Tomorrow everyone, including the FEHBlog, returns to work for a full work week following the year end holidays.  The FEHBlog has a spring in his step because his Washington Redskins are headed into the NFL playoffs with a winning record after two woeful seasons.  Consequently there is not much to report FEHBlog-wise.

What’s goodies does the ACA bring for 2016?

• Under the ACA, all of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force A and B recommendations must be offered by FEHB carriers in-network with cost sharing if the recommendation was made before January 1, 2015. Here’s the list.  The 2014 recommendations become cost-free on January 1 in the FEHB when rendered in-network.  The earlier recommendations already were cost free. 
• Also for 2016, all FEHB plans will have self only out of pocket maximums embedded in self plus one and self and family coverages.
• FEHB plans will be providing their enrollees with IRS Form 1095-B to document enrollee and covered family member compliance with the ACA’s individual shared responsibility mandate.  The current IRS deadline for furnishing the 2015 form is March 31, 2016.  The forms should be maintained with your tax records in case the IRS has questions.  The ACA requires plans to send one form to the enrollee. If the enrollee has adult children covered under his FEHBP coverage, he or she should provide a copy of the Form 1095-B to each of those separate taxpayers.  

The FEHBlog was amused by the lengthy Washington Post article about the future of the stethoscope.