Benefits

  • Could the likelihood of a government shutdown or a coast-to-coast barrier depend on what we the U.S. decide to call it? Some so-called Washington experts think it might work.

    December 12, 2018
  • Consider the tens of thousands of federal workers are wondering and many are asking if they are going to get the day before Christmas Eve off with pay. An equal number of federal workers also are wondering if there is going to be a partial shutdown.

    December 11, 2018
  • Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says the health insurance open season ends today at close of business, which is bad news if you don't like comparison shopping, but good news if you found the perfect plan for you and yours at a good price.

    December 10, 2018
  • Finding the best deal among 20 to 30 health plan options can be tough for young or healthy federal workers. But it is a real, albeit vital chore for those with less money and more medical problems.

    December 07, 2018
  • Ever think what your spouse will do for health insurance after you’ve gone? He or she has been part of your family plan and they can continue coverage for life, provided you elect a survivor annuity for your spouse.

    December 06, 2018
  • When low premiums are a must it’s hard to beat the federal employee health benefits program. Uncle Sam pays the lion’s share of the premium and there are some bargains in the program, if you know where to look.

    December 05, 2018
  • Because various Blue Cross Blue Shield plans have been so good for so long, many feds in them haven’t bothered to shop around for maybe a better deal.

    December 04, 2018
  • Each year hundreds, maybe thousands of feds learn the hard way about the five-year rule for keeping coverage under FEHBP in retirement.

    December 03, 2018
  • Workers and retirees in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program have several choices: They can shop around, talk with their primary physicians, or, like most people they can do nothing.

    November 29, 2018
  • Walton Francis, editor of Consumers Checkbook Guide to Federal Health Plans, joined host Mike Causey on this week's Your Turn to talk about best buys during FEHBP open season and why more people need to switch health care plans.

    November 28, 2018
  • The possibility of a Dec. 7 partial government shutdown is another good reason feds and especially retired government workers should pick their 2019 health plan ASAP.

    November 28, 2018
  • Over the long Thanksgiving weekend Mike Causey visited with probably two dozen current or former feds, none of whom have made any change in their health care coverage in the last five to seven years.

    November 26, 2018
  • Federal retirement systems, CSRS and FERS, have been under attack for several years, primarily because a group of House Republicans wanted to make the FERS program less costly to taxpayers and less beneficial to its retirees.

    November 23, 2018
  • The health insurance open enrollment season runs through close-of-business Dec. 10. Here are three quick tips for health plan hunters from Walton Francis, author of "Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans For Federal Employees."

    November 23, 2018