AFSPA Talks

To close out Medicare March, we're taking some time to look at the most popular Medicare program in the country: Medicare Advantage Plans (MAPs). Dr. Ali Khan, Chief Medical Officer, Medicare at Aetna, joins us to talk about the plans in general and dive into the specifics of the FSBP - Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan. Join us for a great conversation about the ins and outs of MAPs, how FSBP members can take advantage of savings and support opportunities, and for some general tips on care as we all age.  

For more information on the FSBP - Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan, please visit www.fsbphealth.com/retiree. 

For more on how FSBP works with Medicare generally and other options available, please visit https://www.afspa.org/fsbp-and-medicare/. 

To learn more about our upcoming events, go to www.afspa.org/events.

In 2026, FSBP changed its High Option prescription drug benefits. The result: many people are paying more out of pocket for their drugs. For those enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B,  there is an option available to save money: the FSBP-Express Scripts Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP). We revisit this program in today's episode with Tavares Johnson from Evernorth/Express Scripts. 

Tavares began his career at Express Scripts in 2008 as a Patient Care Advocate, where he gained valuable experience supporting members, pharmacists, and physicians. His dedication and problem-solving skills led to a promotion to Resolution Team Lead, a role in which he partnered closely with account management and clients to resolve complex member issues.

In 2013, Tavares was promoted to Senior Account Manager, where he began working with Medicare Part D clients and deepened his expertise in Medicare products and services. His comprehensive understanding of both member and client needs has been instrumental in driving successful outcomes.

In 2024, Tavares was promoted to Senior Manager on the EGWP Market Strategy team, where he leads strategic initiatives to support Employer Group Retiree plans. His leadership and industry insight continue to make a meaningful impact across the organization.

To learn more about the PDP and opt in to the program, please visit www.afspa.org/pdp. 

To review PDP drug pricing, please visit: https://www.express-scripts.com/frontend/medicare-open-enrollment/fsbp. 

To review High Option drug pricing, please visit: www.express-scripts.com/fsbp 

Join us for AFSPA Live on March 26 at 11 am. You can submit your questions in advance, here: https://forms.office.com/r/wM8t8HqvDM

Register for other upcoming events at www.afspa.org/events.

In this podcast episode,  AFSPA CEO Kyle Longton provides a comprehensive overview of how Medicare and the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) program work together. Learn about each part of Medicare - A, B, C, and D - and what factors you should consider when deciding whether to enroll in Part B.
 
Please note: this presentation addresses only how Medicare and FEHB work together. It is not intended for audiences beyond those with FEHB coverage. The information is accurate as of March 13, 2026.
 
For information on Part B premiums and Part D premiums/IRMAA amounts, please visit: https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/115.... 

To learn more about signing up for Medicare, visit: https://www.ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up.

To learn more about the Foreign Service Benefit Plan and Medicare, visit: https://www.afspa.org/fsbp-and-medicare/

Check out our events page here: www.afspa.org/events/. 

The last year has been marked by record numbers of federal employees retiring from service. Making the decision to retire is never simple, and the considerations for federal employees are unique from any other group. Luckily, there are uniquely qualified advisors available, including our guest for this episode: Tammy Flanagan. She joins us to talk about changes to the retirement process and how she and her colleagues at Retire Federal can help assess retirement readiness. 

 Learn more about Tammy Flanagan's work: 

Retirement Planning column for Government Executive: https://www.govexec.com/topic/retirement-planning/

Work on Federal News Network: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/tag/tammy-flanagan/

Retire Federal: https://www.retirefederal.com/

Join us for AFSPA's Annual Meeting: https://events.zoom.us/ev/ApdnelInxPpOrUWwrwRtWQHK6tRGvr-131W5CrN1-ZmfJrNFNBRT~AoT4rcYlVLw2IItcnh0s9MRHkhw0RCH8bwljb9hCwAKV7cePVcMYvKyCRg

Submit questions for AFSPA Live: https://forms.office.com/r/ePv8DKMtvd

See more upcoming AFSPA events: www.afspa.org/events 

It's Financial Wellness February at AFSPA, and we're excited to highlight the expertise available from some of our partners. Federal employees' retirement and insurance needs are unique from those in the private sector, and that means they need advisors with unique expertise. Our partners at GEBA and GEBA Wealth Management offer just that. To tell us about their services, we're happy to welcome GEBA President and CEO Greg Klingler, MSM, CP, ChFEBC, CPFA. He will also be our guest on AFSPA Live at 11 am on Thursday, February 26. 

Learn more about the service available for AFSPA members at www.GEBA.com/afspa. 

