Federal Employee Health Benefits Programs

Employees transferring between overseas and domestic posts are eligible to change their health and life insurance plans.  If they chose to do so, the election must be made within 31 days before leaving the old post and 60 days after arriving at a new post.

If you are due to transfer, you might save hundreds of dollars next year if you take a few minutes now to review your current health insurance plan.  While there are scores of plans available, the vast majority of Foreign Service employees are signed up for either the Foreign Service Benefit Plan (administered by AFSPA, not AFSA) or Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  A thorough examination of those plans by State MED in November 2002 found that the Foreign Service Benefit Plan "combines the two elements of insurance which keep out-of-pocket medical expenses overseas in check - PPO co-insurance rates plus no fixed plan allowance schedule. This protection coupled with the one year mail order prescription supply makes the Foreign Service Benefit Plan well-suited for employees abroad."

More Info

For full brochures and other info, see your Admin or Executive office or access them on-line at www.opm.gov/insure/health.

For the Foreign Service Benefit Plan, see www.afspa.org (or afspa@afspa.org), Larry Newfeld, Foreign Service Benefit Plan, 1716 N ST. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036-2902, Tel: (202) 833-4910; Fax: (202) 883-4918.

For Blue Cross and Blue Shield, see www.fepblue.org, BCBSNCA, FEP Overseas Claims, 550 12TH Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20065, Tel: (804) 673-1678