A week or so before interviewing Sherri Hebert, the vice president and chief operating officer of Compass Rose Benefits Group, I called an old friend and news source for some help and advice. Reporters, like lawyers, like to know the answers before they ask the questions. In this case, the pro was Walton Francis. He literally wrote the book, the Consumers’ CHECKBOOK Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees. He is the living authority on the plans. I wanted to get his take on Medicare Advantage and planned to discretely ask him about Compass Rose. I purposefully did not tell him I had the interview coming up. It turns out I didn’t have to be so clever. He mentioned Compass Rose as a superior example of an outfit going above and beyond to take care of its troops. He mentioned that the Cold War intelligence population is aging and Compass Rose has a reputation more making sure members age well, don’t get caught up in red tape and that the staff, from the President on down, get personally involved in getting the best deal for members. That dovetailed with the interview later when Hebert makes that point and identifies an example of the President of Compass Rose going to bat for a member.
The passion Compass Rose staff has for their clients – fellow members of the intelligence community – comes through loud and clear. She clearly explains how Medicare Advantage works.
The private sector has fewer options compared to the 30+ plans and options open to federal employees. That vast number of choices for retired and active feds is both good news and bad news. Mostly bad news for older retirees who mostly stay in the same plan year after year. Even if the benefits are better and the premiums are lower in a similar option. Many retirees likely don’t realize there is an intelligence community-focused plans that offer things like gym membership or overseas medical coverage.
The Compass Rose Plan for Retirees
As we get older and our health declines, that's when we need the most help in coordinating the doctors and the labs and the blood work and all the different things that come at people when they're dealing with a medical condition. And there's really no quarterback there to help them discern what's what and ask questions and put things in in our language versus medical language. So if I would say that that would be one of the primary [on the health side] challenges facing all retirees. Compass Rose filled that gap a few years ago by creating a program called Aging Well. And we've created a team of people that do just that for our retirees. So when people are struggling with how to navigate this healthcare system that we're in, we created a program just for that.
Sherri Hebert
Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Compass Rose Benefits Group
FEHB and Medicare Advantage Guidance
If you're a Compass Rose member and you were to opt into our Medicare Advantage, you're still a Compass Rose member.
Sherri Hebert
Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Compass Rose Benefits Group
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