Submit your questions for AFSPA Live here. 

See other upcoming events at www.afspa.org/events. 

Register for our Annual Meeting on March 6 here.

Today, we kick off Ancillary January with a focus on our combined dental and vision discount program offered in partnership with Careington. Valerie DeBruin joins us to discuss how this program differs from insurance, both in the services provided and the cost to the member. Stay tuned to the end for a mention of the hearing discount program, too. 

For more information on all of our ancillary programs, please visit www.afspa.org/aip. 

For more on the discount programs discussed in today's episode, please visit www.careington.com/co/afspa 

AFSPA has a number of events planned for the weeks and months ahead. Learn more and register at www.afspa.org/events. 

Accessing mental health care can be a challenge. Outside the U.S., that challenge can at times be insurmountable. FSBP offers a program to help members around the world access counselors and other support to meet their behavioral, mental, and emotional health needs. Lyra Health is available to FSBP members outside the U.S. for counseling at no cost. Today, Karen Munson joins us to discuss this program and how members can access it. 

Visit https://fsbp.lyrahealth.com/ to register and begin accessing care. FSBP members can also call +44 33 00 241 021 for immediate assistance. You can download the Lyra Health app through the App Store or the Google Play Store. If you receive a request to enter the organization sponsoring your access to Lyra, please enter "FSBP". 

For more information on our various programs, please visit our video library at www.youtube.com/afspacares. 

Join us for future events at www.afspa.org/events.

In today's episode, we discuss the updated requirements for GLP-1s for the Foreign Service Benefit Plan. Grace Silverio from Teladoc Health breaks down the new Advanced Weight Management Program required for FSBP members taking GLP-1s for weight loss in the U.S. 

It's Open Season! If you're looking for more information on the FSBP's premiums, plan changes, and more, click here. 

If you would like to register for an Open Season webinar, click here.

Join us for AFSPA Live, a live Q&A session, on 11/20 @ 11 AM ET. We will be discussing the 2026 FSBP Open Season. If you would like to submit a question in advance, you can do so by filling out this form: https://forms.office.com/r/RApuq334NE. You can watch live on our YouTube channel @afspacares. 

Register for the Virtual Benefits Fair: https://vshow.on24.com/vshow/FVBF25/registration/24363 

Today, AFSPA Talks Prescription Drug Coverage in 2026. For the first time in a decade, we're making changes to the cost shares for prescription drugs. Join us today to talk through the changes and understand what your costs will be in 2026. See the changes at www.afspa.org/openseason. Price your drugs at www.express-scripts.com/fsbp, and be sure to select 2026. 

For members who have opted in to the FSBP-Express Scripts Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, or PDP, there will be NO CHANGE to cost sharing. This means that most drugs will cost members less under the PDP. Combine these savings with a wider network of pharmacies and greater flexibility for where you can obtain your maintenance drugs, and this may be the year for members who have Medicare A and/or B to opt in to the PDP. See www.afspa.org/pdp for more details and a pricing tool. 

You may wish to watch this episode for the slides we share to show the changes. Find the video at www.youtube.com/afspacares. 

Join us for AFSPA Live, a live Q&A session, on 11/20 @ 11 AM ET. We will be discussing the 2026 FSBP Open Season. If you would like to submit a question in advance, you can do so by filling out this form: https://forms.office.com/r/RApuq334NE. You can watch live on our YouTube channel @afspacares. 

Register for the Virtual Benefits Fair: https://vshow.on24.com/vshow/FVBF25/registration/24363 

Register for an Open Season Webinar: www.afspa.org/events

November has begun, and that means that the start of open season is only a week away. We've got your preview of open season changes in today's episode. Be sure to follow us for further updates, as we'll be diving deeper into some of the benefit changes in the weeks ahead. 

Join us for a live event to learn more about our open season changes. See your options at: www.afspa.org/events. 

 Our discussion today is full of references, so here are some of the links we mentioned: 

• FSBP Open Season Information: www.afspa.org/openseason 
• FSBP Drug Pricing Tool through Express Scripts: www.express-scripts.com/fsbp (Be sure to select the right year for proper pricing.)
• Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP): www.benefeds.com 
• FSAFeds: www.fsafeds.com 

Join us for AFSPA Live, a live Q&A session, on 11/20 @ 11 AM ET. We will be discussing the 2026 FSBP Open Season. If you would like to submit a question in advance, you can do so by filling out this form: https://forms.office.com/r/RApuq334NE. You can watch live on our YouTube channel @afspacares. 

Register for the Virtual Benefits Fair: https://vshow.on24.com/vshow/FVBF25/registration/24363