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Dear Our Time Reader:

Did you know NARFE is Celebrating 90 years of Preserving and Improving Benefits for Federal Employees, Retirees, and their survivors.
In 1921, fourteen retired civil servants met to discuss the struggles facing retired federal employees. Today, NARFE is the voice of tens of thousands federal employees and retirees.

For Example:

The November issue of NARFE magazine Reports on several important issues affecting the Federal Employee, Retiree and Survivor.

Some of the more interesting articles address:

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE PROGRAM (FEDVIP) - a new program

OPEN SEASON REPORT - 2011 FEHBP RATES....a comprehensive breakdown of 2011 Monthly Premiums. Do you know how much you premiums will go up?

HEALTH REFORM LAW MEANS CHANGES IN FEHBP....What are they?

OPEN SEASON REPORT - NARFE CONCERNED ABOUT INCREASES....what are they and what can be done?

NEW METHOD FOR DECIDING COLA's DISCUSSED.....for the second year in a row there will be no COLA....but cost continue to climb. What is being done? NARFE is working to correct this.

AND MORE!
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3. By Mail: Go to this Site for the application http://www.narfe.org/pdf/h-140a.pdf

Government workers' pensions no longer sacred

Faced with deep budget deficits and overextended pension plans, state and local leaders are increasingly looking to trim the lucrative retirement benefits that have long been associated with government employment. Public employees are facing a backlash that has intensified with the nation's economic woes, union leaders say, because of their good job security, generous health care and pension benefits, and right to retire long before most private sector workers. MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/05/AR2010100506640.html

Average federal health premium to rise 7.2 percent
from The Washington Post
Federal employees' health insurance premiums will increase at a far greater rate than their pay next year, but less than the premiums of many private-sector workers. The average increase for enrollees in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program will be 7.2 percent, the Office of Personnel Management recently said. MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/01/AR2010100107207.html

In the latest attempt to fix a dysfunctional federal retiree program, Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry announced Wednesday yet another overhaul of a system that leaves retirees waiting months for their checks. Berry said he is adding 80 people to a retirement-processing staff of 130 in hopes of making a significant cut in the 138 days, almost five months, it takes on average to process claims. More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/21/AR2010102103637.html

How expiring Bush tax cuts will affect you

When Congress left Washington, D.C., in September to campaign for the November election, it also left taxpayers in limbo about what income tax rates they will face next year. But if lawmakers can't reach an agreement and let the Bush-era tax cuts expire on Jan. 1, 2011, all taxpayers, regardless of income, will face higher tax bills. Taxes currently are collected based on five income tax brackets. Every taxpayer would face a tax increase because the current 10 percent tax rate would disappear. That would mean that the first chunk of money earned, up to $8,375 under 2010's tax brackets, would be taxed at 15 percent. More: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/how-expiring-bush-tax-cuts-will-affect-you-1.aspx

FEHBP premiums increase 7.2 percent, unions temper response

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program this month announced a rise in the employee share of premiums averaging 7.2 percent for 2011. Federal employee unions reacted to the hike with measured criticism. “The good news is that the bad news isn’t worse,” Dan Adcock, legislative director for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, told FEND. “Part of the news is that the Office of Personnel Management has negotiated an average premium clearly under what other large employer-sponsored plans have negotiated on behalf of their employees and retirees.” More: http://www.federaldaily.com/FEND/FEHBP_Premiums_Increase.htm

Senator to Introduce Medicare Fairness Legislation: NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin praised Sen. John Kerry, D-MA, for his decision to introduce the “Medicare Premium Fairness Act” when the Senate convenes for the lame-duck session in mid-November. The bill would protect all Medicare beneficiaries -- including federal civil service annuitants who are not eligible to receive Social Security -- from an increase in their Part B premium in 2011, when they will not receive any cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Specific NARFE Legislative Action will be released on Monday, November 8th. More information is available in a press release on the NARFE home page, www.narfe.org. (The specific web address is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=2263)

NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 742, released Thursday, December 23rd, 2010. This edition provides updates on funding for the government and the end of the 111th Congress (2009-2010). (514 words; 3:04)

Pay Freeze Finalized: A continuing resolution providing funding for the day-to-day operations of the federal government through March 4, 2011, passed Congress before it recessed for the year. Efforts to negotiate a package to fund the government through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2011, which ends on September 30, 2011, faced a filibuster in the Senate, resulting in the need for a short-term continuing resolution. The legislation caps agencies' operating budgets at $1.1 trillion, level with last year's budget.