Weekend update

Congress is out of town this week for the Independence Day holiday. The FEHBlog is surprised that the Senate did not consider Dale Cabaniss's nomination to become OPM Director last month. Congress returns to Capitol Hill next week for the remainder of July. A Congressional recess will occur in August because this is not  Congressional election year.

The Wall Street Journal reports that

Doctors are taking a second look at the procedure known as shock therapy, saying the long-stigmatized treatment is safer than before and can be remarkably effective in patients with severe symptoms. 

Electroconvulsive therapy, its official name, is a brief electrical stimulation of the brain that causes about a minute-long seizure, helping to realign disrupted circuits. Although the treatment’s most serious potential side effect—memory loss—remains a meaningful risk, advances in technology and technique have reduced the severity. Experts say ECT is among the most effective treatments for serious depression when medications and talk therapy don’t work.

Given the fact that the FEHBP's enrollment is 50% annuitants, it's worth calling attention to this Fierce Healthcare story on a recent UnitedHealth survey finding that

Nearly 70% of Americans ages 62 and older named physical health their top concern * * * In fact, 86% of the demographic are worried about falling ill or becoming hospitalized in the near future. 

Other concerns for this demographic that made the UnitedHealthcare survey included cognitive health (16%), social health (13%), and financial health (6%). Collectively, health was of greater concern than financial stability, with 63% of respondents saying maintaining physical ability to live in retirement was more of a concern than maintaining financial stability (37%).

FEHB plans typically offer healthcare coaching programs. Perhaps coaching program attention should be directed at annuitants (if not already.)