September 2021 NARFE Magazine by NARFE

A NARFE PUBLICATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES

September 2021 VOLUME 97 ★ NUMBER 7

P. 20 Is Long-Term Care

Insurance Right for You?

P. 30 Accessing Federal Personnel Records

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Contents SEPTEMBER 2021

COVER STORY PAGE 20

FEATURE PAGE 30

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE? Learn about your valuable federal long-term care insurance benefits and options.

NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND Your personnel records are kept safe in state-of-the-art federal storage facilities.

Special Feature

Columns

38 Looking Back at LEGcon21

4 From the President

A NARFE PUBLICATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES

September 2021 VOLUME 97 ★ NUMBER 7

P. 20 Is Long-Term Care

Insurance Right for You?

Washington Watch

18 Benefits Brief

6 Kiran Ahuja Confirmed as

40 Managing Money

OPM Director

7 Committee Fails to Include Explicit Pay Raise in Appropriations Bill

8 Grassroots Advocacy Month Wraps Up

9 Legislation Introduced

to Provide Seniors With Accurate COLAs

9 NARFE-PAC Goals for 2021-2022

10 Bill Tracker

42 Alzheimer’s Update P. 30 Accessing Federal Personnel Records

Departments

14 Questions & Answers

ON THE COVER Illustration by TGD

44 For the Record 46 NARFE News 50 Member Perks 52 The Way We Worked

Connect with us! Visit us online at www.narfe.org Like us on Facebook NARFE National Headquarters Follow us on Twitter @narfehq

NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

SEPTEMBER 2021 VOLUME 97 ★ NUMBER 7

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jenn Rafael

REGION I James C. Risner

SENIOR EDITOR Mabel Yu CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jessica Klement CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER Beth Bedard ADDITIONAL GRAPHIC DESIGN TGD EXECUTIVE EDITOR Helen Mosher EDITORIAL BOARD Kenneth J. Thomas, Kathryn E. Hensley, Barbara Sido CONTACT US NARFE Magazine 606 North Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Phone: 703-838-7760 Fax: 703-838-7781 Editorial: communications@narfe.org Advertising Sales: Anita Nelson advertising@narfe.org NARFE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED ON THE TELEPHONE: This publication can be heard on the telephone by persons who have trouble seeing or reading the print edition. For more information, contact the National Federation of the Blind NFBNEWSLINE® service at 866-504-7300 or go to www.nfbnewsline.org. ON DIGITAL AUDIO: Issues of NARFE Magazine are also available in audio format through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). For availability, call 202-727-2142 or your local NLS service provider. The Association, since July 1970, has been classified by the IRS as a tax-exempt labor organization [not a union]; however, dues and gifts or contributions to the Association are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

NATIONAL OFFICERS

KENNETH J. THOMAS President; natpres@narfe.org KATHRYN E. HENSLEY Secretary/Treasurer natsectreas@narfe.org

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BARBARA SIDO execdir@narfe.org

(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) Tel: 207-540-6233 Email: rvp1@narfe.org

REGION II Gary Roundtree Sr.

(Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) Tel: 443-929-7045 Email: groundtreesr@comcast.net

REGION III Clarence Robinson

(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands) CELL: 404-312-8028 Email: crobin8145@att.net

REGION IV Robert L. Helfrich

(Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin) Tel: 317-501-1700 Email: rlhelfrich@yahoo.com

REGION V Cindy Reneé Blythe

TO JOIN NARFE, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR FIND A LOCAL CHAPTER: CALL (TOLL-FREE) 800-456-8410 OR GO TO www.narfe.org TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL LISTING:

CALL (TOLL-FREE) 800-456-8410 EMAIL memberrecords@narfe.org OR GO TO www.narfe.org, log in and click on “My Account”

TO REACH A FEDERAL BENEFITS SPECIALIST:

EMAIL fedbenefits@narfe.org

NARFE HEADQUARTERS

606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 703-838-7760 Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET

(Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) Tel: 785-256-1450 Email: mrsdocbusyb@yahoo.com

REGION VI Marshall L. Richards (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Republic of Panama and Texas) Tel: 903-660-2784 Email: pappysdad@cobridge.tv

REGION VII Rodney L. Adelman

(Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) Tel: 623-505-4719 Email: narfe7vp@cox.net

REGION VIII Robert H. Ruskamp (California, Hawaii, Nevada and Republic of Philippines) Tel: 703-628-3234 Email: rvp8@narfe.org

REGION IX Linda L. Silverio

(Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) Tel: 503-391-2963 Email: l.l.silverio.narfe@gmail.com

REGION X William Shackelford

(Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) Tel: 703-830-6590, CELL: 703-201-6304 Email: rvp10@narfe.org

NARFE Magazine (ISSN 1948-4453) is published monthly except in February and July by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA, and additional mailing offices. Members: Annual dues includes subscription. Nonmember subscription rate $48. Postmaster: Send address change to: NARFE Attn: Member Records, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. To ensure prompt delivery, members should also forward changes of address without delay. Because of the volume involved, NARFE cannot acknowledge nor be responsible for unsolicited pictures and manuscripts, although every reasonable precaution is taken. All submissions become the property of NARFE. Copyright © 2021, NARFE. Advertisements in the magazine are not endorsements of products and/or services by NARFE, unless officially stated in the ad. We shall accept advertising on the same basis as other reputable publications: that is, we shall not knowingly permit a dishonest advertisement to appear in NARFE Magazine, but at the same time we will not undertake to guarantee the reliability of our advertisers.

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From the President NARFE’S MISSION STATEMENT To support legislation and regulations beneficial to federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants under any federal civilian retirement system and to oppose those detrimental to their interests. To promote the general welfare of federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants, to advise and assist them with respect to their rights under retirement, health and other employee and retiree benefits laws and regulations, and to represent their interests before appropriate authorities. To cooperate with other organizations and associations in furtherance of these general objectives.

Advocacy and Membership

rassroots advocacy is a cornerstone of NARFE’s work on behalf of federal employees, retirees and their families.

One of the best ways to capture a legislator’s attention is to put your personal touch on the issues. No one else can truly drive home the importance of protecting the earned pay and benefits of federal workers who dedicated their life’s work to the civil service.

This summer has been an extraordinary one for NARFE’s advocacy efforts: • At LEGcon21 in June, NARFE’s grassroots advocates gained invaluable skills for building relationships with their lawmakers to advance NARFE’s legislative priorities in the 117th Congress and beyond. • During Grassroots Advocacy Month in August, NARFE members across the country mobilized to continue advocacy efforts during Capitol Hill’s summer recess. NARFE advocates were able to meet with lawmakers in person as well as online. As our summer of advocacy winds down, we now shift our focus to growing membership. Believe it or not, the two go hand in hand. Our efforts to preserve benefits, demand adequate pay for Feds,

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

repeal or reform the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, and more all depend on our members. As we kick off the Fall Membership Drive and you prepare to tell NARFE’s story to potential members, keep in mind that our advocacy success is worth sharing. Potential members want to know what NARFE can do for them. In addition to producing this award-winning magazine and providing a wealth of benefits information through the Federal Benefits Institute, we are an advocacy powerhouse for federal employees and retirees. As with advocacy, the key to recruiting success is making it personal— communicating what you value most about NARFE is fundamental to our campaign. I’d like to thank you for your hard work—as advocates and as membership recruiters. And as always, stay safe.

KENNETH J. THOMAS NARFE NATIONAL PRESIDENT natpres@narfe.org

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Washington Watch

Kiran Ahuja Confirmed as OPM Director

ollowing years of continuous turnover and unstable leadership at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal human resources agency officially

has a new director. In June, President Biden’s pick to lead OPM, Kiran Ahuja, was confirmed by the Senate along party lines in a narrow 51-50 vote, in which Vice President Harris broke the tie. Ahuja is the seventh person to hold the director position since 2017. In her confirmation hearing, Ahuja said she recognized that many of the agency’s challenges have come from a lack of stable leadership, and she vowed to reverse the trend. NARFE National President Ken Thomas congratulated Ahuja on her confirmation, expressing the association’s willingness to partner with her and the agency to “work on behalf of America’s civil servants and federal retirees.” Thomas also outlined concerns at OPM that must be addressed, including improved service to employees and retirees, and expanded efforts to boost federal workforce recruitment and retention. During Ahuja’s confirmation hearings in the Senate, she committed to information technology modernization

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

efforts across OPM, including changes in the agency’s retirement services branch that would enable faster retirement

application processing times, better customer service and improved call center technology. Additionally, Ahuja plans on

SEPTEMBER ACTION ALERT: MORE ACCURATE COLAs FOR SENIORS NARFE is calling on members of the House of Representatives to cosponsor the Fair COLA for Seniors Act, H.R. 4315. This bill would provide more accurate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for federal retirees by changing how COLAs are calculated. The new formula would better account for the inflation of goods and services—such as medicine, health care and housing—most often purchased by seniors. Visit NARFE’s Legislative Action Center at www.NARFE.org to contact your Representative and urge cosponsorship of this bill.

MYTH VS. REALITY MYTH: Pay raises for federal employees and cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirees are the same, both determined by Congress. REALITY: Annually, Congress must appropriate, or not, a pay adjustment for federal employees based on pay increases in the private-sector labor market. If Congress defers its authority, the president sets any pay adjustment. In contrast, yearly COLAs to federal annuities, veterans’ benefits and Social Security are automatically calculated using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) to keep pace with inflation. Neither Congress nor the president play a role in determining the amount of the annual COLA.

further developing and expanding cybersecurity initiatives to remain “hypervigilant” of future cyberattacks, following the 2015 OPM security breach. She also emphasized the importance of addressing poor performers in government. Ahuja said that performance problems can be exacerbated by a lack of employee engagement and a “mismatch of skills

and talents.” As director, she plans to orient OPM to better support and train managers to focus more on supervision and performance management guidance. Ahuja testified that remote and telework options would be some of her top priorities if confirmed as OPM director. She noted that the entire country is rethinking the way we work as a result of

the COVID-19 pandemic, and the federal government should, too. Ahuja previously served as OPM chief of staff during the Obama administration and as the chief executive officer of Philanthropy Northwest, a nonprofit organization that promotes philanthropic efforts in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. —BY SETH ICKES, GRASSROOTS ASSISTANT

Committee Fails to Include Explicit Pay Raise in Appropriations Bill

n late June, the House Committee on Appropriations advanced its fiscal year 2022 (FY 2022) Financial Services and General Government spending bill, setting the legislation up for consideration by the full House of Representatives. Notably, the bill did not include any language outlining a federal employee pay raise for calendar year 2022, effectively deferring the final decision on a raise to the president. When congressional appropriators remain silent on a federal employee pay raise, the decision rests with the president. In May, President Biden proposed a 2.7 percent average federal pay raise in the administration’s FY 2022 budget proposal. To move the

process forward, the president must submit an alternative pay plan to Congress by September

WHEN CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATORS REMAIN SILENT ON A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE PAY RAISE, THE DECISION RESTS WITH THE PRESIDENT.

and, toward the end of the year, make the pay raise official through an executive order. The implicit support for President Biden’s proposed

2.7 percent average pay increase improves federal employees’ chances of securing a meaningful raise to keep up with rising private-sector salaries. But it’s disappointing that House lawmakers failed to provide clear support for our nation’s public servants with explicit language in the appropriations bill. NARFE has long believed that Congress should reaffirm its responsibility in appropriating federal pay increases. As elected representatives, it is imperative that lawmakers support market-based increases for public servants and protect federal employees from the uncertainty of bipartisan and bicameral negotiations. —BY ROSS APTER, POLITICAL ASSOCIATE NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

Washington Watch

NARFE GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY LEARN MORE about how you can take action to protect your earned pay and benefits by reviewing NARFE grassroots materials at www.narfe.org/advocacy.

Grassroots Advocacy Month Wraps Up

abor Day marks the unofficial end of summer as Americans enjoy their last dip in the pool or day at the beach. Those living inside the Washington, DC, beltway also associate Labor Day with legislators’ return to Capitol Hill after spending the most extended recess of the year with constituents in their home districts and states. Labor Day also signals the conclusion of NARFE’s Grassroots Advocacy Month campaign, which coincides with the congressional recess. NARFE’s Grassroots Advocacy Month is a significant part of its advocacy strategy for many reasons, including ensuring that NARFE’s legislative priorities continue to be discussed with lawmakers during the recess. Essentially, these discussions are transitioned from the Washington, DC, lobbyists’ perspective to a more local view when constituents weigh in with their personal experiences of how policies, like the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), affect their financial well-being. These views are even more powerful when communicated by well-coordinated groups of members wearing NARFE gear at town halls and

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

other community events, demonstrating the size and inf luence of the federal community in lawmakers’ districts and states.

