget
resolution proposes reductions in federal retirement or health benefits. The
Congressional budget resolution does not require a presidential signature nor
does it carry the force of law. However, Congress uses it as a blueprint to
direct its decisions about spending and taxation.
Two bill introductions are of interest to NARFE members. Rep. Jim Moran, D-VA,
introduced H.R. 5573, legislation to provide Federal Employees Retirement System
accumulated sick leave to be partially “cashed out” at retirement. Rep. Danny
Davis, D-IL, introduced H.R. 5550, legislation to increase the maximum age to
qualify for coverage as a "child" under the health benefits program for Federal
employees. Introduced at this point in the second year of a two-year Congress,
neither bill is likely to win enactment. Both bills could be reintroduced in the
next Congress.
The Members of the House and Senate will be in your neighborhood not ours for
both the week before and after Easter. This Easter recess is a good opportunity
to meet with your legislators and/or their staff. The NARFE legislative
department (leg@narfe.org
or 703/838-7760) is eager to help you.
CongressMerge.com provides a useful
Online Congressional Directory, with full information about each District Office
including phone number and street address. Unique to this site are maps and
driving directions. (The URL is
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm)
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available to
telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE’s Internet site, www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net Coordinators;
and broadcast to more than 47,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery channel
is a service of the NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
Click for Past National President Harry T. (Steve)
Morrissey’s Obituary In the Sarasota Herald Tribune.
The NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 621, was released
Friday, March 7. House and Senate Budget Resolutions lead this Hotline. The
next Hotline, set for Friday, March 14, will report on February consumer prices.
(659 words; 4:43)
The House
and Senate Budget Committee Chairmen, Rep. John Spratt, D-SC, and Sen. Kent
Conrad, D-ND, started their Committees’ budget process with a ”Chairman’s
Mark.” Like President Bush’s February 4 budget proposal, there are no proposed
reductions to the earned income or health benefits of federal retirees. Unlike
the President’s proposal for pay disparity, a 3.4 percent raise for military
personnel versus 2.9 percent for federal civilian workers, House Budget
Committee Chairman Spratt included a section (610) entitled “Sense of the House
Regarding Pay Parity.” This section contains no specific pay raise percentage,
but does endorse pay parity, thus distinguishing Spratt’s proposal from the
President’s. The Senate resolution is silent on pay. Both the House and Senate
Budget Committees approved their differing plans on March 6. Floor
consideration on the Concurrent Resolutions, still unnumbered, will occur during
the week of March 10.
Based on inquiries to the
Legislative Department, there continues to be some confusion about who is
eligible for the rebate checks authorized by economic stimulus package signed
into law by President Bush on February 13. Federal workers and retirees will be
entitled to payments on the same basis as their fellow citizens.
The new law allows Americans
to receive a tax rebate through two options.
The first way to get a check
is to have paid federal income tax on any form of income during the 2007 tax
year, regardless of whether the source was wages or retirement income. Such
taxpayers, including most federal annuitants, will receive a payment up to $600
per person or up to $1,200 per couple allowed for those without dependent
children. (Taxpayers with children will receive an additional $300 per child).
The amount of the rebates is phased out at a rate of 5 percent of adjusted gross
income (AGI) beginning at $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for joint
filers. As a result, the rebate is effectively eliminated for taxpayers without
dependent children at $87,000 and $174,000 AGI for single and joint filers,
respectively.
Under the second option,
Americans who pay no income taxes, but have at least $3,000 of income from self
employment wages, Social Security benefits or Veterans disability payments will
receive rebates of $300 for individuals or $600 for couples filing joint
returns. These persons who would not normally need to file a 2007 federal income
tax return must file, complete, sign and mail a 1040 or 1040A by December 31 —
and write “Stimulus Payment” on the top of the tax form — to receive a check
under this option. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is urging persons
eligible under the second option to file their tax forms as soon as possible to
ensure that they receive their check sooner.
