Tuesday, January 14, 2025

APWU/NPMHU/USPS | One Time Retirement Incentive

Title: NPMHU/USPS | One Time Retirement Incentive

Article Snip: "...NPMHU and the USPS have reached an agreement on the terms of a One Time Retirement Incentive. The parties have agreed that the Postal Service will make lump sum incentive payments totaling $15,000 (less applicable taxes and deductions) to eligible..."

Reference: npmhu317.blogspot.com
NPMHU/USPS | One Time Retirement Incentive






Friday, January 10, 2025

OPM extends long-term care program suspension | New enrollments are on hold until December 2026

Title: OPM extends long-term care program suspension | New enrollments are on hold until December 2026

Article Snip: "...The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has extended the suspension period for all new Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program applications.

The agency, also known as OPM, initially suspended applications for two years beginning in 2022. This suspension has been extended until Dec. 19, 2026.

In a statement, OPM said the suspension is needed because of ongoing volatility in long-term care costs and a diminished insurance market...
"

Important notice about premiums:
FLTCIP enrollees with the automatic compound inflation option (ACIO)
The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) held the 2023 Enrollee Decision Period from September to November 2023, providing FLTCIP enrollees personalized options to help mitigate the impact of a premium rate increase, effective January 1, 2024. Impacted enrollees with ACIO for inflation protection had the option to pay their premium increase in three phases. The second phase of the premium increase is effective January 1, 2025. We mailed a letter in early December notifying those who are affected. Log into your My LTCFEDS account for more information


Reference: usps.com
Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP)






Thursday, January 9, 2025

Problems with Medicare Advantage Plans Keep Mounting

Title: Problems with Medicare Advantage Plans Keep Mounting

Article Snip: "...Complaints and problems with Medicare Advantage include denial of service and slow care approvals. Consumers need to pay attention. ... People tend to like their Medicare Advantage plans — until they don’t. ...

...

MA faces mounting criticism for denying and delaying some needed care while costing taxpayers billions more than government-run, so-called fee-for-service, traditional Medicare. ... The reasons for Medicare Advantage’s expanding popularity are readily apparent: lower costs for individuals, simpler selections and extras, such as dental and vision coverage and even gym memberships, not provided by traditional Medicare. ...
"

Reference: www.kiplinger.com
Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage,Why do doctors not like Medicare Advantage plans?,Medicare Part D vs. PSHB Part D Employer Group Waiver Plan (EGWP),






Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Is Medicare Part D better for postal a retiree than PSHB Part D Employer Group Waiver Plan (EGWP)?

Title: Is Medicare Part D better for a postal retiree than PSHB Part D Employer Group Waiver Plan (EGWP)?

Article Snip: "...For many retirees, Medicare Part D can be considered better than a PSHB Part D EGWP because it often offers more flexibility in plan selection, wider drug coverage options, and may have lower out-of-pocket costs due to broader access to the Medicare Part D marketplace, while the EGWP might be more limited in its drug formulary and could potentially cost more for certain medications depending on individual needs; additionally, opting out of the EGWP may result in losing prescription drug coverage altogether while still paying the same premium. ... However, it's important to compare plans carefully before making a decision:

Review your medication needs:

Analyze which medications you take regularly and compare their coverage and costs under both the PSHB EGWP and available Medicare Part D plans.
"

Reference: AI Generated






Tuesday, January 7, 2025

What happens to my FEGLI Basic Life premium when i turn 65?

Title: What happens to my FEGLI Basic Life premium when i turn 65?

The Federal Retirement News: What happens to my FEGLI Basic Life premium when i turn 65?
AANSWER: Coverage is free after you turn age 65 or retire (if later).

According to OPM, on the date of this posting (1/7/2025), your 'Option A - Standard' effective at the end of the month after the month in which you become age 65 or retire (if later), your Option A coverage will reduce by 2 percent of the pre-retirement amount per month until it reaches 25% of the pre-retirement amount ($2,500.00). Coverage is free after you turn age 65 or retire (if later). You cannot choose No Reduction for Option A.

