"Although the Plan is a non-ERISA governmental plan exempt under 29 U.S.C.Section 1003(b)(1), the court applied an arbitrary-and-capricious standard derived from New York contract law that closely mirrors ERISA review of plans vesting discretion in the administrator. The decision is significant for ERISA practitioners because the panel borrows substantively from ERISA case law to define the scope of judicial review, the limits on discovery, and the treatment of treating-physician opinions." [Martin v. Fed. Rsrv. Bank of Cleveland, No. 25-3518 (6th Cir. May 7, 2026)] MORE >>
"This Carrier Letter includes the 2027 Community Rating Guidelines and Proposal Instructions for Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program Carriers. FEHB and PSHB plans must be rated separately based on the population covered." [Also available: MLR Threshold; Proposal Tables (XLSX)]MORE >>
"In the two geographic markets we researched, a commercial MA plan was the cheapest plan option, but that may not be true where you live. Consider the following before suspending your FEHB coverage and enrolling: ... Prior authorization ... Provider access ... No family coverage ... Higher out-of-pocket costs ... Higher catastrophic limit ... The ability to return to FEHB during any future Open Season represents a significant advantage." MORE >>
"GAO found that selected FEHB carriers -- which operate health benefit plans -- do not always notify patients that their providers are suspended or debarred, as required. Carriers also did not notify OPM OIG when providers may warrant suspension or debarment, as required by OPM OIG policy. Clarifying requirements would help OPM and OPM OIG ensure that patients are not exposed to risks related to suspended or debarred providers." [GAO-26-108139Apr. 29, 2026]MORE >>
"USPS told the White House Office of Personnel Management that effective Friday it will stop making $200 million payments every other week for its employer contributions for the defined benefit portion of the Federal Employees Retirement System. USPS warned Thursday that without reforms it could run out of cash as soon as February." MORE >>
"[F]or federal employees and other government workers, the decision to convert money from a Traditional TSP to Roth may require more careful timing than the headlines suggest. As 2026 approaches, Roth conversions are still allowed, but the tax planning surrounding them is becoming more complex." MORE >>
"When Congress created the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) in the mid-1980s, it fundamentally changed how federal retirement works. The earlier Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) relied almost entirely on a large government pension. FERS replaced that approach with a three-part system that resembles private-sector retirement programs. For today's federal employees, retirement planning under FERS requires careful coordination of three sources of income: the basic annuity, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)." MORE >>
"Most federal employees assume their benefits will “take care of things” if they die unexpectedly, become disabled or retire earlier than planned. It’s not a reckless assumption, but a reasonable one. After all, the federal government offers more benefits than most private employers. The problem is that they’re often misunderstood, incomplete or dependent on choices you may not have revisited in years." MORE >>
35 pages. "What's New: [1] Additional deductions for seniors.... [2] Repeal of the windfall elimination provision (WEP) and government pension offset (GPO)." MORE >>
"The guidance issued today provides pharmaceutical manufacturers with assurance that they may sell prescription drugs directly to patients who choose to pay cash -- including patients enrolled in federal health care programs -- when the arrangement meets specific conditions. These include ensuring the drug is not billed to Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal programs, is not used to market other federally reimbursable products, and is not tied to future purchases or referrals." MORE >>
"The Trump Administration is launching TrumpRx, a platform to connect patients seeking lower cost prescription drugs with direct-to-consumer (DTC) programs offered by manufacturers and other private companies to cash-paying patients. These DTC programs create opportunities for cash-paying patients to obtain prescription drugs at lower prices than may be available through other avenues. This Special Advisory Bulletin explains when a pharmaceutical manufacturer's offer and sale of lower cost prescription drugs to Federal health care program enrollees through a DTC program is low risk under the Federal anti-kickback statute." MORE >>
"Ensure both spouses understand the retirement plan ... Avoid the widow's penalty with smart federal tax planning ... Optimize Social Security timing for survivor protection ... Choosing the right pension survivor option ... Evaluate whether life insurance still makes sense ... Protection is a process, not a one-time decision." MORE >>
