Every now and then even the most confident, self-anointed superhero needs to stand in front of a full-length mirror to check his tights. He, or she, should be looking for flaws (hopefully repairable) before going out to save the world.

Like me.

Each year during the health insurance open season I scold (diplomatically I hope) federal workers and retirees who stay in the same health plan year after year. Kind of like a loving parent urging the kids to do their homework before watching Judge Judy mete out justice!

Insurance experts agree that many people could benefit — both financially and in improved coverage — if they would spend more time, or at least some time, actually looking at brochures. Compare your current plan with a couple of others. Have your doctor check them out. See which plan includes him or her in its network. Maybe your plan has two options with similar benefits but very different premiums.

Shopping for health insurance isn’t fun (unless you are into mental torture), but it also isn’t a trip down nightmare alley either. The government makes it soooo easy for current employees. A number of agencies subscribe to the excellent online Consumer’s CHECKBOOK Guide To Health Plans for Federal Employees & Annuitants. People can shop, at work. Walton Francis, who has edited and updated the guide for more than 30 years, says it’s a win-win for the taxpayers too. Since the government pays about 72 percent of the total premium, agencies save when their workers move into plans that have lower premiums, but similar benefits to high-priced plans.

Departments that have subscribed to the Checkbook shopping guide include Health and Human Services, Transportation, Interior, Justice, Labor and OPM, FDIC, GSA, GAO and even the prestigious numbers- crunching Congressional Budget Office. To find out if your agency has already subscribed for you, click here.

The National Treasury Employees Union subscribes for members, as does the Professional Managers Association and the American Foreign Service Association.

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees has online information for members plus tips in its Retirement Life magazine.

So while everybody should check out their options during the open season (which ends Dec. 10) the fact that people stay in the same plan year after year doesn’t mean they have checked. As this reader pointed out:

“Mike, you have made the following comment several times:

‘Despite all the help and information out there, the vast majority of shoppers — about 96 percent — do nothing.’

“Just because I didn’t change my health plan, doesn’t mean ‘I did nothing.’ I do my homework with two or three others and then often in the past have chosen to stay the course. I may not be alone on this one.

        Read more: Mike Causey

“Besides that, if someone has the capacity to truly compare more than two or three, well then, they are a better person than me and have a whole hell of a lot more time than I do!” — Ginny

Gulp! Then I realized the last time I changed health plans was 11 years ago, when the company changed health plans. Soooo … back to saving the world, starting next week!

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID:

By Michael O’Connell

The “Batman” TV show starring Adam West and Burt Ward debuted on Jan. 12, 1966, on ABC.

Source: Wikipedia

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Online Chat: Ask the Open Season Expert
Walton Francis, author of the annual Consumers’ CHECKBOOK Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees & Annuitants, joined Federal News Radio Senior Correspondent Mike Causey for an online chat to discuss your options during this year’s Open Season.

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