NARFE’S GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY MONTH IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF ITS ADVOCACY STRATEGY FOR MANY REASONS, INCLUDING ENSURING THAT NARFE’S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES CONTINUE TO BE DISCUSSED WITH LAWMAKERS DURING THE RECESS.

Campaign activities engaged NARFE members for the four full weeks of the recess, allowing NARFE issues to rise above those expressed by the many other constituents competing for legislators’ attention. There were in-person and virtual meetings as well as robust issue letter-writing and phone campaigns through NARFE’s Legislative Action Center. Members sent letters to the editors (LTEs) of local news

media, raising public awareness about the WEP and GPO. New this year was NARFE’s “Why I Became a NARFE Advocate” video campaign designed to encourage peer-to-peer recruitment. Advocates emailed brief videos of themselves talking about why they became advocates and why it’s crucial for all members to consider getting involved in advocacy. Grassroots Advocacy Month could not have succeeded without the voices of the people NARFE represents. NARFE headquarters, federations and chapters are always welcoming member volunteers to join with other advocates in activities throughout the year. Although no special training is needed to be an advocate, NARFE headquarters provides training on NARFE-related advocacy strategies and education on its legislative priorities so that advocates can be more influential and effective in their efforts. Members of Congress want to consider your perspectives before they make decisions on issues that affect your well-being. Get involved and help us protect your earned pay and benefits. To get involved or learn more about NARFE’s advocacy activities, email advocacy@ narfe.org. —BY MARSHA PADILLA-GOAD, GRASSROOTS PROGRAM MANAGER

Legislation Introduced to Provide Seniors With Accurate COLAs

ederal annuitants and Social Security beneficiaries received a mere 1.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2021, a figure that failed to keep pace with inflation and forced seniors to stretch every dollar amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors deserve better than to watch their hard-earned retirement security erode due to insufficient COLAs, and a new bill in the House of Representatives seeks to correct this injustice. The Fair COLA for Seniors Act of 2021, H.R. 4315, introduced by Rep. John Garamendi, D-CA, would require the use of the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), which calculates

inflation for Americans age 62 and older, to determine annual COLAs. Currently, COLAs are determined by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). It does not accurately account for the purchasing habits of seniors, who tend to spend more than other groups on goods and services specific to their needs. For example, medical care costs for seniors are double those for the general population. Therefore, under the current formula, federal annuitants and all seniors lose a significant amount of their purchasing power. Using the CPI-E to determine COLAs would increase them

by an average 0.27 percent per year. Because this difference would compound, it results in significant increases in COLAs over time. Federal retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), which does not provide Social Security benefits, often rely solely on their federal annuity as their source of income. Therefore, a switch to the CPI-E would have a particularly positive impact on their retirement benefits. Visit NARFE’s Legislative Action Center, located on the NARFE website, to contact your Representative and ask for cosponsorship of the Fair COLA for Seniors Act. —BY SETH ICKES, GRASSROOTS ASSISTANT

NARFE-PAC:

Goals for 2021-2022 NARFE-PAC, the political arm of NARFE, works to defend your earned pay and benefits by building strong relationships between NARFE and members of Congress. Support the PAC and help fight for the federal community. Below is the latest progress for the 2021-2022 election cycle, as of June 30, 2021.

Raise $1.85 million

$572,240

Send NARFE members to 120 local fundraisers

Disburse $1.35 million in political contributions

$285,500

NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

NARFE BILL TRACKER

THE NARFE BILL TRACKER IS YOUR MONTHLY GUIDE TO LEGISLATION NARFE IS FOLLOWING. CHECK BACK EACH ISSUE FOR UPDATES. ISSUE

NARFE CENTENNIAL

BILL NUMBER / NAME / SPONSOR H.Res. 131/S.Res. 76: Resolution Celebrating NARFE’s Centennial / Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA / Sen. Ben Cardin, D-MD Cosponsors: H.Res. 131: 13 (D) 3 (R) S.Res. 76: 3 (D) 2 (R) H.R. 3076/S. 1720: The Postal Service Reform Act / Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY / Sen. Gary Peters, D-MI Cosponsors: H.R. 3076: 37 (D) 24 (R) S. 1720: 11 (D) 13 (R) 1(I)

POSTAL REFORM

WHAT BILL WOULD DO

LATEST ACTION(S)

Congratulates NARFE on the celebration of its 100th anniversary on February 19, 2021 and recognizes the vital contributions its members have made to the United States during the past 100 years.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (H.Res. 131) / Agreed to in the Senate by unanimous consent on February 25, 2021 (S.Res. 76)

Creates a new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) program starting in January 2023. All postal employees and retirees would be moved to the new PSHB program, except Medicareeligible postal retirees who do not enroll in Medicare. Because retirees without Medicare tend to cost more to insure, this bill risks increasing premiums for federal employees and retirees enrolled in Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program plans.

Advanced from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform by voice vote (H.R. 3076) / Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (S. 1720)

H.R. 695/S. 145: USPS Fairness Repeals the U.S. Postal Service’s Act / Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR / prefunding requirement. Sen. Steve Daines, R-MT Cosponsors: H.R. 695: 217 (D) 58 (R) S. 145: 5 (D) 5 (R) H.R. 82/S. 1302: The Social Security Fairness Act / Rep. Rodney Davis, R-IL / Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH

GPO/WEP

Repeals both the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means / Referred to Senate Committee on Finance

Reforms the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) by providing a monthly rebate of $150 to current beneficiaries (age 62 or older before 2023) and creating a new formula to calculate benefits for future WEP-affected individuals (turning 62 in or after 2023).

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means

Cosponsors: H.R. 82: 150 (D) 51 (R) S. 1302: 27 (D) 4 (R) 2 (I) H.R. 2337: The Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act / Rep. Richard Neal, D-MA Cosponsors: H.R. 2337: 175 (D) H.R. 304: The Equal COLA Act / Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA Cosponsors: H.R. 304: 19 (D) 3 (R)

FEDERAL ANNUITIES

H.R. 4315: The Fair COLA for Seniors Act / Rep. John Garamendi, D-CA Cosponsors: H.R. 4315: 34 (D) 1 (R) H.R. 4268: Federal Retirement Fairness Act / Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-WA Cosponsors: H.R. 4268: 1 (D) 3 (R)

Provides Federal Employees Retirement Referred to the House System (FERS) retirees with the same Committee on Oversight annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and Reform as Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) retirees. Requires Social Security and federal retirement programs to use the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) to calculate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to retirement benefits.

Referred to the House Committees on Ways and Means, Veterans’ Affairs, Oversight and Reform, and Armed Services.

Allows federal employees who started their careers in temporary positions before transitioning into permanent roles to retroactively contribute toward their retirement for the years they held a temporary position.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

NARFE’s Position: 10

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (H.R. 695) / Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (S. 145)

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

Support

Oppose

No position

NARFE BILL TRACKER

THE NARFE BILL TRACKER IS YOUR MONTHLY GUIDE TO LEGISLATION NARFE IS FOLLOWING. CHECK BACK EACH ISSUE FOR UPDATES. BILL NUMBER / NAME / SPONSOR

ISSUE

DC STATEHOOD

FEDERAL PERSONNEL POLICY

FEDERAL COMPENSATION

H.R. 51/S. 51 Washington D.C. Admission Act / Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton. D-DC / Sen. Thomas Carper, D-DE

WHAT BILL WOULD DO

LATEST ACTION(S)

Provides for the admission of the State of Washington, DC, into the Union.

Passed the House 4/22/21 by a vote of 216-208 / Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (S. 51)

Cosponsors: H.R. 51: 216 (D) 0 (R) S. 51: 44 (D) 0 (R) 1 (I) H.R. 302: Preventing a Patronage Requires presidential administrations to obtain the agreement of Congress to System Act / Rep. Gerry reclassify competitive service positions Connolly, D-VA outside of merit system principles. Cosponsors: H.R. 302: 9 (D) 3 (R) H.R. 392/S. 561: The Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act / Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA / Sen. Brian Schatz, D-HI

Advanced from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in a 22 – 18 vote

Provides federal employees with a 3.2 percent average pay raise in 2022.

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform (H.R. 392) / Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (S. 561)

Cosponsors: H.R. 392: 51 (D) 1 (R) S. 561: 11 (D) 0 (R) 1 (I) NARFE’s Position:

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The TruHearing Program Includes: N S

State-of-the-Art Technology

Personalized Care

Help Along Your Way

Experience the latest advances in hearing technology

Receive expert care from our team of helpful professionals

Get started on the journey to better hearing with confidence A worry-free purchase with a 45-day risk-free trial and 3-year warranty

48 free batteries per aid included with non-rechargeable models

A hearing exam plus three follow-up visits for fitting and adjustments

Local, professional care from an accredited provider in your area

Stream audio and phone calls directly to your ears from your smartphone‡

Guidance and assistance from a TruHearing Hearing Consultant

Hear speech clearly, even in noisy environments

Enjoy natural, lifelike sound in virtually all listening situations

Guides to help you adapt to your new hearing aids at TruHearing.com/GetStarted

* The Service Benefit Plan will pay a hearing aid benefit for Standard and Basic Options up to $2,500 total every 5 calendar years for adults age 22 and over, and up to $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22. FEP Blue Focus does not have a hearing aid benefit. Do not rely on this communication piece alone for complete benefit information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan brochure. The Blue365® Discount Program offers access to savings on items that you may purchase directly from independent vendors, which may be different from items covered under the Service Benefit Plan or any other applicable federal healthcare program. For hearing aids, acupuncture, chiropractic and vision services, you must exhaust your Service Benefit Plan benefit first before accessing the savings of the Blue365® Discount Program. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact the customer service number on the back of your member ID card. The products and services described herein are neither offered nor guaranteed under any local Blue company’s contract with the Medicare program. These items are not subject to the Medicare appeal process. Any disputes regarding these products and services are not subject to the Disputed Claims process. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) may receive payments from Blue365 vendors. Neither the Service Benefit Plan, nor any local Blue company recommends, endorses, warrants or guarantees any specific Blue365 vendor or item. The Service Benefit Plan reserves the right to change, modify, or terminate any item and vendors made available through Blue365, at any time. † Price shown does not include cost of comprehensive hearing exam. Examination and testing for prescribing of hearing aids is covered under the Service Benefit Plan. The member should confirm that the provider rendering the hearing exam is a Preferred provider. If the provider is Non-preferred, the member may be charged a maximum fee of

Example Savings (per pair) Prices and products subject to change. For more information, visit TruHearing.com. Sample Product

Average Retail Price

TruHearing Price

Allowance (up to $2,500)*

TruHearing® Advanced

$4,890

$2,500

–$2,500

Signia® 2 Nx

$4,020

$1,990

–$2,500

Phonak® Audéo® M 50

$3,990

$2,550

–$2,500

Resound LiNX Quattro 5

$5,560

$2,740

–$2,500

Starkey® Livio™ 1600

$5,480

$2,950

–$2,500

Widex Evoke™ 330

$5,570

$3,450

–$2,500

Oticon Opn® S1

$6,590

$4,300

–$2,500

You Pay † $0 $0 $50 $240 $450 $950 $1,800

Rechargeable | Listed products are smartphone compatible‡

Call TruHearing today and start saving 1-877-360-2432 | For TTY, dial 711 $75 for the exam, and the member may need to submit a claim for reimbursement. Must be a Service Benefit Plan member to access TruHearing discounted pricing. TruHearing is offered through Blue365, which provides exclusive health and wellness deals and is a program of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. The Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® words and symbols, Federal Employee Program®, FEP® and Blue365® are all trademarks owned by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ‡ Smartphone compatible hearing aids connect directly to iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod® Touch devices. Connectivity also available to many Android® phones with use of an accessory. All content ©2020 TruHearing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. TruHearing® is a registered trademark of TruHearing, Inc. All other trademarks, product names, and company names are the property of their respective owners. Listed benefit amount may differ from customer's actual benefit. Actual customer payment will vary. Three follow-up visits must be used within one year after the date of initial purchase. Hearing aid repairs, and replacements subject to provider and manufacturer fees. For questions regarding fees, contact TruHearing customer service. FEP_NARFE_AD_0120

TruHearing is an independent company that provides discounts on hearing aids.

