duckorgethit

Duck or Get Hit

Government Healthcare and Perks
J E Wilson
Most Americans know that the House and Senate officials make about $169,000 per year and The President around $400,000 per year. The United States Government is the largest business in the world and offer the best perks and healthcare packages in the world. What’s wrong with this picture?
I shared my idea about the essentials that should be written into the “bailout” solution in an earlier column. I never took in to consideration how extensive the healthcare of Federal employees and their dependents was or that included Postal employees also. Once I realized this extent of the Federal Government I started researching into their healthcare program and now wonder why politicians cannot create a healthcare package for all citizens.
They could solve the healthcare issues in America or at least I can. Those officials elected to office have packages that would work for almost all Americans. If it works for the Postal employees it should reach across the middle class and even a good percentage of the lower class. I will just touch on a few of the facts of the Fed’s healthcare package.
Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) is available to eligible currant and retired Federal and Postal employees and their families. There are 20 million enrolled in this package.
The (FEHB) Federal Employee Health Benefit Program has an estimated 8-million employees and dependents receiving this package. Those who are eligible: employees, dependents, former spouses, retirees, and survivor annuitants. Just a few of the coverage’s of this program include knee/shoulder surgery, cataract repair, catheterization, hysterectomy, hernia repair, and tonsillectomy.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAFEDS) allows eligible employees to pay for various medial and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
The (FEGLI) Federal Employee Group Life Insurance Program, largest group life insurance program in the world, covers 4-million employees, retirees, and their family members.
An example of the vision and dental coverage’s might outrage the general public. The vision plan for one employee (self) costs $2.94 bi-weekly and for self and family the plans cost $8.56 bi-weekly. Dental on a bi-weekly 100% prevention plan costs self and family $38.55 with no deductibles.
There are many perks that added on top of this Federal healthcare package that might make one think that the Federal Government is reaping rewards similar to the CEO’s that have and are running under their golden umbrellas from their failing companies. The Federal employees have their own golden umbrellas that come in the form of the Civil Service Retirement System and with this system the Congress avoids paying the Social Security tax that may not even be around when many of us retire.
Do not forget the politicians free car services, billions spent overseas, grand dinner parties, and those elected jet setting around the globe on the taxpayer’s dollar.
Whose investments are our tax dollars really going to save or bailout? Why is there still no national healthcare program when one already exists for a select few? Hit!
Source: US Office of Personnel Management