The IRS will begin
distributing rebate checks in May. No one will have to pay income taxes on
stimulus payments. For more information on the economic stimulus tax rebate,
visit the IRS web site at www.irs.gov
The House
and Senate are scheduled to be out of Washington for both the week before and after Easter. This
Easter recess is a good opportunity to meet with your legislators and/or their
staff. The NARFE legislative department (leg@narfe.org
or 703/838-7760) is eager to help you. CongressMerge.com provides a useful
Online Congressional Directory, with full information about each District Office
including phone number and street address. Unique to this site are maps and
driving directions. (The URL is
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm)
Thank you
for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available to
telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE’s Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to
NARFE-Net Coordinators; and broadcast to more than 47,000 GEMS e-mail
addresses. Each delivery channel is a service of the NARFE, the National Active
and Retired Federal Employees Association.
The NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 620, was released
Friday, February 29th. March is NARFE-PAC month and the lead item of
this Hotline. The next Hotline is set for Friday, March 7th. (407
words; 2:58)
NARFE-PAC,
NARFE’s Political Action Committee, is the federal retiree defense fund. In
this important election year, NARFE-PAC remains one of our most potent tools to
help elect men and women committed to defending the earned retirement benefits
of active and retired federal employees. Chapter meetings, especially during
March, should devote special attention to reminding NARFE members of the
importance of contributing to NARFE-PAC. The 2007-2008 NARFE-PAC lapel pins
should be available and awarded to those donating $20 or more. President
Margaret L. Baptiste is sending a letter to NARFE members urging a generous
NARFE-PAC contribution. April and May federation conventions should “Teach and
Reach”-- Teach NARFE officers and activists about our Political Action
Committee, and Reach Out to all members to make a NARFE-PAC contribution.
March 4 is
the next big presidential primary date. Delegate selection occurs in four
states, Ohio,
Rhode Island, Texas and
Vermont. Congressional primaries will be conducted in
Ohio and Texas. Former presidential candidates, Rep. Dennis Kucinich,
D-OH, and Rep. Ron Paul, R-TX, are challenged in their bids for re-nomination.
Elections give us a special opportunity to ask incumbents and their challengers
to support NARFE’s legislative program (http://www.narfe.org/departments/leg/guest/articles.cfm?ID=1046)
including the protection of the earned economic and health security of federal
workers and annuitants as well as priority legislation like Premium Conversion,
S. 773 and H.R. 1110, and Repeal of the Social Security Government Pension
Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), S. 206 and H.R. 82. (www.capwiz.com/narfe/issues/bills).
The House
and Senate are scheduled to be out of Washington for the last two weeks of March for the Easter
District Work Period. Use this time as an opportunity to meet with your
legislators and/or their staff. The NARFE legislative department (leg@narfe.org
or 703/838-7760) is eager to help you harness this District Work Period. (A
useful Online Congressional Directory which features maps of Congressional
District and State offices is found at
http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm )
Thank you
for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available to
telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE’s Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to
NARFE-Net Coordinators; and broadcast to more than 47,000 GEMS e-mail
addresses. Each delivery channel is a service of the NARFE, the National Active
and Retired Federal Employees Association.
FLORIDA FEDERATION OF CHAPTERS
ALZHEIMER's
UPDATE, June 2008
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION OFFERS DISASTER TIPS (Source:
Quad-City Times) In light of the devastating floods
taking place in the Midwest, the Alzheimer’s Association
offers helpful suggestions for disaster situations.
Evacuation can significantly add to the stress and
confusion of someone with Alzheimer’s. Such unfamiliar,
chaotic emergencies can increase or trigger unsafe and
distressing behaviors, such as wandering or agitation.
Among the most important suggestions is to PLAN AHEAD.
There are steps to take right now, rather than waiting
until a crisis occurs.
-
Find out about local disaster & evacuation plans
-
Alert other family members, friends, medical
personnel that you are changing locations, and give
them your contact information.
-
Make copies of medical history, medications,
physician information, and family contacts.
-
Purchase extra medications and oxygen tanks, if
applicable
-
Prepare an emergency kit and keep it in a water
tight container.
Source: “Mark Warner”
agelessd@aol.com
6/13/08
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE FOR VETERANS (Source:
Producersweb.com) The Aid and Attendance benefit is a
little known, under-utilized benefit that provides up to
$22,104 per year to help a veteran or the surviving
spouse of a veteran pay for long term health care costs,
including home health care, assisted living or even
nursing home expenses. The benefit is paid regardless
of the need for care, provided the veteran or spouse if
older than the age of 65.