Questions & Answers

Q&A

THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS & ANSWERS were compiled by NARFE’s Federal Benefits Institute experts. NARFE does not provide legal, financial planning or tax advice or assistance.

EMPLOYMENT DEFERRED RETIREMENT

I would like some information regarding deferred retirement. I have 20 years of federal service under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), but I am only 49 years old. I am considering retiring now and deferring my annuity until age 57. Will there be a reduction in pay because I am retiring at 49 instead of waiting until 57? What forms do I need to complete to retire now?

You may resign at age 49 and later apply for your deferred retirement benefit under FERS. All of your federal benefits, such as health insurance, dental and vision, and life insurance, will end. You may continue your health insurance for up to 18 months under temporary continuation of coverage (TCC), but you would have to pay both the employee and government shares of the premiums as well as a 2 percent administrative fee. At age 57, your minimum retirement age (MRA), you would need 30 years or more of creditable service to receive your retirement without an age 14

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

reduction. The reduction, with less than 30 years, is 5 percent for each year you are under age 62 (prorated by the number of months). Your reduction would be computed as follows: 62 - 57 = 5 years x 5 percent = 25 percent permanent reduction. If you wait until age 60 to apply for the deferred annuity, there would be no reduction (20 or more years of service is required at 60 to avoid the age reduction). Your monthly payments would be based on your length of service and your high-three average salary at the time you separated from federal service. Generally, there are no cost-of-living adjustments under

FERS until the year of your 62nd birthday. There are no forms to file until you are ready to apply for your deferred annuity. At that time, you will use form RI 92-19 – “Applying for Deferred or Postponed Retirement: FERS,” available at www.opm.gov/forms. You may file the application with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 60 days prior to when you want your monthly annuity to begin. The only way to reestablish eligibility for health insurance and other benefits would be to return to federal employment and retire with entitlement to an immediate annuity (one that begins within 30 days of your separation). Request a retirement estimate for your deferred retirement before you separate.

POSTPONED RETIREMENT

I started talking to private-sector employers, and I may pursue early retirement when I reach my MRA (56 and 2 months). I currently

have 25 years of federal service. I would pursue the postponed retirement benefit and reinstate health insurance when I apply at age 60. Until age 60, I plan to use the insurance from whatever firm I join. What do I need to make sure happens before I leave the federal government, including any forms I need to get copies of and retain?

Now is the time to make copies of important documents that may come in handy after you separate from your federal career. There are documents in your electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) that should be maintained in your personal files. To access your eOPF, contact the HR office or personnel department within your federal agency. These offices can inform you about how to access and use your eOPF. Most employees can open and print any documents in their eOPF. After your separation, you will lose access to it after a period of time, usually 30 to 90 days. Make copies of these: • FERS (SF 3102) or CSRS (SF 2808) - “Designation of Beneficiary Form.” • The following SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action” form and related documentation: ◊ Appointment into federal service. ◊ Prior separations from federal service. ◊ Document changes in your work schedule. ◊ Document changes in your retirement coverage. ◊ Last SF-50 showing your resignation (issued after your separation). ◊ Document pay changes over your last (or highest) three years of service (these rates will be used to compute your high-three average salary for your future retirement benefit).

• Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) forms if retiring with an immediate retirement, including SF 2817 – “Life Insurance Election” and SF 2823 - “Designation of Beneficiary.” • SF 2809 - “Health Benefits Election Form.” Here are some things to remember regarding your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account as you prepare to leave federal service. • Make sure the TSP has your current address at all times (use Form TSP-9 – “Change in Address for Separated Participant” if you are separated, or update it online using My Account). • If you have any TSP loans, pay them off within 90 days of your separation. • Read “Withdrawing From Your TSP Account for Separated and Beneficiary Participants.” • Read the tax notice, “Important Tax Information About Payments From Your TSP Account.” Throughout your career, it is important to check your Social Security records: • Set up a MySocialSecurity Account online and download your Personal Benefits Statement. • Be sure that your income has been correctly reported throughout your career. Under FERS, a postponed retirement allows you to restart your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage when you begin receiving your pension as long as you were eligible to keep FEHB when you separated from service.

RETIREMENT PROCESS

I am planning to retire at the end of the 2021 “leave year” on December 31, 2021. How soon before that date should I turn in the application

for my FERS retirement benefit? I will be eligible for the FERS supplement as well. Is there a separate application for this benefit? I’m interested in knowing more about the process of retiring from government service. Why do so many employees retire at the end of the month? Does it really matter which date I choose for my last day?

By retiring on the last day of the month, your retirement will commence the next day, and your annuity payment will be made on the first day of the following month. For example, when you retire on December 31, your January retirement payment will be paid on February first. Due to processing delays, you may not receive your first payment on time, and you will likely be placed in “interim” retired status while your agency and OPM process your claim. While in interim pay status, you may receive a reduced benefit amount, and the FERS supplement won’t be included until after the finalization of your retirement. When retiring on any other day of the month, your retirement will commence the first day of the following month. For example, if you retire on December 18th instead of December 31st, your retirement will still commence on January 1st. There is no separate application for the FERS supplement. If you are entitled to the supplement, it will be included once your claim is completed, retroactive to your first month of retirement. Contact your HR office for specifics on when to submit your forms, but, generally, it is recommended that you provide notice 30 to 120 days prior to your retirement. That allows your HR office NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

Questions & Answers

time to complete the first stage of your retirement, which occurs prior to your separation. Complete SF 3107 - “Application for Immediate Retirement: FERS.” Note any additional documents that may be required, such as military records, divorce decrees or marriage certificates. If you are enrolled in Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), you may also need to submit form SF 2818 – “Continuation of Life Insurance Coverage” to let OPM know how you wish to maintain your coverage. The responsibility for collecting premiums for your insurance benefits will shift from your agency to OPM. While in interim retired status, OPM will take care of premiums for FEHB and FEGLI, but you may be responsible for making payments for the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) until your claim is adjudicated. Although it is difficult to predict how long interim status will last, OPM strives to complete the processing within 60 to 90 days of receiving the application package from your agency. OPM will send a catch-up payment for everything it owes that was not paid in your interim amounts. The agency will withhold all insurance premium amounts that would have otherwise been due at that point.

SICK LEAVE COMPUTATION

I have 1,200 hours of sick leave on the books. How is this applied to the total federal service calculation, and how are hours converted into full months for retirement purposes? 16

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

Assuming that you are accruing four hours of sick leave each full pay period that you work (employees working less than a full-time work schedule accrue a prorated amount of leave), start by counting how many remaining full pay periods you have left between now and the date of your separation for retirement. Don’t count the last pay period unless you intend to work the full 80 hours for that period. Multiply that number by the four hours of sick leave. Once you have that projected sick leave balance, use the chart in the OPM pamphlet - “Retirement Facts 8: Credit for Unused Sick Leave Under CSRS” (www.opm.gov/retirementservices/publications-forms) to convert your projected sick leave balance to months and days. Add the months and days of sick leave to your total years, months and days of creditable service to determine the total years and months that will be used in the computation of your FERS or Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) annuity. Any remaining days would not be used in the computation. Your sick leave credit should also be included on your retirement estimate, which you may request from your HR office.

RETIREMENT CSRS OFFSET

I am retiring under CSRS Offset and will have 27 years of service in December 2021. Fifteen of those years are offset, while 12 are pure CSRS. I will have a total of 31 years of Social Security-covered employment. This year, at age 70, I am tentatively planning to retire in December 2021. I have been

collecting Social Security since age 66. Can you explain the formula to calculate the offset?

The offset reduction to your annuity will be based on the amount of the Social Security retirement benefit that you are receiving on the date your annuity commences. Chapter 50 of the CSRS/FERS Handbook covers the calculation of the offset reduction: www.opm.gov/retirementservices/publications-forms/ csrsfers-handbook. The retirement specialist in your agency’s HR office should be able to provide you with a retirement estimate. To estimate the offset to your annuity: • Determine the number of years, months and days you have been a CSRS Offset employee, rounding up or down to the nearest number of years. Do not include any federal service where you were “pure” CSRS or “FICA only.” • Divide the years of offset service by 40. For example, 15 years of offset service/40 = 0.375. • Multiply that number by the dollar amount of your Social Security benefit. For example, if your Social Security benefit is $2,000 per month, then 0.375 x $2,000 = $750. This result is the approximate amount by which your annuity will be reduced (offset). The offset could be less if the amount of Social Security attributable to the CSRS Offset service is less than the amount of the previous calculation. Read OPM Pamphlet RI 83-19 – “Retirement Facts 13: CSRS Offset Retirement” for more information (www. opm.gov/retirement-services/ publications-forms).

COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA)

I retired after 35 years at the U.S. Postal Service at age 60, and I turned 61 last November. I didn’t realize that I wouldn’t receive a COLA right away. Can you explain when I will receive my first COLA?

If you retired under FERS, you do not become eligible for a FERS COLA until the year of your 62nd birthday (there are exceptions for disability retirees, survivor annuitants and those retiring under special provisions for law enforcement officers, firefighters and air traffic controllers). Be aware that once you become

eligible, if the consumer price index increase is greater than 2 percent, the FERS COLA will be reduced. If the increase is between 2 and 3 percent, the FERS COLA is 2 percent. If the increase is greater than 3 percent, the FERS COLA would be 1 percentage point less. See the “Countdown to COLA” on page 44.

NARFE AT YOUR SERVICE At NARFE Headquarters, experts are available to answer questions and assist in helping with a variety of benefit matters.

CALL NARFE AT

To obtain an answer to a federal benefits question, NARFE members should call 800-456-8410 and select option 2 for the Federal Benefits Institute; send the question by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Federal Benefits, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314; or submit it by email to fedbenefits@narfe.org.

800-456-8410, OPTION 2

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Benefits Brief

Reporting the Death of an Annuitant

rying to prepare for the loss of a loved one is difficult. I am forever grateful for my mother’s practicality. When my father was on his journey with dementia, she showed me where she kept insurance records, bank information and other important documents. She even contacted the funeral director and made arrangements ahead of time for her and my father. Even though I lost her 25 years ago, I still miss her, but I remember how important it was to discuss the hard things. Be aware of the following items regarding your or your loved one’s federal benefits when the unthinkable, but inevitable, happens. • The CSA (retiree) or CSF (survivor) number is needed when signing into Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Retirement Services Online account, or when you call or write to OPM. • Report the death as soon as possible to: ◊ Office of Personnel Management • Call: 888-767-6738. • Online: https:// rsreporting.opm.gov/ AnnuitantDeath. ◊ Thrift Savings Plan • Call: 877-968-3778 or TDD at 877-847-4385. • Online: https://tsp.gov/ forms; complete Form TSP17 - “Information Relating to Deceased Participant.”

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

◊ Social Security Administration • The funeral home will generally report the death to Social Security as part of its services. • Call 800-772-1213 or TTY 800-325-0778. • In person, if local offices have reopened. ◊ NARFE • Call NARFE headquarters at 800-456-8410 to report a death. • Federal annuities or Social Security benefits issued after the retiree’s death must be returned to the Treasury Department. Notify the bank where the direct deposits are made so that these payments can be returned. If a spouse or qualifying dependent was already receiving Social Security benefits based on the deceased’s record, the benefit will automatically convert to a survivor’s benefit. • Certified copies of the decedent’s death certificate should be obtained; enclose them with death benefits applications. • Other evidence needed may include copies of marriage certificates, birth certificates, divorce decrees, and death certificates for deceased children or spouses. • OPM will change the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) enrollment from Self Plus One or Self and Family to Self Only coverage, if necessary. • If the annuitant is a veteran, some Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits may be available for both the eligible veteran and the surviving spouse.

