News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

The following news summaries are from OPM AM, the daily newsletter of the Office of Personnel Management. OPM AM is available on OPM Mainstreet, the agency's electronic bulletin board, at 202-606-4800.

REINVENTING--"Shortly after being freed of government-wide procurement regulations, the FAA fired the company it had hired to oversee a $475 million navigation improvement project. Then, without seeking competitive bid, the FAA turned the project over to another firm." The FAA transformation is being closely watched by the White House, congressional committees, federal employee groups and contractors (The Washington Post).

THE FEDERAL DIARY--"When it comes to picking a health insurance plan, single people obviously have the easiest time . . . " (The Washington Post).

HEALTH--"Federal workers and retirees are better off than many Americans. With private-sector employers tightening benefits, a survey published recently in the Journal of the AMA reported that 43 million Americans have no health insurance" (The Washington Post Health, November 12).

HMO--The HMO says the doctor is in. Is he? For various reasons, patients can find themselves stuck in an HMO with none of the doctors they wanted because the health plans' lists of providers may not be accurate (The New York Times).

OTHER VIEWS--OPM has authorized Eight more federal agencies to offer early retirement (El Paso Herald Post, El Paso, TX, October 7) . . . OPM downsizes itself (Christian Science Monitor, Boston, MA, October 21) . . . Picatinny Arsenal receives NPC award (Press-Journal, Englewood, NJ, September 12) . . . Seminar focuses on labor relations (Lansing State Journal, Lansing, MI, October 9) . . . HMO to pay $12 million settlement (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, October 11).

OF INTEREST--One firm uses flexible work hours to attract recruits (The Wall Street Journal, Work & Family).