Bulletin Board Entries

This year's dates for the FEHBP Open Season will be 11/8/10 through 12/13/10.

OPM will be mailing notices and for those who have provided email addresses, email notices regarding the Open Season.  These notices will be sent in time for enrollees to request information and review available plan brochures.

 

David snell, Director Retirement Benefits.

Our chapter has about 25% of our total membership enrolled in dues withholding.  My question is this average? 

Another question - less than 7% of our total membership are active employees.  Again, is this about average?

We serve a large county on the central coast of California.  Most members probably came from someplace else.

AS we have in years past, there are some left over NARFE PRS manuals left over from 2009. While they do not include the up-dates on retirement law that were enacted 10/28/09, they are still useful guides for Service Officers. If you want ONE sent to you for a reference, contact me at dsnell@narfe.org. and make sure you include your address.

David Snell, Director Retirement Benefits Services

The NY Times-Health Section dated Tueday, March 30th discussed details about the new Health Care Law.  On page 5, Yvette Roubideaux, MD, Director, Indian Health Service states:  "It allows tribes and tribal organizations to buy coverage for their employees from the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.  It will enable us to expand behavioral health programs for Indians."

Can anyone verify this statement?

NARFE has published a new f-100 that is bigger and better than the previous editions. It includes pages for users to list mortgage information and to list credit card information among other features.  The F-100's are of course available on -line so that you can download the pages and actually fill them in before printing them out.

OPM and Federal Long Term Care Insurance PArtners has announced that do to this month's weather conditions many enrollees need more time to make their option decisions. So despite the February 15th deadline date many enrollees were told they will be given through March 15 to mail or fax their decision to FLTC Partners.

David Snell, Retirement Benefits Department

NARFE

 

the irs instructions for form 1040 provides information about taking the $250 tax credit. Filers must attach a schedule M - 'Making Work Pay and Government Retiree Credits'.

Evidently the IRS did not include this information in the their Publication 721 this year.

 

Dave Snell, Director Retirement Benefits Service Dept.

The FTC has created a guide that lists places to go to get reliable information on specific health related issues, medial identity theft and fraud, elder abuse, and medications. The web site where you can view the guide is www.ftc.gov/whocares, and you can order 50 or more copies of the guide to give out to members at www.ftc.gov/bulkorder.

Dave Snell, Retirement Benefits Service Dept.

There is an error in the 2010 version of the Medicare and You publication on page 100. It talks about Federal Long Term Care Insurance and refers the reader to OPM's Retirement Information number 1-888-767-6738. The correct contact is Federal Long Term Care Partners at 1-800-582-3337.