• The annuitant can have his or her annuity restored to the full, unreduced rate if the spouse predeceases the annuitant and a survivor benefit was elected. • To designate a new beneficiary or beneficiaries, complete the appropriate form(s): ◊ SF 2823 – “FEGLI Designation of Beneficiary.” ◊ SF 2808 – “Designation of Beneficiary: CSRS” or SF 3102 – “Designation of Beneficiary: FERS.” ◊ TSP 3 – “TSP Designation of Beneficiary.” • If the deceased spouse was covered under the annuitant’s Option C FEGLI Family Insurance, the annuitant also should request FEGLI form FE-6 DEP - “Statement of Claim” to file for life insurance benefits. NARFE members have access to a booklet titled, “Be Prepared for Life’s Events: What Your Survivors Should Know,” that you can prepare and update regularly (www.narfe.org/f-100). It helps you organize your personal and financial information on one document so your survivors have the information necessary to handle your affairs upon your death. —TAMMY FLANAGAN IS THE PRINCIPAL OF TAMMY FLANAGAN LLC (RETIREFEDERAL.COM). SHE IS A FEATURED PRESENTER ON NARFE’S FEDERAL BENEFITS INSTITUTE WEBINARS.

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LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE:

Are You Prepared

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

for the Future? BY TAMMY FLANAGAN

NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

LONG-TERM CARE QUIZ

How Much Do You Know About Long-Term Care and the People Who Need It? 1. How many Americans are over age 85? a. b. c. d.

A little under 80,000. Around 500,000. A little more than 2 million. Almost 6.5 million.

2. How many Americans are over age 100? a. b. c. d.

More than 20,000 but fewer than 40,000. More than 75,000 but fewer than 100,000. More than 120,000 but fewer than 180,000. More than 200,000 but fewer than 300,000.

3. What is the estimated percentage of people over age 65 who will need long-term care during their lifetime? a. b. c. d.

30 percent. 50 percent. 70 percent. 90 percent.

4. The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) allows which of the following types of caregivers if you have comprehensive coverage?

[Note: Version 1.0 provided facility-only coverage or comprehensive coverage.] a. Friends and certain family members. b. Private caregivers providing care in your home. c. Home care agencies providing care in your home. d. Providers in adult day care centers. e. All of the above.

5. What is the average cost of care in a nursing home today (data from 2018)? a. b. c. d.

$51,300 per year. $91,710 per year. $110,430 per year. $144,420 per year.

6. What is the average cost of care in the home if it is needed six hours per day, five days per week? a. b. c. d.

$12,480 per year ($48 per day). $18,720 per year ($72 per day). $37,440 per year ($144 per day). $61,880 per year ($238 per day).

7. Most long-term care takes place in which of the following settings? a. b. c. d. e.

At home. A nursing home. An assisted living facility. In subsidized housing. At adult day care.

8. Which of the following factors is not used to determine the cost of the FLTCIP insurance? a. b. c. d. e.

If care takes place at home. Enrollee age at time of purchase. Enrollee health. Inflation protection. Daily benefit amount.

9. Which of the following is not one of the benefits of owning long-term care insurance? a. b. c. d. e.

Pays for my spouse to care for me. Enables me to maintain independence. Helps protect my assets and income. Reduces reliance on family. Potentially provides for care in my home.

10. When is the best time to purchase long-term care insurance? a. Once you are diagnosed with an illness and need care. b. After age 75 when you will be closer to needing care. c. Between the ages of 55 and 65. d. While you are healthy enough to qualify and young enough to afford the premiums.

Answer key: 1. d; 2. b; 3. c; 4. e; 5. b; 6. c; 7. a; 8. c; 9. a; 10. d. 22

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

ife is all about managing risk— something we’ve experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic as we’ve

managed the risk of getting infected while navigating state and local guidelines. One of the populations hit hardest by the virus have been those living and working in nursing home facilities. The New York Times reported that as of May 1, 2021, at least 182,000 deaths related to COVID19 had occurred among residents and employees of U.S. nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

The pandemic brought nursing homes and those who need long-term care into the forefront. But even as infection numbers across the nation decrease, we are still faced with the question: How do we manage the risk of needing long-term care someday? Long-term care is part of the continuum of care when one is not getting better, unlike traditional health care where you are expected to recover. It includes patient assistance with activities of daily living such as feeding, bathing, dressing, transferring (the need for assistance in getting in or out of a bed, chair or wheelchair), incontinence and toileting. Longterm care can also be required supervision due to a patient’s severe cognitive impairment, such as from Alzheimer’s disease. One of the benefits available to federal and U.S. Postal Service employees, as well as to annuitants and active and retired members of the uniformed services, is the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). Others eligible for FLTCIP are spouses and domestic partners, adult children, parents, parents-in-

law, and stepparents of eligible employees and retirees. The program is overseen by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and benefits are tailored to the federal family to include choice of care in a variety of settings, stay-at-home benefits to support care in the home, informal caregiving options to allow friends and family to provide care, consumer protections that allow portability and guaranteed renewability, and coverage even if you reside outside of the United States. Everyone who applies to the FLTCIP must undergo underwriting. If you’re within 60 days of the date when you became eligible, you may complete the abbreviated underwriting application in which you answer fewer health questions. The FLTCIP is insured by John Hancock Insurance and administered by FedPoint (aka Long Term Care Partners, LLC). Every seven years, OPM solicits bids on the FLTCIP contract; the next contract is due in 2023.

The Current State of Long-Term Care Insurance The long-term care industry has changed over the years, much of that change resulting from financial problems brought on by years of low interest rates, changing mortality and morbidity pricing assumptions, and tough rate stability rules on the insurance businesses NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

in the sector. FLTCIP version 3.0 has a premium stabilization feature (PSF) designed to reduce the need for future premium increases. Under certain conditions, the PSF amount may be used to offset your future premium payments or refund a premium death benefit. To learn more about this feature of FLTCIP version 3.0, visit www.ltcfeds. com. Worldwide Assurance for Employees of Public Agencies (WAEPA) is a life insurance company that has served federal employees for 75 years—longer than the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI). To address the need for long-term care, WAEPA has added a chronic illness rider to their popular life insurance products. Policy holders can apply to add this rider, which offers the ability to collect 50 percent of your term life insurance benefit amount, up to a maximum of $500,000, if you become permanently chronically ill. A note of caution: This rider only lasts until age 80. The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) notes that in 2018, 42 percent of people older than age 85 needed long-term

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) notes that in 2018, 42 percent of people older than age 85 needed long-term care services.

care services. That’s something to consider when reviewing insurance options. You can learn more about WAEPA at www.WAEPA.org. Private-sector plans have also tried to adapt to the financial challenges of this industry. Genworth, once the largest seller of long-term care insurance, has stopped selling individual standalone coverage due to the issues mentioned earlier. The company’s goal now is to offer new products with lower and more predictable rates. Another industry leader, MassMutual, has begun to offer hybrid life insurance/long-term care insurance— life insurance policies with long-term care riders. They provide a pool of long-term care benefits, a death benefit and a policy surrender value that increases over time. For these policies, receiving long-term care benefits reduces the death benefit and surrender value. According to AALTCI, 350,000 Americans purchased long-term care policies in 2018. The average annual cost of a long-term care insurance policy among leading companies in this sector in 2019 was $2,050 for a man, $2,700 for a woman and $3,050 for a couple (all age 55 with 3 percent automatic compound inflation adjustment). The initial pool of benefits for this policy example is equal to $164,000, with the value of benefits reaching $386,500 when the policyholder turns 85. For a similar plan under FLTCIP 3.0, the cost of a participant who is age 55 (male or female, with no discount for a couple) is $1,822.20 per year.

Care at Home

Most long-term care takes place in the home and is provided by family members. The AALTCI says that the majority of care provided to aging parents is carried out by an adult child, typically a daughter or daughter-in-law. Most care is unpaid, but certain types of long-term care insurance will 24

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

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compensate a family member who provides care. Jesse Slome, executive director of AALTCI, notes that long-term care insurance may pay for care provided by an adult child, but not all policies will do so; if this is something you desire, when shopping around for insurance ask providers if their policy offers this specific benefit. Assuming the role of caregiver can have a significant financial, physical and emotional impact. Without support or assistance, caregivers can suffer from depression, lost wages, their own health problems and disrupted personal relationships. Many caregivers are pulled in two directions, caring for their own children in addition to their parents. While such a situation is less than ideal, the pandemic has provided a new lens with which to view the option of long-term care taking place in the home rather than in a facility isolated from family members. FLTCIP has a strong and comprehensive home health care program. In fact, most of the claims that the FLTCIP has paid are for care in the home; less than 8 percent of their recent claims have been for nursing home care. In 2020, FLTCIP paid $24.8 million per month in claims; since the inception of the program in 2002, it has paid more than $1.57 billion in claims. The latest version of FLTCIP, version 3.0, provides a number of in-home benefits:

The mission of FLTCIP is to provide the education and tools for federal employees and members of the military, plus their eligible family members, to make informed decisions about long-term care.

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

• The care that is received in your home is covered at 100 percent of the daily benefit amount—the maximum amount the FLTCIP will pay per day for covered services. The FLTCIP offers $100 to $450 daily benefit amounts in $50 increments. • You may use “informal caregivers” such as friends, family members and other unlicensed caregivers, as long as the caregiver isn’t your spouse or domestic partner and didn’t live with you when you became eligible for benefits. (Benefits for family care are limited to 500 days.) • Caregiver training is part of the stay-at-home benefit, so up to seven times your daily benefit amount can be used during your lifetime to pay for your caregiver to have the training needed to provide for your care. • FLTCIP pays benefits to give your primary caregiver temporary relief (respite) from his or her caregiving responsibilities, up to 30 times your daily benefit amount per calendar year. • FLTCIP provides stay-at-home support such as reimbursement for installation of ramps, handrails and other equipment enabling you to reside at home. The mission of FLTCIP is to provide the education and tools for federal employees and members of the military, plus their eligible family members, to make informed decisions about long-term care, particularly when preparing a retirement plan. Long-term care may be the one thing that disrupts a carefully considered and comprehensive retirement plan. If you need personalized assistance, you can reach a long-term care consultant at 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337); these consultants can provide assistance with making a decision that is right for you.

Long-Term Care Under Medicaid

The benefits that Medicare Parts A & B (hospital and outpatient coverage) cover when it comes to long-term care are very slim. Medicare is limited to care when the patient is showing improvement or recovering. On the other hand, Medicaid is the single largest payer for nursing home care in the United States, but qualifying for it requires

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You can choose a plan that covers all your expected expenses, or you can “coinsure” by choosing a plan that will pay for most care, knowing that your own resources can make up the difference.

meeting strict income and asset limitations. If you have spent your career as a federal employee and have a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) retirement benefit, Social Security income and retirement savings, it is possible that you may never qualify for Medicaid benefits. Medicaid services are provided in a variety of settings, ranging from institutional care to communitybased long-term services and supports. According to Medicare Interactive (www.Medicareinteractive. org), here are a few things you should keep in mind before applying for Institutional Medicaid: • The program will consider you and your spouse together when counting your income and assets, but typically, you will be able to set aside a certain amount of your income and assets for your spouse to keep. • If you qualify, you’ll be able to keep a small amount of your income as a personal allowance. This amount varies by state, so contact your local Medicaid office to learn more. • In most states, Institutional Medicaid has a lookback period of up to five years. This means that your state will count any assets you transferred in the past few years when determining your eligibility. If Medicaid determines that you transferred assets in violation of Medicaid rules, it can penalize you by not paying for part or all of your nursing home stay. • If you own your home, be sure to talk to an elder law attorney about how it will affect your Medicaid eligibility and coverage. Depending on 28

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

your circumstances, the equity from your home may count as an asset. When you no longer need long-term care or when you are deceased, such assets may be used to repay Medicaid for care that it covered for you.

Conclusion

Long-term care insurance is not for everyone. Determining whether you or your loved one should purchase long-term care insurance often hinges on overall retirement goals, income and assets. If your income and assets are sufficient to pay for long-term care out of pocket, but you don’t want to use most or all of your resources for this care, then it may be wise to consider buying longterm care insurance. You can choose a plan that covers all your expected expenses, or you can “coinsure” by choosing a plan that will pay for most care, knowing that your own resources can make up the difference, if need be. Calculate your risks and shop around for plans if you’re considering purchasing this type of insurance. Making an informed decision when you develop a long-term care plan will impact not only you but also your entire family. —TAMMY FLANAGAN IS THE PRINCIPAL OF TAMMY FLANAGAN LLC (RETIREFEDERAL.COM). SHE IS A FEATURED PRESENTER ON NARFE’S FEDERAL BENEFITS INSTITUTE WEBINARS.

