How to Navigate FEHBP’s Increases and Plan Eliminations for 2016

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Several important changes for 2016 have made this an open season for questions about the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan. Federal News Radio Senior Correspondent Mike Causey and federal benefits expert Walton Francis answered your questions during a live online chat.

Mike and Walton answered your questions about the 33 different health, vision and dental plans and options.    

Walton also joined Mike on Your Turn.  Click here to listen to the show. 

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of Self-Plus-One? 
• What are the options for retirees overseas?
• If you are retired, you must shop around. Premiums in many retiree-heavy plans have skyrocketed. 
• Check out plans such as the American Postal Workers, National Association of Letter Carriers and the Mail Handlers plans. They are not limited to postal workers. 
• If you are 10 year out from retirement, are you aware of the 5-year rule? If no, you risk delaying  your retirement or having an inferior health plan when you do retire.

Those who participated in the online text-only chat were able to ask Mike and Walton their own questions in real-time.  

Walton Francis is an expert in health insurance who has advised dozens of Secretaries of Health and Human Services on policy choices. He’s written the best-seller “CHECKBOOK’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees” and his most recent book: “Putting Medicare Consumers in Charge: Lessons from the FEHBP”

This chat is underwritten by Wright USA.

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