MEMBER SERVICES Service Officer Roles and Responsibilities Social and Inter-Chapter Activities Membership Communications Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Sunshine Committee Affordable Care Act Impacts Region IX Leadership Training Ellensburg, Washington

Nancy Crosby - Welcome - Member Chapter 1192 Tri-Cities and District V Vice President Nancy Crosby– Service Officer Roles and Responsibilities and Social Activities Johanna Caylor – Membership Communications and FEHB Information - Member Chapter 1192 Tri-Cities, Membership Chair and Newsletter Nancy Crosby – Sunshine Committee and Affordable Care Act Member Services Presenters

Who is the service officer in your chapter? Forms the service officer will need Q&A Books and NARFE Magazine F-100 Be Prepared for Lifes Events Service Officer activity reports to WSFC Chairman Latest copy of the Service Officer Guide Service Officer Roles and Responsibilities

Meet the practical needs of members involving benefit programs Facilitate between members and OPM Help with correct preparation and expedite applications for benefit claims Help obtain information about FEHBP, Medicare and programs of other agencies Review useful information at chapter meetings and in the chapter newsletter Service Officer Role

Service Officers Guide (FH-10) NARFE publications & web sites at & OPM web site at Federation Service Officer newsletter Service Officer Tools

Be Prepared for Lifes Events F-100 This is one of the best tools that a member can utilize. This can be taken to the Service Officer if help is needed.

Purpose – have personal/financial info one location Why – so survivors know how to handle your affairs How – review information/steps with your survivors Ensure – survivors know where the guide is located Periodically – review guide to ensure it is up to date Be Prepared for Lifes Events F100

Click on Members Log In Enter your LAST NAME & Membership ID, e.g., Crosby 103xxxxx (on your magazine label) Submit On left side of page Resources Library Click on *Be Prepared Get the F100 On Line

This will bring up the PDF form Reduce Size to 100% and save and name file and enter information Save file again Print file Transfer file to a thumb drive or floppy disc; do not keep on your computer Be Prepared for Lifes Events F100

Sporting Events – baseball games, hockey games, soccer games, basketball and football games. Get a block of seats together Tours – local museums; wine tasting; markets; art shows; scientific locations; Hanford Site Water Trips - Puget Sound, rivers and lakes Picnics – chapter and district Social and Inter-Chapter Activities

Newsletters – at least every other month if possible – input from officers and committees. Meeting times, locations and programs. Use a hidden number as an incentive to read the newsletter with a $5 reward. Website – if you have a website you can post chapter newsletters, meeting minutes, treasurer reports, chapter updates and events. Membership Communications

Calling Tree – have callers contact local members to remind them of monthly meetings or other information. – keep a current list of members addresses to send out newsletters, announcements and other chapter information. Encourage all members to go electronic Reminder Cards – send out reminder cards to members who are delinquent in membership renewal and to encourage them to sign up for dues withholding. Membership Communications

Be sure your membership know how to contact OPM address; Attend health fairs – good way to recruit as well as get the current medical benefits to share with chapter members. Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program

Send get well, thinking of you and condolence cards to chapter members and families of chapter members Use your Calling Tree to learn of significant events - both happy and sad - that can be shared Special events, remembrances and recognitions Sunshine Committee

Article in the May NARFE magazine Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Law There are no provisions in the law affecting all federal employees or retirees Only federal employees affected are members of Congress and their staffs Allows Indian tribes, tribal organization and urban Indian organizations to purchase FEHBP coverage Affordable Care Act Impacts

FEHBP plans meet the requirements and provisions of the law and all carriers are in compliance Dependent coverage is extended to age 26 By 2013 all FEHB plans will eliminate annual and lifetime limits of health benefits Plans are prohibited from pre-existing conditions exclusions Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) which enable use of pretax funds, will be limited to $2500 down from $5000 Retirees cannot have FSAs Affordable Care Act Impacts

In Tax year 2013 the unreimbursed medical expenses tax deduction raised to 10% of AGI up from 7.5%. Taxpayers 65 and older still will be able to use 7.5% rate through 2016 Thats the good news: the bad news is that some of the ACAs requirement could result in slightly higher premiums THE FEHBP currently has 8 million participants making it the countrys largest employer sponsored health plan Affordable Care Act Impacts

FEHBP was protected due to the work of NARFE and others to not undercut benefits Prevented opening up FEHBP to nonfederal employees below a certain poverty level, diluting the risk pool The law requires the risk pools to stay separate So far so good but stay tuned…… Affordable Care Act Impacts

Service Officer Roles and Responsibilities Social and Inter-Chapter Activities Membership Communications Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program Sunshine Committee Affordable Care Act Impacts Membership Services Overview Do you have any questions? How about ideas to share!!

Region IX Leadership Training