2007.07.27: July 27, 2007: Headlines: Congress: Legislation: Speaking Out: PCOL Exclusive: 12. Testimony of Chuck Ludlam and Paula Hirschoff on S. 732: The Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act: Retiree Health Insurance
Peace Corps Online:
Peace Corps News:
Special Reports:
July 27, 2007: Comments on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act by two RPCVs now serving their second tour in Senegal:
2007.07.27: July 27, 2007: Headlines: Congress: Legislation: Speaking Out: PCOL Exclusive: 12. Testimony of Chuck Ludlam and Paula Hirschoff on S. 732: The Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act: Retiree Health Insurance
12. Testimony of Chuck Ludlam and Paula Hirschoff on S. 732: The Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act: Retiree Health Insurance
Health insurance coverage is an overriding consideration when recruiting older Volunteers. For a select few retirees, employers provide health insurance coverage. Federal retirees, for example, are entitled to buy Federal employee health insurance under the FEHB program at Federal employee prices for as long as they wish. Even after enrolling in Medicare, they may maintain their FEHB insurance as a gap policy. Other retirees who have private health insurance—such as former government employees and union employees—probably do the same.
12. Testimony of Chuck Ludlam and Paula Hirschoff on S. 732: The Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act: Retiree Health Insurance
Retiree Health Insurance
Health insurance coverage is an overriding consideration when recruiting older Volunteers. For a select few retirees, employers provide health insurance coverage. Federal retirees, for example, are entitled to buy Federal employee health insurance under the FEHB program at Federal employee prices for as long as they wish. Even after enrolling in Medicare, they may maintain their FEHB insurance as a gap policy. Other retirees who have private health insurance—such as former government employees and union employees—probably do the same.
When this issue was raised in Director Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing, he promised to check into the problem.
In 2003 when we began planning to rejoin the Peace Corps, Chuck checked into how his FEHB insurance would dovetail with our Peace Corps health coverage. It was clear that the Peace Corps would be solely responsible for all of our medical costs during our service so we'd have no need for the FEHB coverage. In fact, paying the premiums for our FEHB insurance would be a waste of about $7,000 during our service. In late 2003, Chuck asked the Office of Personnel Management whether he could suspend his FEHB enrollment during Peace Corps service and resume it when he completed his service. In a letter of March 2004, OPM responded that it would be happy to promulgate a rule permitting Chuck and other retirees to temporarily suspend coverage. Apparently, other federal retirees with FEHB insurance do this when they secure coverage under another insurance program, such as TRICARE or TRICARE-for-Life or CHAMPVA.
Chuck took this OPM letter to the Peace Corps in spring 2004—an offer presented on a silver platter to eliminate a major disincentive to Federal retiree service—and asked that it work with OPM to promulgate this rule. Peace Corps had only to help OPM determine how to manage the paper work flow with the Volunteers and to keep the process moving through OMB. A year later, after hearing nothing from the Peace Corps, Chuck began to nudge it to follow up on this initiative. He became increasingly frustrated with its lackadaisical approach to this project; on his communications, he began to CC key Congressional staff who manage the Peace Corps appropriations and authorizations. (He was then working on a Senator's staff and had access to their email addresses.) This had no effect. It was clear that the Peace Corps had no interest in removing this major disincentive for service by Federal retirees or even in maintaining its reputation with the key Hill staff. Finally, three months after we'd begun our service in Senegal, and after paying about $1000 for insurance we didn't need, the OPM rule was promulgated.18
It had taken the Peace Corps 22 months to secure promulgation of the rule after OPM had stated its interest and willingness to do so. Paula and Chuck were the first Volunteers to subscribe to the new rule and will probably be the first to end the suspension and reenroll in the FEHB program.19
It's unfortunate that the Peace Corps website description of this hard won FEHB premium suspension regulation casts some doubt on the re-enrollment. It states: "Federal retirees may suspend federal employee health benefits during Peace Corps service. However, you will need to talk with your retirement office to ensure that the suspension is done in a way that permits re-enrollment." http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whovol.older.insurance Under this OPM regulation, Volunteers have a right to reinstate their insurance when their service is completed. Also, this information is listed on the website under "Older Americans: Medical and Health Insurance" but not under "Older Americans: Federal government employees." It should be listed under both. In addition, it would be helpful if the website provided links to the forms that Volunteers file to suspend and reinstate their insurance.
When we'd finally secured promulgation of the FEHB rule by OPM, Chuck wrote to the Peace Corps suggesting that it discuss this new rule with the National Governors Association, the Council of Mayors, the League of Cities, and the major unions to secure similar rules for their retiree health beneficiaries (emails from Chuck Ludlam to six Peace Corps officials, January 2006). Many of these entities might need to enact rules similar to the OPM rule so that their retirees are not forced to pay for health insurance they don't need. The Peace Corps replied "no"—it would not reach out to these other organizations. It was not listening to the Volunteers. If the Peace Corps had responded favorably to the suggestion of January 2006, enacting a legislative command would be unnecessary. Here's an email Chuck received from an older Volunteer couple on this issue:
We each paid the monthly insurance premium through our county retirement the entire 4 years we served as PCVs as retirees (we had worked for a county government for 30 years). (Another older Volunteer) paid her federal [health] insurance for her 2 years… Paying wasn't a deterrent for us because we were so anxious to serve and our retirement was such that we could afford it. However, during our service the premium increased considerably and became less affordable but what could we do?