Reference: The Federal Retirement News and Reference Source

More Reading: FEGLI in Retirement: Here’s the One Thing to Avoid; stwserve.com

FEGLI in retirement, Expense Reductions at age 65 years old,Life Insurance,FEGLI,Reference (2025 - FEGLI),






Sunday, January 5, 2025

Japanese woman who was the world’s oldest person at 116 has died

Title: Japanese woman who was the world’s oldest person at 116 has died

Article Snip: "...TOKYO (AP) — Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman who was the world’s oldest person according to Guinness World Records, has died, an Ashiya city official said Saturday. She was 116. ...According to the Gerontology Research Group, the world’s oldest person is now 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was born 16 days after Itooka. ..."

Reference: www.wsbtv.com






Baby boomer homeowners fear losing their properties as they spend down their savings

Title: Baby boomer homeowners fear losing their properties as they spend down their savings

Article Snip: "...Many baby boomers are struggling with rising home repair costs, insurance premiums, and property taxes while also facing a scarcity of affordable retirement housing options. And working all their lives isn't enough to prevent a growing number of older people from experiencing homelessness.

Rising rents and home prices, largely caused by a housing shortage and other cost-of-living spikes, are hitting older adults especially hard. Overall homelessness surged to its highest level on record...
"

Reference: www.businessinsider.com
Destruction of Retirees,Baby Boomers Struggling in Retirement,cost-of-living,Biden/Democrat Inflation Silent Tax on Retirees,






Saturday, January 4, 2025

Retiree, 71, heading to church service fights back when group of thug teens attack

Title: Retiree, 71, heading to New Year’s Day church service fights back when teen girls attack, try to rob her in NYC subway station

Article Snip: "...elderly woman on her way to a New Year’s Day church service fought back when a violent group of teen girls pummeled her during a botched robbery inside a Brooklyn subway station, cops said. Linda Rosa, 71 – a retired MTA computer operation worker who lives in East New York – got off a No. 3 train at Hoyt Street..."

Reference: nypost.com
Attacks on Retirees,Lawless America Under Democrats,






Saturday, December 28, 2024

Costco egg recall for salmonella receives FDA's most severe designation

Title: Costco egg recall for salmonella receives FDA's most severe designation

24-count packages of organic pasture-raised eggs with UPC 9661910680 under the Kirkland Signature brand — and also bearing the Julian code 327 and a use-by date of Jan 5, 2025 — should bring the products back to Costco or discard them
Article Snip: "...The FDA says that people who bought 24-count packages of organic pasture-raised eggs with UPC 9661910680 under the Kirkland Signature brand — and also bearing the Julian code 327 and a use-by date of Jan 5, 2025 — should bring the products back to Costco or discard them. ..."

Reference: www.npr.org
Costco,Egg Recall, Salmonella, Kirkland Signature Brand, organic pasture-raised eggs,






Saturday, December 21, 2024

SSA.gov | How do I sign up for Medicare?

Title: How do I sign up for Medicare?

Article Snip: "...If you already get Social Security benefits, you do not need to sign up for Medicare. We will automatically enroll you in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) when you become eligible. We will mail you the information a few months before you become eligible.

Because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you can turn it down. However, if you decide to sign up for Part B later, your coverage can be delayed and you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B coverage. Residents of Puerto Rico or foreign countries will NOT automatically receive Part B. They must elect this benefit.

If you don’t get Social Security benefits and are not ready to apply for them yet, you should sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday. The easiest way to apply for Medicare is by using our online application or you can make an appointment by calling us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information read our Medicare publication.

...
"

Reference: ssa.gov
How do I sign up for Medicare?






Tuesday, December 17, 2024

How a Decades Old Loophole Lets Billionaires Avoid Medicare Taxes

Title: How a Decades Old Loophole Lets Billionaires Avoid Medicare Taxes

Article Snip: "Most working Americans have to pay Medicare taxes, but some of the richest figures on Wall Street have found a way to opt out, a ProPublica investigation found. ...It’s so automatic for many workers that they may not even realize it takes a bite out of every paycheck. In theory, everyone is required to contribute to the country’s health insurance program for seniors, no matter how poor or rich, from cashiers to CEOs. Not on Wall Street. There, some of the most powerful people in finance found a way to opt out. The trove of tax records...these maneuvers by the rich hasten Medicare’s future crisis."