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Federal Personnel Records:

Notes From the Underground BY EVERETT A. CHASEN

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

very federal employee has an official personnel folder (OPF). The OPF contains records the government needs to make

accurate employment decisions throughout your federal career. It’s simple enough for employees who work for the government today to find out what’s in their OPF—all they need to do is contact their agency’s HR office.

NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

Emergency requests are defined as ones associated with medical treatments, veterans’ requests to be buried in VA national cemeteries, and homeless veterans seeking admittance to a homeless shelter. The Underground Keep

EMERGENCY REQUEST

But former federal employees or retirees who need access to their folder for possible reemployment or some other reason have a problem—at least for the duration of the COVID-19 epidemic. The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), which holds OPFs for former employees, had been closed during the height of the health crisis and now is operating at reduced capacity. As of press time, the NPRC, located in Valmeyer, IL, is prioritizing emergency requests for information. Emergency requests are defined as ones associated with medical treatments, veterans’ requests to be buried in VA national cemeteries, and homeless veterans seeking admittance to a homeless shelter. The NPRC’s on-site staffing is currently at 25 percent of its workforce. According to a statement released to NARFE by the Public and Media Communications Office of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which operates the NPRC, “all other requests … have been added to a queue to be processed after the facility returns to full operation.” For many former federal employees, this will not pose a problem. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) often requests OPFs from NARA for retirement calculation purposes. An OPM representative informed us that the agency “has an agreement with NARA to ensure that OPFs required for retirement processing are provided on a regular basis. We are sending requests monthly and [have] seen a significant decrease in the backlog [of requests]. NARA is now responding quickly.” OPM could not say whether personnel offices from other agencies were getting records in a timely manner when they needed them. 32

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

According to OPM, every employee’s OPF includes documents that: • Demonstrate your federal appointment was valid. • Verify military service credit for leave, reductionin-force or retirement computations. • Establish your employment history, including your grades, occupations and pay. • Record your choices under federal benefits programs, such as the health benefits and life insurance programs. Within 120 days after separation from service, OPFs for former federal civilian employees are transferred to the NPRC. The main personnel records center is located in St. Louis, MO. The center contains all official military personnel files and OPFs for federal civilians who left the government between 1951 and 1973. Opened in 2011, the facility includes a state-of-the-art preservation laboratory for records conservation, a large public research room, and a multipurpose room for meetings and public outreach. The NPRC Annex, opened in 2009, is located in a retrofitted limestone cave and has the capacity to store 2.5 million cubic feet of records. It holds the OPFs of all civilian federal employees who separated from service after 1973 and military medical treatment records for family members treated at Department of Defense health care facilities. The annex also includes some government personnel records dating back to the mid-19th century. Included in the holdings of the annex are paper and textual records, electronic files from OPM’s eOPF system, and microfiche and microfilm records. According to the NARA spokesperson, records held at Valmeyer “do not include any digitized records, and there are no current plans to digitize these [existing] holdings.” Besides the annex, NARA operates three other underground facilities in Missouri and Kansas to store various records it is responsible for—all of which were created in caves that were originally excavated by miners. The largest, in Kansas City, has several miles of illuminated, paved roads and railroad tracks, includes a paintball and laser tag course, and holds annual 5K and 10K runs.

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The spokesperson explained the draw of using these unconventional locations. Caves “provide inexpensive and secure storage, significant energy savings and vast expansion capabilities.” The temperature in caves in the Midwest is naturally around 60 to 70 degrees, allowing for cost savings on temperature and humidity control. Underground storage is also less expensive than above-ground storage, with plenty of room for expansion and enhanced security. NARA approximates that if all 2.3 million cubic feet of record boxes it currently holds at the center and the annex were laid end to end, the boxes would stretch 545 miles, the distance from St. Louis to Dallas. The agency estimates that it stores 100 million military and civil service personnel files at the two locations. The oldest civilian record dates from 1821, and the oldest military record is from 1841. The largest file belongs to Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, the first U.S. Air Force fivestar General, who died in 1950. Arnold’s official personnel file is 6,044 pages long. The Official Military Personnel File is the most requested record held at all NARA facilities throughout the nation. About half of the 4,000 to 5,000 requests the NPRC receives daily for military records are for copies of Veterans’ Form DD-214 – “Report of Separation,” while the other half are for either the entire file or portions of the file. DD-214s serve as proof of military service and are used to verify service for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits such as the GI Bill, VA home loans, medical benefits, compensation and pension benefits. They are also used to enable veterans to get preference points for civilian employment in federal or state government jobs, and for validating membership in veterans service organizations, such as the American Legion. NARA reports that since the start of the pandemic, it has responded to more than 220,000 requests from VA for the temporary loan of original records needed to adjudicate claims. Despite the agency’s staffing issues, most requests from VA are

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

addressed promptly, NARA says, normally in three days or less.

Fire Destroys Records

On July 12, 1973, a fire broke out at the old Military Personnel Records Center, which was also located in St. Louis. In that fire, 16 million to 18 million of the estimated 22 million records then held at the center were lost. These were the military records of men and women who had served in the Army and the Air Force between 1912 and 1963. The old center had been built in the 1950s without sprinklers, because builders at the time incorrectly believed that the risk of partial damage to files caused by sprinklers going off was greater than the risk of large-scale damage by fire. In addition, the building mixed record storage areas with work areas, and only a single concrete wall separated offices from records. More than 200,000 square feet of open records storage had no fire barriers to contain a fire and limit the extent of damage on any of the building’s six floors. The General Services Administration was preparing to award a contract to retrofit the facility with sprinklers and smoke detectors, but it never got the opportunity. At the peak of the fire’s intensity, it was fought by 42 fire districts; it burned uncontrolled for more than 22 hours. Millions of gallons of water from fire hoses increased the damage, and water pipes that broke during the fire continued to flood the building for days. Because no computer registry or database existed for the unique records, there was no way to know how many records were lost or whose records had been affected. NARA is still working to salvage records that were not totally incinerated during the fire. About 85 percent of the records of Army personnel discharged from 1912 through 1959 were lost, as were about 75 percent of Air Force personnel files with the surnames “Hubbard” through those starting with the letter “Z.” Many of the 6.5 million recovered records were in what NARA calls an “extremely fragile” state. Archives staff inventoried data for recovered records and entered them into a computerized registry, searchable by name, Army or Air Force serial number, and the veteran’s date of birth. They collected sources of information on service in records created or held by other federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, and by state and local governments. These holdings, known as auxiliary records, allowed NARA to document key aspects of individuals’ military service. The staff

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also attempted to dry out nearly 90,000 cubic feet of wet records, with only limited success. Technicians are still attempting to restore information from burnt or water-damaged files and have issued millions of veterans Certifications of Military Service (National Archives Form 13038.) This document is recognized as the equivalent of a DD-214. The damaged files, which NARA refers to as B-files, are now stored in special environmentally controlled bays within the main personnel records center in St. Louis. The temperature in those bays is kept just above 50 degrees to minimize further deterioration and to keep dormant mold spores from reactivating. Keeping them isolated from other storage areas in the building prevents cross-contamination. Both the new storage center and the new annex were designed to avoid the kinds of widespread damage that took place at the old center. In the two buildings, sprinklers protect all records except for a small number of high-value records whose information could not possibly be recovered if they were damaged by water. Storage systems have been better designed to withstand the spread of fire; sensors and sprinkler systems detect and extinguish the earliest signs of smoke; and records are segregated in smaller storage areas to prevent massive loss. NARA also has emergency response plans that are regularly reviewed and updated.

How to Obtain Your Records

Once COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, former federal civilian employees who separated from service after 1951 can obtain copies of most civilian and personnel records on file at the NPRC, including copies of SF 50 – “Notification of Personnel Action,” by written request. Requests must be hand-signed in cursive and dated within the last year. They should identify the documents or information needed and explain the purpose of the request. They should also include the full name you used during federal employment, your date of birth and Social Security number, the agency you worked for, the beginning and ending dates of your federal service, and your return mailing address. 36

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

Requests should be mailed to National Personnel Records Center Annex, 1411 Boulder Boulevard, Valmeyer, IL 62295, or faxed to either 618-935-3014 or 618-935-3019. NPRC will not email documents due to privacy concerns, but it will mail or fax them, depending on the requester’s preference. Generally, NPRC does not charge for basic personnel and medical information provided to former federal civilian employees and their authorized representatives from what NPRC refers to as nonarchival records (archival records includes OPFs for personnel who left government service before 1952.) If there is a service fee, NPRC will notify you as soon as that decision is made. NARA’s statement to NARFE offered guidance from pre-COVID-19 times concerning how long it takes to respond to requests. They wrote, “response time varies and is dependent upon the complexity of your request, the availability of records and our workload. Please do not send a follow-up request before 90 days have elapsed, as it may cause further delays.” Of course, given the number of backlogged requests, current response times are likely to be significantly longer. “If we are aware that a retiree needs a copy of their OPF, we’ll advocate on their behalf,” the OPM spokesperson noted. Others who can obtain information from OPFs include authorized third-party requesters such as family members, lawyers, doctors and historians, who can gain access to records with a signed and dated authorization from the person of record. Those requesters should state who they are in relation to the individual and the purpose of the request. All authorizations should specify exactly what the person of record is allowing to be released, and authorizations are valid for one year after the date of signature. If the subject is unable to sign a request, the NPRC requires a court order. If you or a family member needs a copy of your OPF or information from it, be patient. NARA’s website notes that “The NPRC will be operating at various degrees of reduced on-site capacity until the public health emergency has ended.” Check its website (archives.gov/personnel-records-center) for the latest information. —EVERETT A. (EV) CHASEN IS A WRITER AND COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT IN THE WASHINGTON, DC, AREA. HE IS RETIRED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AFTER 35 YEARS OF SERVICE.

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NARFE Members Agree: LEGcon21 Virtual Event Proves to Be a Success

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ARFE headquarters staff is celebrating the success of its legislative training conference, LEGcon21, which took place

June 21-23, in an all-new, fully virtual format. This accomplishment could not have happened without the continued support of NARFE members who recognize this biennial conference as a pillar of NARFE’s advocacy efforts. NARFE formed strategic partnerships with two specialized providers of virtual platform services for events, allowing for simple, user-friendly, efficient applications. The association also hosted two preconference webinars to prepare attendees for successful engagement in the conference. Through the virtual platform eShow, attendees were able to not only watch the conference but also visit sponsor exhibits, access conference resources, interact with speakers during Q&A periods and communicate with each other. Similarly, Advocacy Associates' AdvocacyDay platform hosted the lobby day in its entirety by providing individual lobbying schedules and access to resources like issue briefs, talking points and other documents. Participants were also able to access lawmakers’ biographical information and research the

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

status of legislation. House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Lobbying groups Carolyn Maloney, D-NY, assured members that postal reform were assigned wouldn’t adversely affect Feds’ health benefits. unique Zoom links Offset (GPO)—as well as House for each legislative Committee on Oversight and meeting, ensuring effective Reform Chairwoman Carolyn meeting execution between the Maloney, D-NY, who oversees group and congressional offices. a variety of issues important to NARFE National President NARFE; she pledged to ensure Ken Thomas kicked off the that postal reform wouldn’t conference on June 21, and then adversely affect the Federal attendees began tuning into the Employees Health Benefits general program, participating (FEHB) program. in intensive advocacy training Pam Coleman, the associate sessions and exploring sponsor exhibits. They heard from almost director of performance and personnel management at the a dozen members of Congress and agency representatives Office of Management and who offered their perspective Budget, spoke about the value and outlook for NARFE-related of supporting, protecting and issues. Among them were revitalizing the federal workforce. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-IL, the The conference program also sponsor of the Social Security included a report from NARFE’s Fairness Act—NARFE-supported lobbying team on the status of NARFE’s legislative priorities and legislation that would repeal the the goings-on of Congress and Windfall Elimination Provision the administration, in addition to (WEP) and Government Pension

a panel discussion with congressional staff on the value of understanding congressional offices and how to be more effective in constituent meetings. Stephanie Vance, CEO of Advocacy Associates and known to many as the “grassroots guru,” presented the top grassroots strategies constituents can use to execute successful meetings with their lawmakers. For example, by using the following formula when planning meetings with members of Congress, NARFE members can be better prepared and more persuasive when advocating for policy changes: knowing what you want, knowing who you are talking to, knowing how to talk to them and following up (more details on this strategy appear in Vance’s article in the August 2021 issue of NARFE Magazine). As NARFE’s premiere advocacy training conference, LEGcon helps members improve their advocacy skills and enables federation and chapter leaders to develop more effective strategies to recruit, train and sustain member engagement in grassroots activities. This year’s program was no different. The curriculum was divided into beginner and advanced training tracks that were tailored using responses from surveys conducted earlier this year. The responses helped presenters understand the specific challenges, needs and concerns of NARFE advocates. Participants new to advocacy learned how to begin their advocacy efforts, while more experienced advocates learned strategies for building and sustaining relationships with lawmakers and staff. Advocates at both levels learned how to communicate more effectively with lawmakers by tailoring their ask, a technique that helped them execute virtual meetings with legislators on the lobby day. Training sessions were

followed by live Q&As, allowing attendees to interact with presenters and get their questions answered in real time. LEGcon21 wrapped up on June 23 with the conference’s highlight—the lobby day. More than 230 NARFE advocates participated in 248 virtual meetings with lawmakers and congressional staff to discuss repeal or reform of the WEP and GPO, more accurate COLAs for seniors, and the new postal reform legislation. It was one of the best lobby days in the conference’s history, as the virtual platform allowed for more meetings to take

Rep. Rodney Davis, R-IL, encouraged NARFE members to continue educating members of Congress on issues important to Feds.

