BILL INTRODUCED TO BENEFIT FERS DOMESTIC PARTNERS
On May 20, 2009, a bill was introduced (H.R. 2517) in the House of Representatives to provide benefits to domestic partners of federal employees. These benefits include health insurance, retirement and disability benefits, family, medical and emergency leave, Federal Group life insurance, long-term care insurance, compensation for work injuries, benefits for disability, death or captivity, travel, and transportation and related payments and benefits.
H.R. 2517 defines domestic partnership as same sex partners, not related in any way that:
- share a common residence and intend to continue the living arrangement;
- are each other’s sole domestic partner and intend to remain so indefinitely;
- are at least 18 years of age and mentally competent to consent to a contract;
- share in a responsibility for a substantial measure of each other’s common welfare and financial obligations;
- and, that clearly understand that willful falsification of their affidavits will have legal consequences.
The bill also addresses benefits awarded to any children or step-children that result from a domestic partnership. It stipulates:
For purposes of affording benefits under this Act, any natural or adopted child of a domestic partner of an employee shall be deemed a stepchild of the employee.
Bill H.R. 2517 further stipulates that should it become law, all relevant agencies shall disseminate regulations or orders to implement this Act within six months.
CUTBACKS AT UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
Perhaps it comes as no surprise, given email, texting, and the now “old” fax machine that the United States Postal Service would suffer a cash shortfall. The latest loss, however, is the largest yet – USPS ended its second quarter of this year $1.9 Billion in the red, proving that neither person nor entity in the public or private sector is immune to this “great” Recession.
But, this is not news. Reportedly, for the last 10 out of 11 fiscal quarters, USPS has experienced net losses, despite rigorous cost reductions – and despite being one of the oldest and most reliable federal institutions in the United States. Regardless of the rise in the cost of postage stamps, U.S. mail remains the most reasonably priced method of getting both paper and package from point a to point b.
To address their losses, the USPS rolled out mail incentive programs, increased their advertising efforts and cut postal workers’ hours. However, given bleak earnings by USPS, the institution may find itself unable to make its full contribution, $5.4 Billion, in health benefits for its 400,000 retirees.
That is why USPS supports H.R. 22, a House bill that would provide relief to the Postal Service by allowing it to use money in a trust fund intended for the payment of future retirees’ health benefits now, rather than having to wait until 2016. Meanwhile USPS still will be required to make payments to the fund.
Although this bill could provide USPS with a short-term solution to their fiscal troubles, it also could be viewed as putting the health benefits of future USPS retirees at risk. There are no easy answers.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES . . . Source: www.gibill.va.gov
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill will become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. This program will pay eligible individuals:
- tuition & fees directly to the school not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition & fees at a public Institution of Higher Learning.
- a monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school.
- to determine the BAH for your school’s ZIP code click here (link goes to a non-VA website.
- an annual books & supplies stipend of $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment.
- a one-time rural benefit payment for eligible individuals.
- this benefit is payable only for training at an Institution of Higher Learning (See comparison chart for more information.)
If you are enrolled exclusively in online training you will not receive the housing allowance. If you are on active duty you will not receive the housing allowance or books & supplies stipend. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.
HEALTHCARE POLICY OVERVIEW FROM SENATOR TED KENNEDY (D-MA) Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, released his Healthcare Policy Overview. Below is the section dealing with disability insurance:
Health care reform must ensure that vulnerable populations have access to coverage that meets their needs. For persons with disabilities and seniors with chronic illness, long-term services and supports are their primary unmet health care needs. These are critical to promoting health, preventing illness, and helping people to function independently instead of in institutions. Ten million Americans need long-term services – personal care, assistive technology and other supportive services – a number that will increase to 26 million by 2050. Over 200 million adult Americans lack protection for the costs of long-term services and supports. The nation lacks a coordinated, national public-private system to deliver quality long-term services and supports.
Nearly half of all funding for these services is now provided through Medicaid, a burden on states requiring individuals to become and remain poor to receive help. These are key goals we hope to achieve through long term services and supports:
- Supporting America’s workers with a new financing alternative for long term services and supports;
- Promoting individual choice and independence through self-determination;
- Ensuring fiscally responsible and affordable premiums;
- Strengthening Medicaid for those who need it by reducing dependence on Medicaid for long-term services and supports;
- Retaining the role of private insurance in providing long term services and supports.
Supporting America’s workers with a new financing alternative for long term services and supports:
Through participation in a new voluntary nationwide insurance program, people with disabilities and chronic illnesses will have a cash benefit to pay for and choose the services and supports they need to function and independently. Financed through voluntary payroll deductions (with Medicare Part B-style enrollment opt-out), this program will remove barriers to independence and choice (e.g., housing modifications, assistive technologies, personal assistance services, transportation) by providing a cash benefit to individuals who become disabled. We will help employers by providing support to persons with disabilities to enable them to work and to working caregivers to help reduce absenteeism and maintain productivity.
To qualify for benefits, individuals must have contributed monthly premiums through a voluntary payroll deduction for at least five years. Tiered benefits ($50 – $100.00 per day) will be payable to individuals unable to perform two or more Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) or have the equivalent cognitive impairment.
Promoting individual choice and independence through self-determination: Benefits will be accessed using a “Life Independence” debit card to purchase non-medical services and supports the individual needs to maintain independence at home or in a community residential setting of their choice, including home modifications, assistive technology, accessible transportation, homemaker services, respite care, personal assistance services, and home care aides. These cash payments avoid bureaucracy and empower consumers to control what services they get, how, where and from whom.
Ensuring fiscally responsible and affordable premiums:
The program will be self-funded through participant premiums and will be a primary payer to Medicaid. Premiums will be limited to $65 per month; those with incomes below poverty will pay no more than $5 per month. Younger participants will pay less than older participants, and no one will pay over $65 per month. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, with assistance from the Treasury Board of Trustees and the CLASS Independence Advisory Council, will monitor fund solvency and make recommendations 20 years ahead of time if solvency is in question.
Strengthening Medicaid for those who need it by reducing dependence on Medicaid for long term services and supports: One essential element of reform is ensuring health security. Individuals and families should not go bankrupt in paying for needed care. Under our current system, families impoverish themselves by spending down their life savings before receiving the care they need through Medicaid. This program will offer an alternative and be payer of first resort to Medicaid.
Retaining the role of private insurance in providing long term services and supports: Benefits will cover about half of the current average cost of long term care, retaining a role for private insurance. This balanced public/private structure, with a broad-based public option to “provide a minimum floor of protection”, supports the purchase of private insurance wrap-around products – thus creating a flexible way to help families and disabled individuals meet their unique circumstances. Long term supplemental coverage can be made available through the American Health Benefit Exchange.