Federal Employee Hearings Held
Friday, October 16, 2009
(AFSCME)
A Senate hearing was held to
investigate the shocking rate increase federal
employees are facing for long-term care plans.
Many AFSCME federal employees purchased long
term care policies years ago with the belief
that they would pay more in the beginning to
lock –in a premium rate and level of benefits
that would remain constant throughout the life
of their plan. Unfortunately, misleading sales
material failed to mention the plans would be
renegotiated and the premium rates and benefit
levels thought to be locked-in would be subject
to reevaluation. Senators, one whom purchased a
plan and witnesses expressed outrage and asked
the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
to work with the long-term care insurance
providers to resolve the problem in an
equitable manner. An additional hearing was
held regarding the Domestic Partnership
Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009
(S.1102/H.R. 2517). The bill would provide
federal employees who have same-sex domestic
partners the same employment benefits that are
available to married federal employees and
their spouses. The Director of OPM and
senators on the committee shared AFSCME’s
support for the bill. Overall, the hearing
highlighted how offering domestic partnership
benefits could help the federal government
attract new talent and retain existing
employees.