Monday follow-up

Following up to the Weekend Update, the FEHBlog notes that last Thursday the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an FY 2014 financial service and general government administration bill for full Senate consideration by a 16-14 vote. The bill includes that routine FEHBP appropriation provisions exempting FEHBP contracts from full cost accounting standards coverage and adding a contraceptives coverage mandate. The Senate bill does not include the abortion coverage restriction found in the House bill but that provision historically winds up in the approved legislation when the House and Senate leaders confab.

OPM has posted a webpage full of benefit guides for federal employees, U.S. Postal Service employees, and Tribal employees.

OPM is getting ready for the 2014 Open Season this fall. It has begin to circulate benefit administration letters. The FEHBlog thinks that its worth posting this OPM attachment with frequently asked questions about certain services and another OPM attachment with a Venn diagram aligning and contrasting FEHBP, FEDVIP, and FSAFEDs benefits.