fbpx

Prescription Drug Costs – Major Price Cuts Coming

Posted on Friday, 17th October 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

The President recently announced three agreements with Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and EMD Serono to reduce American drug prices dramatically. These prices are in line with the lowest prescription drug prices in other developed nations (known as the most-favored-nation, or MFN, price). EMD Serono’s cost reductions for its fertility drugs will result in substantial savings on fertility […]

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (0)

Health Care Premiums Announced for 2026 – Hold on to your Hat!

Posted on Monday, 13th October 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

Another year, another round of premium hikes for our health care. Yes, they did it again with an average increase of 10% for the FEHB program and 9% for the PSHB postal employees’ plan. The FEDVIP premiums also increased, although modestly compared to our primary health care plans. The average increase when adding everything together […]

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (4)

Fixed Income Update – Limiting Your Risks

Posted on Thursday, 13th March 2025 by Dennis Damp

Share

In January, the Federal Reserve kept the fed funds rate steady at the 4.25 %-4.5 % range, pausing its rate-cutting cycle after three consecutive reductions in 2024. During the last meeting, the Fed indicated that economic activity continues to expand, the unemployment rate has stabilized at a low level in recent months, labor market conditions […]

Posted in

| Comments (0)

Comparing FEHB Plans to their Medicare Advantage (MA) Option

Posted on Friday, 24th November 2023 by Dennis Damp

Share

This article compares the Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) Standard Plan to their new MA Option. You will have to review the specific plan of interest to ensure it covers the services you need for the upcoming year.   Open season closes December 11, we have less than two weeks to decide whether to stay […]

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in

| Comments (10)

Pandemonium and Insecurity – The Jackels at Our Gate

Posted on Friday, 20th October 2023 by Dennis Damp

Share

Throughout the year I occasionally stray from retirement planning and discuss issues that impact everyone. Some readers appreciate my commentary, while others wish I would keep my observations and opinions to myself. This is one of those subjects that everyone should be concerned about. A recent poll found that “Seventy-one percent of registered voters surveyed […]

Tags: , ,
Posted in

| Comments (0)

2024 FEHB Premiums Increasing 7.7% – Up, Up and Away

Posted on Thursday, 28th September 2023 by Dennis Damp

Share

The annual Federal Benefits Open Season 2023 starts on November 13 and is open through December 11, 2023. FEHB participants can review all available plans and change their health, vision and dental enrollments for the 2024 benefit year. The overall average FEHB premium is increasing 7.7% for plan year 2024 and the new rates were […]

Posted in

| Comments (2)

Social Security’s Income Tax Thresholds and Medicare’s MAGI

Posted on Friday, 14th July 2023 by Dennis Damp

Share

Social Security recipients are required to pay taxes on their combined income if it exceeds the following limits according to the Social Security Administration. You will pay tax on 50 to 85 percent of your Social Security benefits, depending on your income and based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules. If you: file a federal […]

Posted in

| Comments (0)

2023 COLA Alert – Highest increase in 40 Years!

Posted on Thursday, 13th October 2022 by Dennis Damp

Share

I reported in mid-September that the 2023 COLA was projected to be as high as 8.8%. The Social Security Administration announced an 8.7% COLA increase on October 13th. CSRS annuitants will receive the full 8.7% next year while FERS annuitants will receive 7.7%, a hefty increase from last year’s 5.9%. View the table of all […]

Posted in

| Comments (0)

Terms Of Use