—BY MARSHA PADILLA-GOAD, GRASSROOTS PROGRAM MANAGER, AND SETH ICKES, GRASSROOTS ASSISTANT

Pam Coleman, associate director of performance and personnel management at the Office of Management and Budget, spoke about revitalizing the federal workforce.

place than in 2019. Many attendees submitted lobby day evaluations, sharing details about their discussions with lawmakers and providing valuable information to NARFE’s advocacy team for future legislative discussions. High ratings from conference participant evaluations at the conclusion of the event highlighted its success. Ratings for the overall conference program, advocacy training sessions and lobby day were predominantly in the “good” and “excellent” categories. Comments like, “I was impressed with the event. It was organized and easy to participate,” and “Overall excellent experience. Liked being able to participate virtually. Could not have traveled to DC for a live event,” confirmed that when faced with new challenges, NARFE members rise to the occasion. NARFE sends a big thank you to LEGcon21 participants and looks forward to engaging with you and with new attendees in future conferences. If you have any questions, please write to us at advocacy@narfe.org.

NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

Managing Money

Navigating the Gift Tax Rules riginally enacted as a protective measure to minimize estate and income tax avoidance by the very wealthy, the gift tax is often misunderstood; this confusion may

cause unnecessary complications for even those of more modest means when the rules are not followed properly. The gift tax is owed when an individual makes a gift to another individual. According to the IRS, “You make a gift if you give property, or the use of or income from property, without expecting to receive something of at least equal value in return.” Fortunately, the rules provide for an annual gift exclusion, which allows individuals to transfer gifts up to a certain amount each year ($15,000 for 2021) without triggering gift taxes. The annual gift exclusion is a per person limit, which means you may gift up to $15,000 each year to as many individuals as you would like without any gift tax consequences. Married individuals are entitled to their own annual gift exclusion; couples can give any one individual up to $30,000 per year. This is true even if the entire amount comes from one spouse’s bank account, which is known as “gift splitting” and must be reported on IRS Form 709 – “United States Gift (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return.” To illustrate how the annual gift exclusion works, let’s consider the example of Emilia and John. They would like to gift the maximum allowable, without exceeding the annual gift

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

exclusion, to their son Craig, and his wife Jasmine, to help with the down payment for their first home. In this case, Emilia may gift $15,000 to Craig and another $15,000 to Jasmine, while John may also gift $15,000 to Craig

THE ANNUAL GIFT EXCLUSION IS A PER PERSON LIMIT, WHICH MEANS YOU MAY GIFT UP TO $15,000 EACH YEAR TO AS MANY INDIVIDUALS AS YOU WOULD LIKE WITHOUT ANY GIFT TAX CONSEQUENCES.

and $15,000 to Jasmine, for a total of $60,000. It’s important to note that the IRS deems virtually any transfer of property as a gift, and sometimes individuals inadvertently run afoul of the gift tax rules by completing a transfer they didn’t realize constituted a taxable gift. For example, an elderly parent makes a taxable gift when

adding a child as a joint owner to his or her home, which is not an uncommon practice for a widow(er) to do to avoid probate at their death (but something I typically don’t recommend). In this situation, the parent’s gift is equal to one-half the value of the home, which, assuming it exceeds the annual exclusion amount, should be reported on IRS Form 709. Other transfers some may not realize are potentially taxable gifts include the sale of property below fair market value (the difference between the market value and the sale price is considered a gift), forgiving a loan, interest free loans or ones with an interest rate below the IRS Applicable Federal Rate (the forgone interest is considered a gift), and even 529 plan contributions, to name a few. With regard to 529 plan contributions, Section 529(c) (2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code details a special fiveyear gift tax averaging rule, which allows donors to spread a single contribution, in equal installments, over five calendar years for gift tax purposes. This allows an individual to “superfund” a 529 plan with up to a single $75,000 contribution ($150,000 for married couples based on five times 2021’s $15,000 annual gift exclusion) without triggering a taxable gift. Be careful here, though, because there are special rules and reporting requirements when using the superfunding strategy.

BENEFITS RESOURCES NARFE OFFERS MEMBERS a wide range of information on federal benefits. Visit www.narfe.org/federal-benefits-institute.

Note that there are several instances when a transfer of property does not count towards the annual gift exclusion and is not subject to the gift tax. Examples of these are gifts to nonprofit organizations, gifts to political organizations, direct payments to educational institutions, direct payments to medical providers and gifts between spouses. Many believe that the recipient of the gift is the party responsible for the gift taxes, but it’s actually the donor who is typically responsible. However, the reality is that most individuals will never have to pay gift taxes, even if a gift exceeds the annual gift exclusion amount. The reason for that is, in addition to the annual gift exclusion, individuals

have a lifetime gift exemption amount of $11.7 million for the 2021 tax year (set to drop to $5.49 million in 2026). When a gift exceeds the annual gift exclusion, the donor may elect to use the lifetime exemption to avoid paying gift taxes. To use the lifetime gift exemption, however, donors must file IRS Form 709 when a gift exceeds the annual gift exclusion amount. Failure to do so may result in taxes and penalties. MARK A. KEEN, CFP®, IS PARTNER, KEEN & POCOCK, AND AN INVESTMENT ADVISER REPRESENTATIVE AND REGISTERED PRINCIPAL OF THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ALLIANCE INC. (SFA). SECURITIES AND ADVISORY SERVICES ARE OFFERED THROUGH SFA.

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Alzheimer’s Update

How Race and Ethnicity Affect Alzheimer’s Care recently released special report from the Alzheimer’s Association—Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimer’s in America—examines the perspectives and experiences

of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native and white Americans in regard to Alzheimer’s and dementia care. The Alzheimer’s Association had commissioned Versta Research to conduct surveys of U.S. adults and of current/recent caregivers of adults age 50 or older with cognitive issues. Questions covered access to care and support services, trust in providers and the health care system, participation in clinical trials and research, and caregiver experiences. You can find the report at www.alz.org/media/ Documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures-special-report.pdf.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE REPORT’S KEY FINDINGS: • More than one-third of Black Americans (36%), and nearly one-fifth of Hispanic (18%) and Asian Americans (19%), believe discrimination would be a barrier to receiving Alzheimer’s care. • Two-thirds of Black Americans (66%) believe it is harder for them to get excellent care for Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Likewise, two in five Native (40%) and Hispanic Americans (39%) believe their own race or ethnicity makes it harder to get care, as do one-third of Asian Americans (34%). • Nearly two-thirds of Black Americans (62%) believe that medical research is biased against people of color—a view shared by substantial numbers of Asian (45%), 42

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

Native (40%) and Hispanic Americans (36%) as well. Only about half of Black Americans (53%) trust that a future cure for Alzheimer’s will be shared equally regardless of race, color or ethnicity. • Fewer than half of Black (48%) and Native Americans (47%) feel confident that they have access to providers who understand their ethnic or racial background and experiences, and only about three in five Asian (63%) and Hispanic Americans (59%) likewise feel confident. • At least half of nonwhite caregivers say they have experienced discrimination when trying to navigate health care settings for their care recipient. “Despite ongoing efforts to address health and health care disparities in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, the survey

results appear to show there is still a lot of work to be done,” says Carl V. Hill, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at the Alzheimer’s Association. “Clearly, discrimination, lack of diversity among health care professionals, and mistrust in medical research appear to create significant barriers to care and demand the country’s full attention.” Hill notes that episodes of discrimination extend beyond dementia care. Many nonwhite Americans reported they have experienced discrimination in the broader health care system. Half of Black Americans (50%) say they’ve experienced discrimination when seeking health care; Native (42%), Asian (34%) and Hispanic Americans (33%) likewise report having experienced health care discrimination. Discrimination also affected respondents’ views on clinical trials. One of the most common reasons cited for not participating in clinical trials among all racial/ ethnic groups was the desire not to be used as a “guinea pig.” In addition, almost half of Black Americans (45%) worried that the treatments might cause some sickness. Blacks were twice as likely as other racial groups to say they “don’t trust medical research” and more than twice as likely as other groups to say they “might not be treated fairly.” Health and socioeconomic disparities and systemic racism seem to contribute to the increased Alzheimer’s and

dementia risk in communities of color. Older Blacks and Hispanics are disproportionately more likely to have Alzheimer’s and other dementias than older whites. Both groups are also more likely to have missed diagnoses. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Association, notes, “We must continue to accelerate efforts to engage more people from underrepresented populations in Alzheimer’s disease research and clinical trials. … If trials do not include diverse participants, it is impossible to get a complete understanding of how racial and ethnic differences may affect the benefit and safety of potential treatments.” Carrillo cited the need for clinical trials to comprise “better representation of the entire population, so everyone benefits from advances in Alzheimer’s and dementia research.” The larger report that this special report is a part of—2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts

and Figures—also examines the devastating impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on people living with Alzheimer’s. There were at least 42,000 more deaths from Alzheimer’s and other dementias in 2020 compared with averages over the previous five years—a 16 percent increase. The Alzheimer’s Association and various representatives from more than 25 countries have formed an international consortium to study the short- and long-term consequences of COVID-19 on the brain and nervous system of people at different ages and from different genetic backgrounds. Many thanks for your continued support in the fight to stamp out Alzheimer’s disease and dementia-related conditions. OLIVIA A. WILLIAMS IS CHAIR OF THE NARFE-ALZHEIMER’S NATIONAL COMMITTEE. EMAIL: OEASHF3@GMAIL.COM. THIS COLUMN APPEARS QUARTERLY.

