Posted on Sunday, 16th September 2018 by Dennis Damp

The 2018 FEHB open season will run from November 11 through December 10, 2018. Each year Open Season runs from the Monday of the second full workweek in November through the Monday of the second full workweek in December. Health care service providers are required to submit benefit and rate proposals for the contract term beginning January 1, 2019 on or before May 31, 2018. OPM generally completes negotiations in August so we should have updates and new rates shortly. When they are published I will send out a message to all subscribers.
OPM encourages all carriers to thoroughly evaluate options every year with a focus on improving affordability, reducing costs, improving the quality of care, and protecting the health of their enrolled populations. Any proposed benefit enhancements must be offset by proposed reductions so that premiums are not increased due to benefit changes.
Premium increases are inevitable for most participants. At least we can look forward to a COLA increase of 3% or higher next year that may be enough to offset any healthcare premium increases. Thankfully, Uncle Sam covers approximately 75% of our health plan costs for federal civil service employees and 90% for Postal employees.
Retirees can Connect to FEHB Open Season Online to review brochures, pricing and submit changes starting in early November. You can actually chat with a Customer Service Representative using their “Live Help” feature.
Request a Federal Retirement Report™ today to review your projected annuity payments, income verses expenses, FEGLI, and TSP projections.
Retiree Jobs Update
Employers continue to recruit federal retirees and those soon to retire. A number of companies post job vacancies on our Jobs Board and you will find listings for part- and full-time positions at locations across the country. Those with security clearances also have many opportunities to consider.
The good news for anyone that wants to work is that “For Hire” signs are posted everywhere today. With an unemployment rate of 3.9% the country is at full employment. The only way for companies to find more candidates is to attract those who voluntarily stopped working, including retirees. Wages are also increasing so that is good news for anyone interested in supplementing their retirement income.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor force participation rate refers to “the labor force as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population.” Basically, it is the total number of people available to work as a percentage of the total population. In August 2018, it was down to 62.7 percent. Those who aren’t working are either going to school or retired for the most part. Family responsibilities also keep others out of the labor force.
Many CSRS retirees do not collect Social Security because they haven’t worked a minimum of 40 quarters (10 years) paying into the Social Security system. Most CSRS retirees paid into Social Security at least for a few years and if you served in the military all of your active duty time counts towards your 40 quarters. You may find it advantageous to return to work at least until you have the minimum needed to apply for Social Security benefits.
Private companies, contractors, and state government departments use our Jobs Board to hire skilled federal retirees for part- and full-time positions nationwide. Many opportunities exist for those looking to supplement their retirement income or to start a second career. We provide this free job listing service to companies that are seeking to hire experienced retired federal workers.
Request a Federal Retirement Report™ today to review your projected annuity payments, income verses expenses, FEGLI, and TSP projections.
Helpful Retirement Planning Tools / Resources
Distribute these FREE tools to others that are planning their retirement
- Social Security Benefits For Federal Employees
- Retirement Planning Guide
- Financial Planning Information
- Thrift Savings Plan
- Master Retiree Contact List (Important contact numbers and information)
- 2018 Leave and Schedule Chart (Excel chart tracks all leave balances. Use this chart to set target retirement dates.)
- 2018 Federal Pay Tables
- Annuity Calculator (FREE Excel chart estimates annuity growth)
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed herein by the author are not an investment or benefit recommendation and are not meant to be relied upon in investment or benefit decisions. The author is not acting in an investment, tax, legal, benefit, or any other advisory capacity. This is not an investment or benefit research report. The author’s opinions expressed herein address only select aspects of various federal benefits and potential investment in securities of the TSP and companies mentioned and cannot be a substitute for comprehensive investment analysis. Any analysis presented herein is illustrative in nature, limited in scope, based on an incomplete set of information, and has limitations to its accuracy. The author recommends that retirees, potential and existing investors conduct thorough investment and benefit research of their own, including detailed review of OPM guidance for benefit issues and for investments the companies’ SEC filings, and consult a qualified investment adviser. The information upon which this material is based was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but has not been independently verified. Therefore, the author cannot guarantee its accuracy. Any opinions or estimates constitute the author’s best judgment as of the date of publication, and are subject to change without notice. The author explicitly disclaims any liability that may arise from the use of this material.
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Posted in BENEFITS / INSURANCE, EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS, FINANCE / TIP, LIFESTYLE / TRAVEL, RETIREMENT CONCERNS, SOCIAL SECURITY / MEDICARE | Comments (0)
