Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 Passes Congress With Bipartisan Support

On March 8, the Senate voted 79-19 in favor of longsought-after postal reform, passing a NARFE-supported version of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, H.R. 3076, and sending the bill to President Biden for his signature. The legislation previously passed the House on February 8 with strong bipartisan support, 342-92.

The legislation gained NARFE’s support after it was amended to address our concerns. Specifically, changes were made to prevent unintended increases to Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program premiums for federal employees and retirees. And unlike past iterations of postal reform, this bill preserves choice for current postal retirees and Medicare-eligible postal employees regarding whether or not to enroll in Medicare Part B. Should they wish to join, this version of postal reform allows eligible postal retirees to opt in to Medicare Part B without late enrollment penalties during a special enrollment period beginning April 1, 2024.

NARFE President Ken Thomas sent a letter in support of the bill to the House and Senate before the votes, stating, “Previous iterations of leading postal bills in this and past Congresses, while well-intentioned reform efforts, did not adequately protect the earned benefits of both postal retirees (due to a new requirement to enroll in Medicare after retirement) and nonpostal federal employees and retirees (as an altered health insurance risk pool threatened unintended increases in health insurance premiums in the FEHB program). But the version before the House and Senate has addressed these issues, protecting the interests of postal retirees and nonpostal federal employees and retirees while also providing substantial financial relief to the Postal Service.”

MAY ACTION ALERT:

The first week of May is Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW), when our nation honors civil servants. Join NARFE in recognizing the invaluable service Feds provide by sending letters to the editors of your local news outlets. Share your public service experience or highlight others in your community. Visit NARFE’s Legislative Action Center at www. narfe.org to access a sample letter that you can edit and send directly to editors.