Dear AFSPA Member,
Happy New Year! A special welcome to our new enrollees who chose the Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP) or one of our many Ancillary Insurance plans during Open Season. And a warm thank you to our over 32,000 members who continue to put their trust in us each year. We truly value your membership and look forward to serving you in 2022.
New Theme!
2022 brings a new theme, Physical Health Leads to Better Mental Wellness – Link to a Better You, and an opportunity to move from a sick-care mindset to a preventive-care approach. I strongly encourage you to act on the steps below to assist your annual wellness journey to a better you.
- Complete your Health Risk Assessment (HRA). This simple questionnaire will provide a snapshot of your current health status and help identify personal health goals. (Adults age 18+ earn a $75 incentive reward).
- Complete an Annual Exam and Screening. These standard exams can identify potential health risks and detect conditions early. Parents, it is especially important to keep up with your child(ren)’s well-child visits as well. Children should have at least six well-child visits by the time they’re 15 months old. (Adults age 18+ earn a $100 incentive reward)
- Stay current on recommended vaccines. Immunizations protect you, your family, and your community. Receiving flu and COVID-19 vaccines earns you a $25 incentive reward for each vaccine obtained.* To see a full schedule of recommended vaccines for all ages click here.
Jan 15 – 21 is Healthy Weight Week
Healthy Weight Week celebrates healthy habits that last a lifetime. FSBP offers many programs, such as our new Lifestyle and Condition Coaching program, to help you begin and maintain those positive life changes. Lifestyle and Condition Coaching provides support for over 40 lifestyle and medical conditions including weight, nutrition, stress, sleep, pain management, and more. Earn up to $150 in wellness incentives when you participate in this program. Click here to learn more.
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month
About 79 million Americans currently have the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV spreads through sexual activity and is responsible for nearly all 11,000 annually-diagnosed cases of cervical cancer. Talk to your doctor about how often you should receive a cervical cancer and/or HPV screening. FSBP offers a $25 wellness incentive to you and your covered dependents age 18 and older after completing a cervical cancer screening. Click here to learn more about other healthy actions that earn you wellness incentives.
Your Rights and Protections Against Medical Surprise Billing
The No Surprises Act, which Congress passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, is effective as of January 1, 2022. It protects patients from surprise bills for emergency services at out-of-network facilities, out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, ambulatory surgical centers or air ambulance providers. This ensures patients are liable only for in-network, cost-sharing amounts. Click here to learn more about this new protection rule. If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact the No Surprises Helpdesk at 1-800-985-3059 or www.cms.gov/nosurprises. Or if you need help finding your state agency, call us at 202-833-4910.
Looking back at the last 24 months is not easy to do – there were hard times for everyone. However, we’ve adapted to new ways of communicating and connecting with our members. You can now connect with us and learn more about our offerings through our blog, podcast, and social media platforms.
A new year brings promise of new beginnings and here at AFSPA, we anticipate a wonderful 2022. I want to personally wish you all a prosperous and healthy New Year. Thank you for your trust and for giving us the opportunity to serve you and your family.
To Your Health,
Paula S. Jakub, RHU
CEO, AFSPA
Executive Director, Senior Living Foundation
