Mike Causey

Health Plan Mysteries Solved

Stuffing yourself tomorrow is okay. It\'s legal. It\'s a legal holiday. But in the warm after-glow of turkey, ham or whatever, bear in mind that the health insu...

Federal News Network Staff

November 26, 2008 4:00 am

2 min read

No matter how much turkey, ham or nut cutlets (for readers in California) you consume tomorrow, it won’t solve the problem of which health plan you pick to cover you next year. The deadline is December 8th.

For many feds there are two basic problems:

There are so many plans (and options within plans) to choose from. Which one is best for you and yours?
Blue Cross-Blue Shield’s standard option (which covers about 40 percent of the workforce) is going up 13 percent next year. Should you stick with it, or go elsewhere? If so, where? Hint: Think Blue Cross basic option!

There are a lot of other questions ranging from which plans have the best maternity/well-baby care benefits to whether feds who are 65 and older need to buy Medicare? Then are a few feds who use their private sector spouses health plan instead of the FEHBP. They may be saving money—but are they playing with fire? What happens if the spouse gets laid off, dies or divorced?

This year for the first time several plans that were once limited to federal agents, CIA personnel and Foreign Service types have opened their doors. Plans like SAMBA, Association and Foreign Service have put out the welcome mat to people who previously couldn’t join them. Are they a good deal?

How about a married federal couple without kids? Should they get a family plan or each buy single coverage which will save them a few bucks in premiums. The answer—which is generally No—may surprise you.

And on we go. Today’s Your Turn radio show (right here on your computer or at AM 1500) will answer all those questions. And more. We’ve got a stack of e-mails from people who want to get the revealed truth from the master. That would be Walton Francis. He’s editor of CHECKBOOK’s Guide to Health Plans. He will be our guest today at 10 am EST.

We’ve got a stack of e-mail questions and would welcome more. Send them to me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

Or you can call in. And don’t forget our archives. You can look up recent columns about singles, families, retirees and coverage for older (as in 55) plus feds and retirees. Here are the archived columns:

Family Coverage

Older Feds & Retirees

Singles

Catastrophic Coverage

Each column probably has some information you can use to make your decision. And, according to Francis, save up to $2000 next year in premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

In Depth Answers

For more on the above items, and answers to the most-asked questions, listen to our two archived Your Turn with Mike Causey radio shows featuring insurance expert Walton Francis. Click here to go to the archives

Nearly Useless Factoid

Think mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving tradition? Think again. According to AmusingFacts,”Pilgrims did not eat potatoes for Thanksgiving as they thought they were poisonous.” Happy eating!

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com