Section 302 directs the Peace Corps to seek to secure rights for Volunteers to suspend enrollment in retiree health plans of state and local governments, private entities and others, with full rights to resume enrollment after their service is completed. Such rights would be similar to those granted in the rule promulgated by the OPM for Federal retirees (Federal Register: November 30, 2005, Volume 70, Number 229 at page 71749: 5 CFR Part 890, Suspension of Enrollment in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for Peace Corps Volunteers).
The NPCA survey found strong support for the provisions regarding health insurance and tax benefits, with 91% agreeing that the Peace Corps should seek for all volunteers "the same right of former federal employees to suspend enrollment in retiree health plans during their term of service and resume enrollment after the completion of service." Only 15% disagreed. Among the written comments was the following:
Goal of attracting more experienced volunteers will only occur if the medical and financial ramifications are not onerous.
RPCV, Bulgaria, 2002 – 2004
If the Peace Corps is listening to the Volunteers, it will support these provisions.
This is one section from the testimony read into the record on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act by Chuck Ludlam and Paula Hirschoff, two RPCVs who are now serving their second tour in Senegal. The rest of the sections can be found by following this link. Their entire report in MS Word format can be downloaded by following this link.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: July, 2007; Congress; Legislation; Speaking Out; Peace Corps Bibliography; Peace Corps Directory; Peace Corps History; Peace Corps Message Board; Recent Peace Corps News
When this story was posted in July 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
 | Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Hearings
Read PCOL's executive summary of Senator Chris Dodd's hearings on July 25 on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act and why Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter does not believe the bill would contribute to an improved Peace Corps while four other RPCV witnesses do. Highlights of the hearings included Dodd's questioning of Tschetter on political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters and the Inspector General's testimony on the re-opening of the Walter Poirier III investigation. |
 | Dodd issues call for National Service
Standing on the steps of the Nashua City Hall where JFK kicked off his campaign in 1960, Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd issued a call for National Service. "Like thousands of others, I heard President Kennedy's words and a short time later joined the Peace Corps." Dodd said his goal is to see 40 million people volunteering in some form or another by 2020. "We have an appetite for service. We like to be asked to roll up our sleeves and make a contribution," he said. "We haven't been asked in a long time." |
 | Public diplomacy rests on sound public policy
When President Kennedy spoke of "a long twilight struggle," and challenged the country to "ask not," he signaled that the Cold War was the challenge and framework defining US foreign policy. The current challenge is not a struggle against a totalitarian foe. It is not a battle against an enemy called "Islamofascism." From these false assumptions flow false choices, including the false choice between law enforcement and war. Instead, law enforcement and military force both must be essential instruments, along with diplomacy, including public diplomacy. But public diplomacy rests on policy, and to begin with, the policy must be sound. Read more. |
 | Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director
A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision. On June 8 the White House announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador. Latest: Senator Dodd has placed a hold on Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania. |
 | Peace Corps Funnies
A PCV writing home? Our editor hard at work? Take a look at our Peace Corps Funnies and Peace Corps Cartoons and see why Peace Corps Volunteers say that sometimes a touch of levity can be one of the best ways of dealing with frustrations in the field. Read what RPCVs say about the lighter side of life in the Peace Corps and see why irreverent observations can often contain more than a grain of truth. We'll supply the photos. You supply the captions. |
 | PCOL serves half million
PCOL's readership for April exceeded 525,000 visitors - a 50% increase over last year. This year also saw the advent of a new web site: Peace Corps News that together with the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps serve 17,000 RPCVs, Staff, and Friends of the Peace Corps every day. Thanks for making PCOL your source of news for the Peace Corps community. Read more. |
 | Suspect confesses in murder of PCV
Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences . |
 | Warren Wiggins: Architect of the Peace Corps
Warren Wiggins, who died at 84 on April 13, became one of the architects of the Peace Corps in 1961 when his paper, "A Towering Task," landed in the lap of Sargent Shriver, just as Shriver was trying to figure out how to turn the Peace Corps into a working federal department. Shriver was electrified by the treatise, which urged the agency to act boldly. Read Mr. Wiggins' obituary and biography, take an opportunity to read the original document that shaped the Peace Corps' mission, and read John Coyne's special issue commemorating "A Towering Task." |
 | Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps
Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments. |
 | He served with honor
One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: PCOL Exclusive
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Congress; Legislation; Speaking Out
PCOL38409
77
