This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 691, was released Friday, November 3^rd.  This edition updates 1) our Action Alert on the Medicare Premium Fairness Act, 2) the House’s health care overhaul bill and 3) defending the FEHBP.  The next Hotline is set for Friday, the 13^th of November.

The Obama Administration has called for prompt Senate passage of NARFE supported, House passed (406 - 18 Roll Call Vote no. 737) legislation, H.R. 3631, to protect all Medicare Part B beneficiaries from a premium increase in 2010, including federal retirees who are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits.  NARFE worked tirelessly behind the scenes on this legislation for the past four months.  NARFE members should add their voices to the 4,000 who have already helped “close the deal” by urging their Senators to quickly pass H.R. 3631 to allow the Medicare agency to prepare for 2010.  The NARFE Legislative Action Center features an Action Alert which allows you to send NARFE’s message to both your Senators. (The direct path to this Urgent Action Alert is http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14260196)

The House leadership has formally introduced H.R. 3962, legislation overhauling health care and plans for its floor consideration during the first week of November.  Under H.R. 3962, federal employees will be able to keep the insurance in the system they have now and nothing in the bill specifically impacts Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).  However, any comprehensive plan that changes insurance law, provider financing, taxation policy and health infrastructure, will have some ramifications on how FEHBP operates in the larger health system.  “NARFE Position on Health Care,” posted on our web site, has been updated.  Use the following link for a summary of provisions in H.R. 3962 relevant to federal workers and annuitants: http://www.narfe.org/departments/legislation/articles.cfm?ID=1804

NARFE continues to be concerned about proposals made during committee consideration of S. 1796, the Senate health care overhaul bill, which would have required FEHBP participants to go into the new exchanges or opened the FEHBP to non-federal civilian employees without separate risk pools.  Although the House and Senate bills currently contain neither proposal, NARFE remains concerned that they could be added to the bills at another point in the legislative process. Use either the Legislative Action Center or NARFE’s toll free access to the Capitol switchboard (1-866-220-0044) to tell your own Representative and both your Senators to “allow FEHBP enrollees, like other Americans, to keep the plan they have now.”  Use the following URL to read more and send an e-mail to your own congressional delegation, one Representative and two Senators: http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14174906)  (That NARFE sponsored toll free number is 1-866-220-0044, ask for your Members by name or supply your ZIP Code.)

NARFE President Margaret L. Baptiste’s November 3^rd oral and written testimony before the House Federal Workforce Subcommittee are available on the Subcommittee’s web site.  The hearing was titled “Managing the Thrift Savings Plan to Thrive.”  To see the archived webcast go to the Subcommittee’s website.  http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4666&Itemid=27 )  All prepared testimony is also available.  The NARFE press release provides more information (http://www.narfe.org/departments/guest/articles.cfm?ID=1947).

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 sent to over 50,000 GEMS e-mail addresses.  Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.