Share Your NARFE Pride ShopNARFE is the official online store offering NARFE-branded merchandise. A portion of the proceeds from all purchases support the organization. Shop now at www.narfe.org/shopnarfe. S A LE

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NARFE.org/shopnarfe NARFE MAGAZINE www.NARFE.org

For the Record

CONFIDENCE IN CORPORATE EARNINGS, FLEETING INFLATION BOOST MARKETS

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN FUND RETURNS

5 YEAR*

1.99%

3.25%

17.32%

17.27%

9.70%

Surging coronavirus infections generated concerns about the strength of the economic recovery. Nevertheless, many investors drew confidence from healthy corporate earnings and the belief that inflationary pressures will be transitory. The Federal Reserve left its target shortterm interest rate unchanged, citing the ongoing impact of the pandemic. The C Fund rose while the S Fund fell. The I Fund posted a gain, helped in part by a modestly weaker U.S. dollar. Lower rates on Treasury notes and bonds contributed to the F Fund’s gain. All the L Funds rose.—BY MICHAEL JERUE, FINANCIAL ANALYST, THRIFT

10 YEAR*

1.95%

3.58%

15.37%

14.39%

6.48%

SAVINGS PLAN RETURNS are net of the effect of accrued administrative expenses and investment expenses/costs. Source: TSP

2021

JULY

G FUND

F FUND

C FUND

S FUND

I FUND

0.13%

1.15%

2.37%

-1.24%

0.72%

JUNE

0.12%

0.74%

2.33%

3.46%

-1.44%

MAY

0.13%

0.34%

0.69%

-0.66%

3.61%

YTD

0.77%

-0.37%

17.98%

14.04%

9.77%

1 YEAR

1.09%

-0.52%

36.42%

51.07%

30.49%

3 YEAR*

1.75%

5.79%

18.11%

17.40%

7.99%

2021

L INCOME

L 2025

L 2030

L 2035

L 2040

JULY

0.47%

0.75%

0.92%

0.99%

1.05%

JUNE

0.39%

0.64%

0.79%

0.86%

0.92%

MAY

0.47%

0.81%

1.00%

1.08%

1.16%

YTD

3.77%

7.09%

8.91%

9.70%

10.51%

1 YEAR

8.17%

16.95%

21.24%

23.38%

25.57%

3 YEAR*

5.01%

N/A

9.94%

N/A

11.44%

5 YEAR*

4.89%

N/A

10.00%

N/A

11.46%

10 YEAR*

4.40%

N/A

8.89%

N/A

10.03%

L 2045

L 2050

L 2055

L 2060

L 2065

JULY

1.10%

1.15%

1.26%

JUNE

0.98%

1.03%

1.17%

MAY

1.22%

1.28%

1.50%

YTD

11.19%

11.89%

14.42%

1 YEAR

27.50%

29.45%

36.39%

36.38%

3 YEAR*

N/A

12.68%

N/A

5 YEAR*

N/A

12.75%

N/A

10 YEAR*

N/A

10.97%

N/A

*ANNUALIZED.

G Fund: Government securities (specially issued to the TSP) F Fund: Government, corporate and mortgage-backed bonds C Fund: Stocks of large- and medium-size U.S. companies S Fund: Stocks of small- to medium-size U.S. companies (not included in the C Fund) I Fund: International stocks of 21 developed countries L Fund: (Lifecycle) Invested in the G, F, C, S and I Funds (The proportion of L Fund balance invested in each of the individual TSP funds depends on the L Fund chosen.)

COUNTDOWN TO COLA The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 1.06 percent in June 2021. To calculate the 2022 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the 2021 third-quarter indices will be averaged and compared with the 2020 third-quarter average of 253.412. The percentage increase determines the COLA. June's index, 266.412, is up 5.13 percent from the base. The CPI represents purchases of food and beverages, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication, and other goods and services. For FECA COLA updates, visit narfe.org and search for FECA.

OPM RETIREMENT CLAIMS PROCESSING STATUS

2021

2020

Claims Received

MONTH

Inventory Monthly FYTD (Steady State Average Processing Average Processing is 13,000) Time in Days Time in Days

JUNE 6,555 17,432 JULY 6,819 17,631 AUGUST 6,775 18,570 SEPTEMBER 6,244 18,274 OCTOBER 8,323 19.605 NOVEMBER 5,876 20,022 DECEMBER 5,135 19,687 JANUARY 13,850 26,968 FEBRUARY 7,495 26,460 MARCH 9.664 27,638 APRIL 9,414 25,386 MAY 7,684 24,619 JUNE 7,264 24,999

81 95 73 73 77 74 74 85 77 69 71 70 78

65 68 68 69 77 76 75 78 78 76 75 74 75

FOR THE NUMBER of new retirement cases the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) receives each month by agency and the percent with errors that it returns to those agencies, go to www.opm.gov/retirement-services/. l Source: OPM 44

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

CPI-W

Monthly % Change

% Change from 253.412

OCTOBER 2020

254.076

0.03

0.26

NOVEMBER

253.826

-0.10

0.16

DECEMBER

254.081

0.10

0.26

JANUARY 2021

255.296

0.48

0.74

FEBRUARY

256.843

0.61

1.35

MARCH

258.935

0.81

2.20

APRIL

261.237

0.89

3.08

MAY

263.612

0.91

4.03

JUNE

266.412

1.06

5.13

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

Donate

to NARFE Programs

Support Alzheimer’s Research NARFE members contributed for Alzheimer’s research: $14 Million Fund

$13,921,328.07*

Enclosed is my NARFE-Alzheimer’s contribution: $ _________ Every cent that is contributed is used for research. q Mr.

q Mrs. q Miss q Ms.

*Total as of June 30, 2021. 100 percent of all contributed funds go to Alzheimer’s research.

Name: ______________________________________________

If you have any questions, write to:

City: ________________________________________________

NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Olivia Williams 22 Garden Springs Road Columbia, SC 29209 EMAIL: oeashf3@gmail.com WRITE YOUR CHAPTER NUMBER ON CHECK; MAKE IT PAYABLE TO:

Address: ____________________________________________

State: _______________________________________________ ZIP: ________________________________________________ Chapter Number: _____________________________________ Credit Card Information:

NARFE-Alzheimer’s Research AND MAIL TO:

Alzheimer’s Association 225 N. Michigan Ave., 17th Floor Chicago, IL 60601-7633 YOUR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.

q MasterCard

q VISA

q Discover

q AMEX

Card Number: ________________________________________ Expiration Date: __ (mm)/__ (yy) 3-Digit Security Code: ___ Signature: __________________________ Date: __ / __ / __ Name: (please print)___________________________________

Give to the NARFE-FEEA Fund MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: NARFE-FEEA Fund PLEASE MAIL COUPON AND CHECK TO: FEEA 1641 Prince St. Alexandria, VA 22314 YOUR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.

q YES!

I would like to help with my contribution.

The NARFE-FEEA Fund supports NARFE members during disasters; provides scholarships to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and funds other programs to support NARFE members at the direction of NARFE and FEEA. Enclosed is my NARFE-FEEA Fund Contribution: $ _________ Name: ______________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________ City: ________________________________________________ State: _______________________________________________ ZIP: ________________________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________

To make credit card or e-check contributions, visit www.feea.org/givenarfe.

NARFE News 2021 FEDERATION CONFERENCES

NARFE Kicks Off 2021 Fall Membership Drive

ARFE will sponsor a membership drive again this year. From September 1 through December 31, 2021, current members can earn $10 for each new member

they recruit, as well as be eligible to win other prizes. As time passes, we hope there will be more opportunities to meet potential members and share the benefits of NARFE membership.

In recent months, we’ve created many new tools NARFE members can use to introduce active and retired federal employees to NARFE, and you can access most of these tools at www.NARFE.org: • From the homepage, mouse over “For Members” on the menu bar and select “Officer Resources” from the dropdown menu. • From the list of topics, click “Membership Officer Resources.” • Scroll down. Under “RECRUITMENT,” click “NARFE Membership Recruitment Resources.” In addition to complete rules and information about the Fall Membership Drive, you will find valuable recruiting resources you can download, like a recruitment email template, a

NARFE “elevator speech,” and a membership ad in PDF format that you can use online or in print. If you have an opportunity to give a presentation about NARFE, either in person or virtually, our resources can help you organize your presentation and highlight the great benefits NARFE offers. Use our “About NARFE” video if you‘re short on time but want the impact of professional, polished media. If you have a chance to speak about NARFE, our membership presentation script covers NARFE’s advocacy efforts and the association’s key member benefits. In addition, our membership PowerPoint slide deck provides visuals that sync up with the script to review the numerous ways NARFE helps members

This information was correct as of late July; please contact your federation to confirm these details. California: October 18-20 in San Luis Obispo Colorado: October 7 in Aurora Illinois: September 27-29 in Normal Indiana: October 28 in Indianapolis Minnesota: October 19-20 in Breezy Point South Carolina: October 18-19 in Summerville Virginia: October 11-13 in Richmond Wisconsin: November 8-10 in Tomah get more out of their federal benefits. If you need printed supplies to support your efforts (e.g., membership flyers, applications, copies of NARFE Magazine) just click on “F-18 Requisition for Printed Supplies” on the Officer Resources webpage to order what you need. Remember to provide your NARFE member ID number to those you recruit, so they can enter it when they join and ensure that you get credit. Look for more recruiting tips and information in future issues, and if you have questions, please email our recruitment/retention team at membership@narfe.org or call us at 800-456-8410. We’re here to help you succeed. —BY DAVE BOWMAN, SENIOR DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Save the Date: NARFE FEDcon22 | August 21-23 | Scottsdale, AZ 46

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

NARFE MEMBER BENEFITS • Access the NARFE Federal Benefits Institute for powerful resources to help you fully understand and manage your benefits.

Active and Retired Federal Employees ... Join NARFE Today! The only organization dedicated solely to protecting and preserving the benefits of all federal workers and retirees, NARFE informs you of any developments and proposals that affect your compensation, retirement and health benefits, AND provides clear answers to your questions.

Who Should Join NARFE?

If your future security is tied to federal retirement benefits—federal retirees, current employees, spouses and individual survivors—you should join NARFE.

• Visit the Legislative Action Center to contact your representatives about bills affecting federal benefits. • Get NARFE Magazine with news and insights for the federal community. • Save time, hassle and money with NARFE Perks. • The opportunity to get involved at the local level by joining a chapter in your area. 1Q6

NARFE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION YES. I want to join NARFE for the low annual dues of $48.

q Mr. q Mrs. q Miss q Ms.

q MasterCard

______________________________________________

Full Name

______________________________________________

Street Address Apt./Unit

______________________________________________

City

State

ZIP

______________________________________________

Phone

______________________________________________

I am a (check all that apply) q Active Federal Employee

q Active Federal Employee Spouse

q Annuitant Spouse

q VISA

q Discover

q AMEX

___________________________________________ Card No. Expiration Date _____ /________ mm

______________________________________________

q Annuitant

PAYMENT OPTIONS q Check, Money Order or Bill Pay (Payable to NARFE) q Bill me (NARFE membership will start when payment is received.) q Charge my:

yyyy

___________________________________________ Name on Card ___________________________________________ Signature ___________________________________________ Date

TOTAL DUES $48 Annual Dues X ___________ = ___________ Per Person # Enrolling Total Dues Dues payments are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

q Survivor Annuitant

q Please enroll my spouse _________________________________________

Spouse’s Full Name

LOOKING TO MEET OTHERS in the federal community and participate in NARFE at a local level? Call 800-456-8410 to learn about a NARFE chapter in your area.

_________________________________________

Would you like to receive a FREE one-year chapter membership? Choose one: q Chapter closest to home OR q Chapter #____________

THREE EASY WAYS TO JOIN

MAY WE THANK SOMEONE? Did someone introduce you to NARFE? Please provide their Name and Member ID.

Spouse’s Email

1. Complete this application and mail with your payment to NARFE Member Services / 606 N Washington St / Alexandria, VA 22314-1914.

2. Join online at www.NARFE.org. 3. Call 800-456-8410, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

___________________________________________ Recruiter’s Name ___________________________________________ Recruiter’s Membership ID NARFE respects the privacy of our members. Personal information is used to provide content and relevant communications to our members, and will not be sold or rented to third parties. (01/21)

NARFE News

CELEBRATING A CENTURY On June 21, as part of NARFE’s yearlong centennial celebration, members and supporters gathered online for a virtual gala hosted by NARFE National President Ken Thomas. Highlights included longtime NARFE Legislative Director Judy Park reminiscing about the association’s many legislative victories during her tenure and Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA, sponsor of the House Resolution honoring NARFE’s

NARFE National President Ken Thomas hosted the association’s virtual centennial gala June 21.

centennial, speaking about the importance of public service. The event also featured recorded greetings from current and former members of

Congress and representatives from the executive branch and good government groups, as well as the award-winning NARFE centennial video and a slideshow of images from NARFE’s archives. Want to share the centennial gala video at a chapter or federation meeting? Visit narfe.org/request-gala-video. Visit narfe.org/centennial for more about NARFE’s century of service. Eargo and GEHA are proud sponsors of NARFE’s Centennial.