Consider the possibility that a client or their family
member is suffering from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s
disease and the family would like to keep them at home
for as long as possible. Medicare will not cover the
services of a private-duty nurse, nor will Medicaid.
The Aid and Attendance benefit may be available to help
defray the cost.
In this articles, Kevin Wedmore says, “Don’t overlook
this benefit. Just sharing his info with your senior
clients will open a lot of doors. (Source: “Mark
Warner”
agelessd@aol.com
6/03/08 (A publication of the Ageless Design Research
Foundation)
Leonora J. Sicular (joylar@att.net)
Region III Alzheimer’s Chairperson
ALZHEIMER's
UPDATE, May 2008
SENATE HEARINGS (Source: Ageless Design) May 14th,
the Senate Special Committee on Aging, held a hearing to
examine the tremendous burden Alzheimer’s posses not
only to the estimated 5.2M with the disease and their
10M caregivers, but also to the health care system
business and the larger society. Several U.S. Senators
expressed their personal stories relating to the disease
as well as Chuck Jackson, who was diagnosed with early
onset Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 50, former Chief
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Newt Gingrich, etc. It was
a near record number of people in attendance.
For full article: aging.senate.gov “Mark Warner”
agelessd@aol.com
5/15/08
--------------------------------------------------------------------
DRUG LOOKS PROMISING TO FIGHT EARLY ALZHEIMER’S (Source:
marketwire.com) British and Canadian researchers have
completed the 2nd phase of a study that
suggests the drug Flurizan may be able to slow down the
progression of Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages.
“This is one of the first drugs to show the potential to
not just treat the symptoms of A.D. but also to slow
down the disease itself if it is in the mild stage” said
Dr. Sandra Black.
The findings indicate that for people in the milder
stages of the disease, treated with a higher dose of the
drug, there was a significantly slower decline rate in
activities of daily living and global function which
include judgment, hobbies, and community activities. It
did not benefit patients in the moderate stages of the
disease. “Mark Warner”
agelessd@aol.com
5/21/08
Leonora J. Sicular (joylar@att.net)
Region III Alzheimer’s Chairperson
ALZHEIMER's UPDATE,
February 2008
NEW DOSE FORMULATIONS FOR ARICEPT
(Source: Business Review) Eisai reports that as of
Dec. 26, 2007, Aricept will be available in 10mg.
Aricept tablets for the treatment of severe Alzheimer’s
disease in Japan. With the introduction of the 10mg
tablets, one tablet-a-day administration treatment
becomes available for all stages of the disease (mild,
moderate, and severe). On Aug. 23, 2007, Eisai obtained
approval for additional efficacy and dosage for Aricept
for the treatment of severe Alzheimer’s disease as well
as for the marketing authorization for the new 10mg dose
formulations in Japan. The new 10mg. dose formulations
were added to the National Health Insurance (NHI) drug
price list as of Dec. 21, 2007.
For full story: pharmaceutical-business-review.com
“Mark Warner”agelesd@aol.com
12/27/07
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAPANESE STUDY SUGGESTS DRUG IMPROVES MEMORY
(Source: Roskamp Institute) A Japanese study reports
that treating memory loss patients with one drug
stabilized memory decline, while another drug had little
effect or none at all. The study found that patients
treated with Nilvadipine showed stabilized decline in
memory loss over the 20 months; whereas the group
treated with Amlodipine continued to suffer loss of
cognitive function. Amlodipine is sold in the U.S. for
the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure).
“Although the study was conducted with a small size,
this third party validation is extremely encouraging as
there appears to be a strong protective effect from
developing Alzheimer’s in memory-troubled patients who
were given Nilvadipine,” said Dr. Michael Mullan of the
Roskamp Institute. Nilvadipine is currently not
available in the U.S. However, the Institute plans to
introduce the drug to the U.S. Food & Drug
Administration as a part of its Phase II study early
2008.
