Benefits
Wounded Warriors sick leave bill advances
A Senate panel this week passed a bill that would provide 104 hours of sick leave up front to disabled veterans who are first-year federal employees.
Benefits
Health insurer data breach affects feds
A well-publicized data breach at health insurer Anthem, a provider of federal benefits for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, has impacted federal employee participants—some past, and some present—potentially compromising some of their personal data.
Benefits
NATCA marks engineers week
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association—whose approximately 15,000 members work mostly for the Federal Aviation Administration—is celebrating the role of the FAA's engineers this week, Feb. 22-28.
Benefits
Innovations in Government Awards announced
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation has announced 124 awards for innovative government programs.
Benefits
IG report: VA regional office failed to process 'informal claims'
An investigation by the Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General found that the VA Regional Office in Oakland, Calif., had not been properly reviewing and processing informal claims, according to an IG report.
Benefits
VA 'choice cards' cause confusion
Initial feedback on the Department of Veterans Affairs' new "choice card" program indicates vets and doctors alike are confused on how and when to use the cards.
Benefits
Where are my drugs?
Thanks to an idea suggested by a Department of Veterans Affairs employee, vets now can track the status of most of their prescriptions online, the department said.
Benefits
Some Tricare drug copays increase
New copays for prescription drugs covered by Tricare went into effect Feb. 1, the organization said.
Benefits
Military compensation report calls for radical changes
A highly anticipated study on military retirement and compensation released Thursday recommends trimming military pensions and eliminating the Tricare health insurance program.
Benefits
Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act advances
The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act received a boost Jan. 27, when it won the unanimous approval of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Benefits
Lawmakers introduce bill to provide feds paid parental leave
House Democrats this week introduced a bill that would provide federal employees with six weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child.
Benefits
Lawmakers revive vets' sick leave bill
Two senators last week reintroduced a bill that would give vets who are first-year federal employees up to 104 hours of paid sick leave to attend Department of Veterans Affairs medical appointments for service-related injuries.
Benefits
Memo: Employees may take advanced leave for family issues
President Obama has issued a memorandum directing agencies to allow federal employees to receive six weeks—240 hours—of advanced leave to care for a newborn or adopted child, help ill family members, or other sick-leave eligible uses.
Benefits
VA spending per vet varies widely
Government data reveal some disparities in how much the Department of Veterans Affairs spends on vets in various locations around the country.
Benefits
Tricare details process for those leaving the plan
Tricare said this week that it will no longer issue "certificates of creditable coverage" to beneficiaries who lose Tricare eligibility or choose to leave the plan.
Benefits
New OPM rule would head off FEHB coverage gap
The Office of Personnel Management has proposed a new rule that would prevent a gap in coverage for employees who fail to enroll in a new health plan when employees' previous Federal Employees Health Benefits plans or options terminate.
Benefits
Former DOD employee sentenced in $2.5 million health care fraud scheme
A former Defense Department civilian employee was sentenced Dec. 18 to three years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to a health care fraud scheme though which he collected more than $2.2 million.
Benefits
VA explores ways to speed and improve doctors' decision-making
The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a pilot program it will use to study new ways for physicians to quickly search electronic medical records and sort through medical literature for studies relevant to patients' specific cases.
Benefits
OPM rule aims to improve FEHB performance
New performance measures proposed by the Office of Personnel Management may soon play a role in improving the quality of health care provided under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
Benefits