Order your copy of NARFE’s Congressional Directory for the 117th Congress (2021-2022) today! Clip and mail to: NARFE Congressional Directory 606 N. Washington Street /Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Name___________________________________________________________________

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association

NARFE 606 N. Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 1-800-456-8410 Email: advocacy@narfe.org www.narfe.org

Only $20

CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTORY 117th Congress 2021-2022

Address _________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________ State ______ ZIP ___________ Member ID# (as it appears on NARFE Magazine label) ________________________________________________________________________

o Check (payble to NARFE) or cash enclosed o Charge to my credit card o MasterCard

o VISA o Discover o AMEX

Card # __________________________________________________________________ Exp. Date

_______ (mm)

/ _______ (yy)

Name on card (print) ______________________________________________________ Signature ____________________________________________ Date _____________

Quantity ________________ $20 each (includes shipping and handling) VA sales tax _____________ VA residents add 6% tax ($1.20 per book) Total cost _______________

Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. Call NARFE’s Advocacy Department at 800-456-8410, option 3, to order by phone.

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

Thank you

to all of the members who have donated to the Centennial Fundraising Campaign. Visit www.NARFE.org/century-club to see who has joined the Century Club. Help NARFE celebrate 100 years of fighting for the earned pay and benefits of federal employees and retirees.

You can join NARFE’s CENTURY CLUB with your donation of $100 or more in 2021. Donate now at www.NARFE.org/donatenow. With NARFE’s thanks, you will receive: • A commemorative NARFE centennial key ring • Recognition in the December NARFE Magazine, on NARFE.org and at NARFE headquarters • Early distribution of the 2022 NARFE calendar Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated and will be recognized on NARFE.org.

Enclosed is my NARFE donation: $ __________________

q CHECK ENCLOSED (payable to NARFE)

q Mr. q Mrs.

OR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION:

q Miss q Ms.

FR21CEN

Name: ______________________________________________

q MasterCard

Address:_____________________________________________

Card Number: _____________________________________

City: ________________________________________________

Expiration Date: __________(mm)/ ________ (yy)

State: _______________________________________________

3-Digit Security Code: __________ Date: _______________

ZIP:_________________________________________________

Signature:_________________________________________

Member Number: ______________________________________

Name: (please print) _________________________________

q VISA

q Discover

q AMEX

PLEASE MAIL COUPON AND CHECK TO: NARFE DONATE NOW, Attn: Fundraising 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314

Donations to NARFE are not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.

USE YOUR NARFE PERKS AND YOUR MEMBERSHIP WILL MORE THAN PAY FOR ITSELF!

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Save with NARFE members-only access to the GE Appliances Store! You will enjoy up to 25% off MSRP every day on the latest in high-quality appliances. *Orders can not be shipped to P.O. boxes, APOS, Canada, Puerto Rico, HI, AK or U.S. Territories. https://www.myapstore.com/GEStore/Appliances/ Registration?AuthCode=MONARFE21

LegalShield | 410-419-7130 | www.legalshield.com/info/narfe

Whether it’s big, small or somewhere in between, you have affordable legal help when you need it. Members receive the discounted rate of $16.95 for individuals and $18.95 for families of 10 (two adults and up to 8 children).

Office Depot | 855-337-6811 x 2897 | www.officediscounts.org/narfe

Because you’re a member of NARFE you have access to exclusive, members-only discounts at Office Depot and OfficeMax. With your NARFE membership, you can save up to 75% off regular prices (as listed on officedepot.com) on our Best Value List of preferred products. Create an account and browse through our discounts, or shop in-store by printing your FREE Store Purchasing Card. Visit https:// officediscounts.org/narfe for details and more! *Tech, software and select furniture items are not part of the discount program.

Purchasing Power | www.PurchasingPower.com/NARFE

While not a discount program, Purchasing Power is an exclusive purchase program helps members buy brand-name computers, electronics, appliances and furniture via annuity allotment when cash is not an option. No credit check or down payments.

INSURANCE........................................................................................................................................... NARFE Insurance Services | 800-233-5764 | www.narfeinsurance.com

Designed exclusively for NARFE members, (plans administered by Mercer) Senior Age Whole Life Insurance, Senior Term Life Insurance, Hospital Income and Short Term Recovery Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, AssistPlus, Discount Prescription Plan and Pet Insurance.

Member Options | 833-378-8224 | https://www.member-options.com/narfe

Member Options Auto and Home Insurance Program - Save Money with Multiple Quotes! Get quotes from top-rated insurance carriers on Auto, Home, Renters, Pet insurance and more in a matter of minutes. Answer a few simple questions online or over the phone with our licensed insurance experts to compare multiple options that meet your specific needs. To review and choose what’s best for you, go to the link above or call 833-378-8224.

PRE-PLANNING................................................................................................................................... Neptune Society | 800-NEPTUNE (637-8863) | www.neptunesociety.com

Our prearranged plans cover all necessary expenses for one guaranteed price even if the services are not needed for 40 or 50 years. The Neptune Society offers a $100 discount to all NARFE members. *Discounted offer is not valid for residents of Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky. Void Where Prohibited.

MOVING SERVICES................................................................................................................................... Coleman Allied | 850-375-0917 | jack.jacobs@colemanallied.com

With over 300 agency partners and an entire team dedicated to a quality move experience, Coleman Allied provides customized discount levels for all NARFE members for Interstate moves. *The NARFE pricing only applies to moves that leave the state you currently reside in.

Wheaton World Wide Moving | 800-248-7960 | narfe@wvlcorp.com

At Wheaton, we know interstate relocation is much more than trucks and boxes. With a network of top-quality agents throughout the United States, Wheaton provides peace of mind with every relocation.

TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT.................................................................................................................... Choice Hotels International | 800-258-2847 | www.choicehotels.com

With 6,400 hotels throughout the world, Choice Hotels offers something for everyone. As a member, receive 20% off your next stay at participating hotels when you use Special Rate ID 00801967.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car® | Book Now! | https://partners.rentalcar.com/narfe

When you’re ready to go, Enterprise Rent-A-Car makes it easy. We offer everyday low rates on a great selection of cars, trucks and vans and customers are picked up at no extra cost*. See website for exclusions.

Hotel Engine | https://members.hotelengine.com/join/narfe175

Hotel Engine, a private booking platform, connects organizations and their members to deeply discounted hotel rates.

National Car Rental® | 800-CAR-RENT | www.nationalcarrental.com

NARFE members receive great rates with National Car Rental! At National, we pride ourselves on always providing you with unsurpassed convenience and choice. https://partners.rentalcar.com/narfe

Wyndham Hotels | 1-877-670-7088 | http://bit.ly/WYNDHAM_NARFE

NARFE members receive up to 20% off the “Best Available Rate” at participating Wyndham Hotel Group locations worldwide. To receive discount, book online or call our special member benefits hotline at 1-877-670-7088 and give the agent your special discount ID number 1000007874 at time of booking. For online bookings, your discount ID will automatically be entered and your discount displayed.

WELLNESS.................................................................................................................................................... Brookdale Senior Living Communities | 877-713-2762 | www.brookdale.com/narfe

As the largest operator of senior living communities in the US, Brookdale has over 1,000 locations all across the country. Members are eligible for 7.5% discount at Brookdale Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care communities and 10% discounts on Brookdale Private Duty Home Care. Discounts are for new move-ins/customers only. R

Life Line Screening | 800-324-9906 | www.lifelinescreening.com/NARFE

Life Line Screening, America’s leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will conduct health screenings using state-of-the-art ultrasound technology in your neighborhood. Operator code BKHN075.

ADDITIONAL PERKS.................................................................................................................................

SEE HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE AT

www.NARFE.ORG/memberperks

The Way We Worked

Advancing Agriculture in America, 1925 This 1925 photograph shows U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Office Assistant Chief J.H. Evans making his rounds of local farms by horse-drawn buggy. In 1914, Congress created USDA’s Cooperative Extension Service to partner with land-grant universities for agriculture research and education. At that time, 30 percent of the U.S. workforce was engaged in farming. Today, with less than 2 percent of Americans farming for a living, the USDA has expanded its extension services to all communities, with offices in nearly every county in the U.S. These agents not only support farmers and ranchers, but they also assist families with nutrition and home economics, and provide youth educational services. PHOTO from from the records of the Department of Agriculture, National Archives, courtesy of the National Archives History Office, in collaboration with the Society for History in the Federal Government (SHFG), bringing together government professionals, academics, consultants, students and citizens interested in understanding federal history work and the historical development of the federal government. To join, visit www.shfg.org. 52

NARFE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2021

DID YOU KNOW? While the Smith-Lever Act formalized cooperative extension in 1914, its roots go back to the agricultural clubs and societies of the early 1800s. Learn more at https://nifa.usda. gov/extension.

The Way We Worked celebrates the past 100 years of public service through archival images. Eargo and GEHA are proud sponsors of NARFE’s Centennial.

5 Great Reasons Why Oticon MoreTM could be the answer to your hearing problems.

Oticon More with Brain HearingTM technology

A revolutionary hearing aid that gives the brain more of the relevant information it needs to make better sense of sound. So you can get better speech understanding with less effort and the ability to remember more.

Connectivity made easy

Never change a battery again

The hearing aid with built-in intelligence

No out of pocket expense

Simple, wireless connectivity to your favorite devices via Bluetooth®. Make hands-free calls, stream music, connect to smart devices and more!

Works more like how the brain works because it learned through experience. Clinical studies prove Oticon More delivers 30% more sound to the brain and increases speech understanding.2

A trouble-free rechargeable solution allows you to recharge at night for a full day of hearing. FREE charger included!1

Take advantage of your $2500 hearing benefit! You may be eligible for a pair of Oticon MoreTM3 hearing aids for $0 out of pocket.3

This special offer for federal employees and retirees is available only at Your Hearing Network locations. To find your location call

877-696-5335

Lithium-ion battery performance varies depending on hearing loss, lifestyle and streaming behavior. Compared to Oticon Opn STM, Santurette, et al. 2020. Oticon More clinical evidence. Oticon Whitepaper 3 Your out-of-pocket costs may vary depending on plan benefits, eligibility, deductible, co-insurance, and model of device chosen. This is not a guarantee of coverage or payment. Benefit is not available through all insurance plans. Please call us to verify your coverage. 1 2

Members,

Pay $0

out-of-pocket! Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan members may be eligible for two fully covered hearing aids with zero out-of-pocket cost on many models when applying your hearing aid benefit*. HearUSA offers all these features and follows all safety protocols for our customers and employees. Call 1-855-252-0025 to discover more or visit www.blue365deals.com/fep. EXPERIENCE - HearUSA has been changing lives through better hearing since 1987 and a proud NARFE Circle Sponsor since 2016. CHOICE - All major hearing aid brands and styles available, including completely-in-the-canal, the smallest custom hearing aids on the market. TECHNOLOGY - Smart technology helps you hear more clearly and eliminates annoying feedback “whistling”. RECHARGABLE - Most models have rechargeable options; no need to ever replace batteries! Plus, many models connect with your cell phone! TELEHEALTH - Take advantage of HearUSA Telehealth Services where you obtain quality care at home. Telehealth appointments are available.

Three-year manufacturer’s warranty covers repairs Three-year loss and damage coverage provides peace of mind One-year of FREE batteries eliminates an extra expense One year of FREE in-office service will get you off to a great start!

Call 1-855-252-0025 to schedule a FREE in-person or telehealth hearing appointment today! *The Service Benefit Plan will pay a hearing aid benefit for Standard and Basic Option up to $2,500 total every 5 calendar years for adults age 22 and over, and up to $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22. FEP Blue Focus does not have a hearing aid benefit. Do not rely on this communication piece alone for complete benefit information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan brochure. Blue365® offers access to savings on health and wellness products and services that members may purchase from independent vendors, which are not covered benefits under the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program, Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP Dental and/or Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP Vision. These products and services will be offered to you through the entire benefit year. During the year, the independent vendors may offer additional discounts on these products and services. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact the customer service number on your member ID card. Any disputes regarding your health insurance products and services may be subject to your plan’s grievance process. BCBSA may receive payments from vendors providing products and services on or accessible through the Site. Neither BCBSA nor any Blue Company recommends, endorses, warrants, or guarantees any specific vendor, product or service available under or through the Blue365 Program or Site.

September 2021 NARFE Magazine

Articles inside

The Way We Worked

Alzheimer’s Update

Managing Money

Looking Back at LEGcon21

Grassroots Advocacy Month Wraps Up

Member Perks

Kiran Ahuja Confirmed as OPM Director

Committee Fails to Include Explicit Pay Raise in Appropriations Bill

From the President