Full story: rfdn.org “Mark Warner”
agelessd@aol.com
12/18/07
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. PRODUCT PATENT ISSUED FOR NEW DRUG COMPOUND
(Source: Forbes) India’s Suven Life Sciences Ltd.
reported that it has been granted its first US product
patent for a class of selective Serotonin receptor
compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative
disorders like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, Schizophrenia,
and Huntington’s disease. Venkat Jasti said the drug
candidate is being developed for central nervous system
disorders. There are ‘several other’ patent
applications in the pipeline which the company expects
to be granted shortly. Full story: forbes.com “Mark
Warner”
agelessd@aol.com
12/27/07
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALZHEIMER’S DRUG IS TESTED IN SO. FLORIDA
(Source: Diane C. Lade, Staff Writer
dlade@sunsentinel.com
or 561-243-6618
The Health Team, Sun Sentinel 12/23/07
Brian Matters Research, a private for-profit Delray
Beach Company, has started a new potential treatment for
Alzheimer’s, an immunization administered like
chemotherapy that uses the immune system to fight the
disease. They enrolled their first patient late Dec. 07
and are looking to sign up about 100 more. It is a
Phase III trial, which means it could be the final step
before the drug gets federal approval for more
widespread use. Eventually, the trial will involve 1600
patients in about 200 centers worldwide.
Dr. Mark Brody, a neurologist, president of Brain
Matters is excited by what he saw in previous trials,
although a scientific analysis has yet to be published.
Doctors and some families reported the treatment had
slowed or even stopped the progression of memory loss &
language difficulties associated with the disorder, he
said. “This is a potentially breakthrough treatment.
Depending on trial results, the infusion could be
available within three years”.
The immunization—gradually injected into a patient’s
bloodstream---is one of several experimental treatments
that use antibodies to attach what are called beta-amyloid
protein plaques that form in the brain of the patient.
The thinking is such plaques can cause the disease or
its symptoms.
The NIA (National Institute on Aging) is funding its own
18-month nationwide trial with Baxter Healthcare Corp.,
of a treatment similar to what Brain Masters if
testing. The drug labeled AAB-301 & AAB-302 is one of
several experimental treatments.
Leonora J. Sicular
joylar@att.net
Region III Alzheimer’s Chairperson
ALZHEIMER's UPDATE,
January 2008
STUDYING CAFFEINES EFFECT ON ALZHEIMER'S
(Source: Nation/World l/01/08 Tampa Tribune "TBO.com")
Text by Greg Williams
"There's nothing that gets into the brain faster than
caffeine, says Gary Arendach, a research professor at
the University of So. Florida. The stimulant effect of
caffeine, widely consumed in coffee and tea, is common
knowledge. In scientific terms,caffeine promotes
increased alertness by interacting with brain
receptors. As part of his work with the Johnnie B.
Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute,
Arendash and a team of researchers set out to learn more
about caffeine's effects.
The first phase of their studies focused on mice whose
genetic makeup had been altered to introduce the human
gene for Alzheimer's disease. Through a series of
learning and memory tests, the researchers found that
long-term caffeine consumption appeared to have a
profound effect on mice that were genetically programmed
to develop Alzheimer's. A caffeine regimen - the human
effect of five cups of coffee daily - protected
Alzheimer's mice from the memory impairment that they
otherwise would have developed. When caffeine was given
to Alzheimer's mice that were already memory - impaired,
there memory was restored to the level of normal mice.
"Given the already widespread use and acceptance of
coffee in moderate amounts" they wrote "long term coffee
intake could have a viable strategy" for reducing the
risk of Alzheimer's disease.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION CAREGIVER NOTEBOOK
(Source: Alzheimer's Assoc.) The Alzheimer's Assoc. is
offering a free guide for people caring for individuals
with dementia. The "Caregiver Notebook" covers topics
including self-care, providing caring for the person
with dementia, getting support, working with healthcare
providers, and legal & financial planning.
Each section provides easy-to-understand information
about Alzheimer's care throughout the course of the
disease, so as the person's needs change, you'll know
what to do. The notebook also features helpful tips,
checklists, note pages, pockets to keep important papers
and addional resources. To receive free copy of the
Caregiver Notebook call (1-800-272.3900)
For full story: newswise.com "Mark Warner"
agelessd@aol.com
Leonora J. Sicular (joylar@att.net)
Alzheimer's Chairperson
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