Federal Employee Health Benefits Programs

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."

2004 Coverages and Premiums

AFSPA Foreign Service Benefit Plan

		Medical/Surgical - You Pay
		Deductible		Catastrophic Limit	Coinsurance(%) / Copay($)
		Per Person (Per Calendar Year)	Per Stay Hospital Inpatient		Doctors	Out-patient tests	Hospital		Prescription Drugs (mail order)
							Inpatient	Outpatient	Generic	Brand
T Y P E	PPO and providers outside of US*	$300	None	$3,000 - self $3,500 - self + family	10%	10%	0%	10%	$20	$40
	Non PPO	$300	$200	$4,000 - self $4,500 - self + family	30%	30%	$200 copay + 20%	30%

*when you reside outside the U.S.

RATES: Biweekly Premiums
Self	Self + Family
$41.28	$116.91

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Federal Employee Program (Standard Option)

		Medical/Surgical - You Pay
		Deductible		Catastrophic Limit	Coinsurance(%) / Copay($)
		Per Person (Per Calendar Year)	Per Stay Hospital Impatient		Out-patient tests		Hospital		Prescription Drugs (mail order)
					Preventative	Routine	Impatient	Outpatient	Generic	Brand
T Y P E	PPO	$250	$100	$4,000	$15	$15	10%	10%	$10	$35
	Non PPO	$250	$300	$6,000	25% + subject to $250 deductible	Not a benefit	25%	25%

RATES: Biweekly Premiums
Self	Self + Family
$48.90	$112.88

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