Reference: www.propublica.org
Wealthy vs. Working Class, Medicare Taxes for You But Not The Wealthy, Loopholes for the Wealthy But Not You, Destruction of the Social Security Retiree,






Thursday, December 12, 2024

Are you having trouble signing in with login.gov?

Title: Are you having trouble signing in with login.gov?

Article Snip: "...Forgot your login.gov password? Locked out of your account? We’ll help you resolve account access issues. ...
How to sign in to Login.gov
Forgot your password
Issues with face or touch unlock
"

Reference: www.login.gov
login.gov issues






Health | Scientists identify ultra-processed foods that fuel colon cancer and healthy alternatives that may offset the damage

Title: Scientists identify ultra-processed foods that fuel colon cancer and healthy alternatives that may offset the damage

Article Snip: "...Previous evidence has linked increased inflammation to diets high in processed food, such as chips, sausages, packaged desserts, and refined carbs. ..."Our bodies are designed to actively resolve inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds derived from the healthy fats, like avocados, that we consume." ..."

Reference: www.businessinsider.com
Colon Cancer,Health,Cancer Prevention,






Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Health | Risks and Complications of Breast Implants

Title: Risks and Complications of Breast Implants

Article Snip: "...The FDA has updated the Risks and Complications of Breast Implants, clarifying information about Implant Removal and adding ultrasound as an acceptable alternative imaging for screening for rupture for asymptomatic patients to Silicone Gel-Filled Implant Rupture. The FDA also added a new subsection entitled, Reports of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), Various Lymphomas other than BIA-ALCL, and Mesenchymal Tumors, including Sarcoma. ..."

Reference:www.fda.gov
Food and Drug Administration (FDA),Breast Implants (Risks and Complications),






Health | I’m a doctor — here are 4 simple ways to lower your risk of dementia

Title: I’m a doctor — here are 4 simple ways to lower your risk of dementia

Article Snip: "...All of our brains inevitably shrink with age — a change that is most accelerated and profound in the nearly 7 million Americans currently living with dementia. While there isn’t a way to reverse this loss in brain volume, we can potentially curb it by prioritizing our mental and physical health.

Dr. Arjun Masurkar, a cognitive neurologist and dementia specialist at NYU Langone Health, shared with us four major ways to maintain a healthy mind as we age. ...
"

Reference: nypost.com
Health,Dementia prevention/delay,






Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Medicare Log In | Sign In or Create a Medicare Account

Title: Medicare Log In | Sign In or Create a Medicare Account

Article Snip: "...Your secure Medicare account lets you access your information anytime. ...To get started, you'll need your red, white, and blue Medicare card. I don't have a Medicare card If you don't have your Medicare card, you can get your Medicare Number by logging in to your Social Security account. If you need more help, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. My Social Security Account"

Reference: www.medicare.gov
Medicare Log In, Sign In or Create a Medicare Account,






When can I sign up for Medicare? Get My Medicare Sign Up Date

Title: When can I sign up for Medicare?

Article Snip: "...Get My Medicare Sign Up Date. Answer a few questions here to find out

These questions don’t apply if you have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). ...
"



Reference: www.medicare.gov
When can I sign up for Medicare?






Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage

Title: Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage

Article Snip: "...Consider these things when deciding between Original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage Plan for your health coverage..."

Reference: www.medicare.gov
Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage






Get Started With Medicare | Your Medicare Card

Title: Get Started With Medicare | Your Medicare Card

Article Snip: "... Your card has a Medicare Number that’s unique to you — it’s not your Social Security Number. This helps protect your identity.

The card shows:

You have Medicare Part A (listed as HOSPITAL), Part B (listed as MEDICAL), or both.

The date your coverage begins.

Once you’re signed up for Medicare, we’ll mail you your Medicare card in your welcome packet. You can also log into (or create) your secure Medicare account to print your official Medicare card. ...
"



Reference: www.medicare.gov






Apply for Medicare Part D Extra Help program

Title: Apply for Medicare Part D Extra Help program

Article Snip: "...Medicare Part D provides drug coverage. The Extra Help program helps with the cost of your prescription drugs, like deductibles and copays. You can apply for Extra Help any time before or after you enroll in Part D. ..."

Reference: www.ssa.gov
Medicare Part D Extra Help program