Benefits

• Pentagon seeks new out-of-pocket charges for TRICARE beneficiaries

  Family members of active duty service members and military retirees would see new fees under the Defense Department's proposal to consolidate TRICARE plans, as part of the fiscal 2015 budget request sent to Congress Tuesday.

  Budget

  March 05, 2014
• What’s ahead for feds in 2014?

  Federal Times writers Andy Medici and Sean Reilly and NARFE legislative director Jessica Klement will talk about some of the issues affecting feds in 2014. February 26, 2014

  Mike Causey

  February 26, 2014
• Obama dumping chained CPI, which feds, employee groups strongly opposed

  Today's announcement that President Barack Obama would not be including a proposal to calculate cost-of-living changes to federal retirement rates in his 2015 budget should be welcome news to federal employees, legislators and federal-employee support groups who opposed it.

  Budget

  February 20, 2014
• House Dems, employee groups want Obama to chuck chained CPI

  More than 100 members of the House and a dozen outside groups have signed on to a letter to President Barack Obama from Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) requesting that the upcoming White House budget not include a proposal to alter the way retirees' cost-of-living adjustments are calculated. The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, the American Federation of Government Employees and the Military Officers Association of American have signed on in support of the letter.

  Congress

  February 19, 2014
• Professional liability insurance and more

  Host Mike Causey will talk professional liability insurance with attorneys John P. Mahoney and David Cavanaugh. Later Andy Medici will discuss potential buyouts at the Social Security Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. February 5, 2014

  Mike Causey

  February 05, 2014
• SSA offering early-outs in 2014

  The early-out offer at the Social Security Administration is one of the first this year in government. Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says it could open up the promotion pipeline for younger, mid-career employees and jump-start early retirement offers in other agencies too. So how are things in your office?

  Mike Causey

  January 31, 2014
• Latest postal reform bill includes USPS-only health plan

  The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee debated an updated version of postal reform legislation Wednesday that would allow the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service to restructure its health benefits program. Included in the revised postal reform bill from Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is a proposal that would create a new postal-only health plan within the broader Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).

  Congress

  January 29, 2014
• Senators urge about-face on new military retirement cuts

  Pentagon leaders expressed disappointment on Tuesday at the retiree cost of living cuts under the Ryan-Murray budget deal and urged Congress to repeal them. But officials also pressed lawmakers to wait for an independent study group's conclusions before making more piecemeal changes to the military compensation system.

  Budget

  January 29, 2014
• Senate to take up major overhaul of VA benefits

  Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced the measure that includes dozens of provisions that expand benefits and hiring programs and grants advance appropriations to most of the Veterans Affairs' accounts. Senate Veterans Affairs chairman suggested paying for the changes by reducing DoD's wartime budget.

  Congress

  January 23, 2014
• Investing in the Thrift Savings Plan

  Financial planner Arthur Stein will answer your questions about the TSP, and Federal Times writers Andy Medici and Nicole Blake Johnson will discuss what's ahead for feds in 2014. January 22, 2014 (This show originally aired Jan. 8, 2013)

  Mike Causey

  January 22, 2014
• TRICARE ready to close 189 customer service centers April 1

  TRICARE, the military family health care provider, is set to close 189 of its U.S. customer service centers. Customers will be able to access all of the same services online or by telephone.

  Federal Drive

  January 21, 2014
• Self-plus-one coverage: What’s in it for you?

  Lots of people inside government are excited about the pending self-plus-one health plan option, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. It will cost more than self-only, but less than the standard family plan. So who are the winners and losers?

  Mike Causey

  January 16, 2014
• Retirement ride: Will you be going 1st, 2nd or 3rd class?

  Thanks to some surgical budget-cutting by Congress and the White House, Uncle Sam now has a three-tiered retirement plan: First-, second- and third-class where the service is the same but the price tag is higher for some than others.

  Mike Causey

  January 14, 2014
• Despite what your significant other says, you’re worth more than you think!

  Thanks to a portion of the media and many politicians, a lot of federal and postal workers have a low opinion of themselves. But when you crunch the numbers, feds are significant players in the stock market and in the net worth department, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Crunch your own numbers.

  Mike Causey

  January 13, 2014