Dear AFSPA Member,

With the holidays approaching and only two months left in 2022, I’m sure many of you are busy preparing for seasonal activities and the upcoming year. This month marks the start of Open Season – a perfect time to start looking at all your benefits and how you and your family will use them in 2023. I invite you to also explore AFSPA’s member-exclusive Ancillary Insurance Programs (AIP) like dental, life, critical illness, and disability insurances to consider adding to your health portfolio next year.

Open Season Activities

This year’s Open Season enrollment period is from November 14 to December 12, 2022. This is your opportunity to make changes to your Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program enrollment, your Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) enrollment, and your federal Flexible Spending Account (FSAFEDS) enrollment. Please keep in mind, if you are already a member of the Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP) and are happy with your coverage, you don’t need to do anything. Your coverage will automatically carry over each year.

In addition, AFSPA will be offering several Open Season webinars with live Q&A sessions scheduled during various times to accommodate members around the world. These webinars will provide an overview of the FEHB and FSBP‘s 2023 benefit enhancements. To register for an Open Season webinar, visit afspa.org/openseason or afspa.org/events. I highly encourage you to attend one of these informative webinars.

NEW: Over the Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids

Over the counter (OTC) hearing aids are a new category of hearing aids that consumers can buy directly, without visiting a hearing health professional. These devices are intended to help adults (18 and older) with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. Like prescription hearing aids, OTC hearing aids make sounds louder so that some adults with difficulty hearing are better able to listen, communicate, and participate fully in daily activities.

FSBP’s coverage for hearing aids extends to cover FDA-approved OTC hearing aids. The overall adult hearing aid benefit remains the same – up to $4,000 per person every three consecutive calendar years. See the official Plan Brochure for full information.

AFSPA’s partnership with TruHearing provides all members with discounts on a wide selection of the latest digital hearing aids. TruHearing’s nationwide network of hearing professionals can provide an assessment of your individual hearing needs and recommend devices to assist you. People using TruHearing to purchase hearing aids save an average of $3,400 per pair versus retail price. Visit truhearing.com or call 1-800-334-1807 to learn more.

American Diabetes Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 37 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and 1 in 5 of them don’t know they have it. In addition, 96 million—over a third—have prediabetes, and more than 8 in 10 of them don’t know they have it. The good news is several lifestyle changes like getting regular exercise (at least 150 minutes a week), maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a balanced diet can help prevent type 2 diabetes.

FSBP offers several programs that can help manage diabetes. Click here to learn about these programs and read our “Focus on Diabetes” article on page 8 of the AFSPA In Action 2022 fall newsletter.

Long Term Care Insurance Awareness Month

November is Long Term Care (LTC) Awareness Month. Conversation about LTC can be difficult. Many people have yet to consider the impact it can have on their retirement. Others simply do not want to think about or accept the fact that a time may come when they can no longer live independently.

Long Term Care Insurance has matured over the last 30 years; It’s not what it used to be – it’s better.  It is so important to understand which plan fits your individual needs.  I invite you to read the Long Term Care articles in our AFSPA in Action 2022 summer newsletter.

AFSPA has partnered with two highly experienced professional consultant groups – Long-Term Care Consultants, Inc. and Signature Financial Partners, LLC – to help you find the best, most affordable LTC options for your needs.  Each group offers 20+ years of experience in the LTC industry and are available to consult with you whether you reside in the U.S. or abroad.

Stay Connected

Last month, our AFSPA Talks podcast focused on breast cancer awareness and cancer care support programs. If you missed the conversation, you can catch up on all podcast episodes at afspa.org/podcast. This month, our podcast topics will focus on Open Season and FSBP’s 2023 benefits and coverage, so stay tuned! Also please join us every last Thursday of the month at 11am ET on Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube as we host ‘AFSPA Live’ a real-time Q&A session to answer your questions about recent podcast topics or any of our services.

Finally, Thanksgiving is just around the corner – a time to see family, reflect on good fortune, and recognize how lucky we are to celebrate this American holiday. From our entire AFSPA team, whose passion is to serve you, we thank you for your service to our country, and for giving us your continued trust and the opportunity to serve you.

Have a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!

To Your Health,

Paula S. Jakub, RHU
CEO, AFSPA
Executive Director, Senior Living Foundation