LEHIGH VALLEY NARFE CHAPTER 1371 ESTABLISHED: 8/20/1974

LEHIGH VALLEY NARFE CHAPTER 1371 ESTABLISHED: 8/20/1974

NARFE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS WEB SITE

PA. FEDERATION WEB SITE

DISTRICT 2 WEB SITE

LEGISLATION ACTION CENTER

LEGISLATORS & LEGISLATION PAGE:

WE WILL BE LISTING BELOW THE NEW BILLS AS THEY ARE INTRODUCED IN THE 2013 CONGRESS, AND THEN WE CAN CALL OUR SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE TO ASK FOR THEIR SUPPORT:

CONTACT INFO:

Sen Robert Casey 610-782-9470

casey.senate.gov/contact

Rep Charles Dent 610-861-9734

dent/house.gov

Rep. lou Barletta 570-751-0050

Sen. Patrick Toomey 610-434-1444

Toomey.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

WE HAVE OVER 57,000 MEMBERS WHO HAVE E-MAIL ADDRESSES WHO RECEIVE GEMS, AND WE ONLY GET 10,000 T0 12,000 E-MAILS SENT. WHEN WE RECEIVE ALERTS TO CONTACT OUR SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVES WE MUST LET THEM KNOW HOW WE FEEL ABOUT CERTAIN BILLS THAT WILL AFFECT OUR BENEFITS!!!!!!!!!!!

HEALTH CARE ACT INFO:

UNDER THE NEW HEALTH CARE ACT, FEDERAL EMPLOYEES & ANNUITANTS WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP THE INSURANCE IN THE SYSTEM THEY HAVE NOW. ALSO , NO CUTS TO MEDICARE COVERAGE ARE ENVISIONED DUE TO THE ACT. A SIGNIFICANT PROVISION TAKES EFFECT IN 2018 THAT WILL LIKELY AFFECT FEHBP. THAT IS WHEN INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL BEGIN TO BE TAXED ON WHAT ARE CALLED "CADILLAC" HEALTH PLANS. INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL PAY AN EXCISE TAX IF THE AGGREGATE VALUES OF THEIR ENROLLEES' SPENDING ON HEALTH PREMIUMS AND OTHER RELATED COSTS EXCEED $10,200 FOR INDIVIDUAL COVERAGE AND $27,500 FOR FAMILY COVERAGE PER YEAR, INDEXED FOR INFLATION. IT IS LIKELY THAT FEHBP PLANS WILL INCUR THIS TAX. IT IS UNCERTAIN EXACTLY WHAT EFFECT THIS WILL BE BUT WILL INVOLVE ONE OR A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING THREE OPTIONS.

1. LOWER PREMIUMS:

2. INCREASE COST-SHARING/OR REDUCE COVERAGE:

3. PASS THE TAX ON TO ENROLLEES:

THIS IS BASED ON NARFE RESEARCH:

ALERT,ALERT,ALERT:

IRS EXPANDS WITHHOLDING BRACKETS FROM 8 TO 10:

GO ON WWW.OPM.GOV, CLICK ON RETIREES & FAMILIES

PUT IN REQUESTED FIGURES TO SEE IF YOU WITHHOLDING IS ENOUGH OR WILL YOU END UP OWING MORE MONEY AT THE END OF THE YEAR (2011).

HEALTH BENEFITS INFO:

FEHPB PREMIUMS WILL INCREASE AN AVERAGE OF 3.4% FOR 2013. INCREASE FOR BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHEILD STANDARD OPTION IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. CHECK OPM.GOV FOR OTHER INCREASES.

LEHIGH VALLEY NARFE

CHAPTER 1371