"[FRTIB] is amending a regulation to permit participants in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) to convert amounts in their traditional TSP balances to their Roth TSP balances, subject to applicable tax consequences.... A participant or beneficiary participant may request up to a maximum of 26 Roth in-plan conversions per calendar year. To be eligible for a Roth in-plan conversion, the participant or beneficiary participant must have a vested account balance of at least $500 at the time of the request. The total amount of a conversion request must be at least $500." MORE >>
"[E]ligible participants with at least $500 in vested funds will be able to convert any portion of their traditional TSP balance into Roth savings through their online account portal. Spousal beneficiaries will also qualify. Participants can request up to 26 conversions per account each year, specified in specific dollar amounts or percentages." MORE >>
"As the nation's largest employer-sponsored health insurance program, the FEHB Program covers more than 8.2 million federal government employees and retirees, and it was once celebrated as a national model for controlling costs while giving enrollees many health plan options. But next year, average enrollee premium payments in the system are set to jump more than 12%, on top of a 13.5% hike in 2025. The two-year increase is higher than what many private employers and their workers are experiencing." MORE >>
"Federal annuitants often don't have the same flexibility as federal employees when it comes to offsetting their health insurance costs, making it important to keep certain strategies in mind when weighing Open Season enrollment. Federal annuitants face two significant premium increases next year: [1] FEHB premiums will rise by an average of 12.3% for the enrollee share. [2] Medicare Part B premiums will increase by 9.67%." MORE >>
"This proposed rule would permit all TSP participants (active and separated), as well spouse beneficiaries, to convert amounts in their traditional balance to amounts their Roth balance. In accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, the converted amount would be treated as a distribution from the traditional account that is taxable in the year the conversion is done." MORE >>
"The Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act [S 2966] would clarify that lapses in appropriations qualify federal workers to take a hardship withdrawal from the federal government's 401(k)-style retirement savings program and eliminate the associated 10% penalty in those instances." MORE >>
"The federal Thrift Savings Plan, the nation's largest, is required by law to have five specific funds ... Congress would almost certainly need to amend the TSP's current governing statute to add investments that include exposure to private investments." MORE >>
"Currently, contributions to a servicemember's TSP stop when they leave military or federal service, forcing veterans to find and open a new account to continue saving. Qualified retirees and veterans could continue making voluntary contributions under [the Financial Opportunities for Retirees and Warriors Advancing Retirement Development (FORWARD) Act (HR 4996)] from their retired pay or disability compensation, but the bill does not authorize government matching contributions." MORE >>
"Earlier this year, OPM issued guidance that eliminated gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of 19 but preserved the option for carriers to continue offering it to older patients.... This latest notice from OPM now eliminates that discretion entirely, prohibiting coverage of gender-affirming care for individuals of any age under the FEHB program." MORE >>
"For Plan Year 2026, chemical and surgical modification of an individual's sex traits through medical interventions (to include 'gender transition' services) will no longer be covered under the FEHB or PSHB Programs. This exclusion expands upon Carrier Letter 2025-01a and applies regardless of age.... [C]ounseling services for possible or diagnosed gender dysphoria must still be covered. Covered counseling services must be provided by a licensed mental health provider and may include those who provide faith-based counseling." MORE >>
"After piloting the Online Retirement Application (ORA) in 2024, the agency has now rolled it out government-wide. All new retirement applications must be submitted electronically.... The modernization aims to streamline the process by digitizing retirement applications, verifying service credit eligibility, and storing retirement files electronically." MORE >>
21 pages. "[FRTIB] conducted an analysis of the participant demographics of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) based on participant data. The report focuses solely on active participants in the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS). Information from this analysis provides insight on demographics, investment behaviors, and how plan design changes may have influenced participation and contribution behaviors. Finally, this analysis helps identify trends with participant usage of benefit options." MORE >>
"The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) is amending a regulation to require the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) record keeper to combine the accrued interest with the outstanding principal when reamortizing a loan." MORE >>
