President's Message

NARFE National Web Site: www.narfe.org CSFC Web Site: www.narfe.org/ca/

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

October 2024

President, Tony Pizza,

At the September meeting we had an unannounced presentation by member Bob Warnagieris, arranged after the newsletter went out, on the subject of longevity. Exercise and healthy diet are important, but so is socialization. There’s a good article starting on page 28 of the October issue of the NARFE magazine about overcoming loneliness in retirement. Getting out with people for dining and conversation (like at our meetings) can make you live longer!

We didn’t have any new members go for the take out option, so I’ll repeat the offer. How would you like to have a nice meal and NOT HAVE TO COOK IT? At the September meeting we had another great lasagna lunch. In October it will be Sweet & Sour Pork Chops. And it can be had AS A TAKEOUT! At the July meeting they were so good! Call Carl to order, show up before noon to ensure you’ll be there for pickup, and take home one or two of them. If you’re running late, call me at 805-509-4197 to get your order in, or else the kitchen might be closed.

As mentioned previously, H.R. 82 repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). WEP and GPO penalize government retirees simply because they earned Social Security through separate work but get less because of their public service. With 218 signatures on the discharge petition to bring H.R. 82 to the House floor, public servants will finally get the vote they deserve. Now a majority of the House has taken it into their own hands, and is calling for an up or down vote to repeal WEP and GPO. Don’t start spending that money yet, there’s still the Senate.

OPM has launched (www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/pshb), an information site for the Postal Service Health Benefits program that will replace the FEHB for postal employees and retirees effective in January. PSHB plans will cover the same set of comprehensive health benefits included in FEHB plans. With many of the same carriers that offer FEHB plans. The initial open season for electing PSHB coverage will run concurrent with the FEHB open season November 11-December 9.

Bad news: Enrollees in the FEHB) program are about to see the largest annual increase in their health insurance costs in at least a decade. Beginning in January, federal employees and annuitants enrolled in FEHB will pay 13.5% more, on average, toward their health care premiums, according to data from the Office of Personnel Management. In dollars, FEHB enrollees will begin paying an average of $26.10 more toward their biweekly health premiums in 2025. In contrast, premium increases for new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) program participants will be slightly lower than those for FEHB. Postal enrollees will pay 11.1% more toward their health care premiums. Averaged with the government’s share of the cost, which is increasing by 5.1%, the overall premium increase for PSHB is 6.9%.

A thief stuck a pistol in the man’s ribs and said: “Give me your money.” The man replied: “You can’t do this. I’m a congressman.” The thief replied: “In that case, give me MY money.”