Both Houses of Congress are in session this coming week. The President is expected to release his final budget on Tuesday.  The President is expected to propose a 1.6% raise for federal employees and military personnel in 2017 according to Reuters. He also is expected to propose a tweak or two the 40% excise tax on high cost employer sponsored plans. The FEHBlog sides with the critics who believe that the tax should be repealed.

Mike Causey on Federal News Radio reminds us that the limited open enrollment period that allows federal employees to switch from self and family and self plus one coverage is ongoing. The period ends on February 29. Annuitants can drop down at any time because unlike employees annuitants pay their premiums wiht after tax income.

Healthcare Payers News reports that “twenty major companies, including American Express, Verizon, Coca-Cola and HCA have joined the newly-launched Health Transformation Alliance to combine data on the population health of their employees, and potentially flex their muscle with insurance companies and big pharma, according to Tevi Troy, president of the American Health Policy Institute.”  Good luck with that, and go Broncos.