September 11, 2015 Message from NARFE President Richard G. Thissen "Congress has returned from its August recess and is poised to make a number of important budgetary decisions. NARFE members should be in touch with their members of Congress now to make known their strong opposition to any proposal that would cut federal employee and retiree pay and benefits. And soon, we will be asking you to contact your legislators again to seek their cosponsorship of legislation to prevent unfair Medicare Part B premium hikes for some federal retirees. "We're entering what likely are the final rounds of budget fights prior to next year's election. So get your gloves on, and put your dukes up!" Congress Is Back in Session: Here's What to Expect This week, members of Congress returned to Washington, DC. Funding the government for the new fiscal year (beginning October 1), extending highway spending authority (expiring October 29), and raising the debt ceiling (required by mid-November or early December to avoid default) are just three of the critical issues on Congress' agenda this fall. These must-pass pieces of legislation all serve as opportunities for Congress to use the federal community as a pay-for. We must remind members of Congress that the federal community already has contributed more than $120 billion toward deficit reduction and that the federal community should not be used as a piggy bank. There is a new action letter on NARFE's Legislative Action Center that members, friends and family can easily send to their members of Congress. There also are talking points available to share with members' offices during September. NARFE members must make their voices heard on behalf of all federal employees, retirees and survivors. Take action today. Update on Expected Increases in Medicare Part B Premiums As reported in last week's Legislative Hotline, about 30 percent of Medicare Part B beneficiaries are expected to shoulder the full cost of the 2016 premium increase. This will result in an increase of 52 percent, from $104.90 to $159.30 per month, for federal retirees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and excluded from Social Security coverage. A provision in the Social Security law, known as the hold harmless provision, prevents an individual's Social Security benefit from decreasing. This means that if there is no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and Medicare Part B premiums increase, individuals who have their Medicare premiums deducted directly from their Social Security checks are "held harmless" from the premium increase. Seventy percent of Part B beneficiaries are covered by this provision. Without the effect of the hold harmless provision, Medicare Part B premiums would be expected to increase to $120.70 per month. NARFE is lobbying the Administration and Congress for a legislative solution. When legislation is introduced, NARFE members will need to ask their legislators for cosponsorship, so be on the alert for an action letter on the Legislative Action Center. Federal retirees and others should not have to bear a disproportionate share of Medicare Part B costs. NARFE also has developed an issue brief that provides more detail. ETAC Asks Congress Not to Touch the TSP The Employee Thrift Advisory Council (ETAC), of which NARFE is a member, sent a letter to congressional leaders on September 9, asking that changes to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) not be included in any budget deals. ETAC is an advisory committee comprised of 15 organizations representing federal employees, unions and military personnel whose members are TSP account holders. The letter focuses specifically on threats to change the rate of return on the TSP G Fund. This issue came up twice already, in the fiscal year 2016 House budget plan and as a way to finance the Highway Trust Fund. Along with our coalition partners, NARFE has been successful in defeating this threat so far. Accessing the Legislative Action Center NARFE members can use the Legislative Action Center (LAC) as the hub to send letters to members of Congress and track NARFE-related bills and votes. NARFE frequently updates the LAC, so check back often. Obtaining the Hotline Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available to telephone callers (703-838-7780 and toll-free at 1-877-217-8234); posted on the NARFE website, www.narfe.org and sent to 90,000 NARFE member email addresses. Past editions are archived for NARFE member access. Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. Should you have any questions regarding the information provided in the Hotline, please email NARFE's Legislative Department at leg@narfe.org or call 703-838-7760. | 
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