PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Scott Robinson
Comment on the weather: You may still have snow on the ground, but boy, oh-boy, we’ll have 12 hours of daylight on March 20.
A chronic illness or disability may curb your independence and create a need for assistance with daily living. Families must weigh the financial cost of hiring help in the home against moving to an assisted living facility or a memory care home. Unless care is connected to recovery and treatment for an accident or illness, it won’t be covered by Medicare or Federal Employees Health Benefits insurance.
Long-term care can include financial burdens and emotional costs to an adult who no longer can do the normal daily activities without help. A spouse, parent, or other loved one will also bear the physical burden of becoming a caregiver, which can involve feeding, lifting, bathing, dressing, or other personal care needs. Planning for the possibility of needing assistance not only benefits your financial well-being, but also is a gift to your family members, who know that a plan exists.
In a webinar at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 14, NARFE federal benefits experts Tammy Flanagan and Mark Keen, CFP, will guide you through planning and preparing – emotionally and financially – for the prospect of future long-term care costs. This webinar should last one hour plus one hour of questions and answers. The cost to members is free, but you must register to attend. Non-members will pay $48.00, which includes one year of NARFE membership. Brookdale Senior Living is a proud sponsor of the webinar. Find details at the narfe.org webpage.
Please call me at 208-661-7695 or email me at scottsoriole@q.com if you have any questions regarding Spokane Chapter 32.
ALZHEIMER’S (vacant Chairperson)
For the past couple of months, this ghost writer has shared information about a new drug and government approval of it. On February 22, 2023, the Alzheimer’s Association declared disapproval of the Biden Administration for extending its unjust decision to deny access to FDA-approved treatments for people living with Alzheimer’s, which is a fatal disease. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has denied the Alzheimer’s Association’s request to change its policy, despite significant new evidence published since the release of its decision.
CMS covers all FDA-approved drugs except for monoclonal antibodies directed against amyloid for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Despite unequivocal evidence confirmed by the scientific community, CMS continues to state it is not reasonable and necessary for people living with Alzheimer’s to have access to an FDA-approved treatment without barriers. (I think this means Medicare won’t pay for this new drug).
The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that each day CMS leaves this misguided policy in place, more than 2,000 individuals aged 65 or older may transition from mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s to a more advanced stage of the disease where they are no longer eligible for the new FDA- approved treatments. Treatments taken in the early stages of Alzheimer’s would allow people more time to participate in daily life, remain independent and make health care decisions for their future (source alz.org).
Spokane Chapter is recruiting an Alzheimer’s Chairperson. If you are interested in sharing your learned knowledge with the group, then please contact any Officer or Director.
PROGRAM (vacant Chairperson)
Jonathan Hulog will talk to us about the U.S. Border Patrol this month.
Phil Altmeyer will talk about the Union Gospel Mission in April.
Mary Binder will talk about her relationship between District Vice-president and the chapters in May.
We hope to have John Coulter from Senator Murray’s Office speak to us in June.
We won’t meet during July and August, but we’re planning Spokane Chapter’s 73rd birthday party in September.
We hope to have Hospice talk to us in October.
Ann Ozuna will present her annual review of Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) in November, and we’ll celebrate the holidays during December.
That sums up the balance of year, folks. Please join us if you can. Spokane Chapter is also recruiting a Program Chairperson. If you are interested in sharing speakers with our group, then please contact any Officer or Director. With no chairperson, a village is needed to find guest speakers for our membership meetings.
MARCH CHAPTER MEETING MONDAY MARCH 13, 2022 Lunch at 11:30
Meeting at 12:15 Darcy’s Restaurant 10502 E. Sprague Ave. PRESENTER: Jonathan Hulog – U. S. Border Patrol
Come learn about the northern border, the latest numbers and challenges. What do alcohol, tobacco, and Canadian potatoes have in common? Are biometrics just in airports? What's the difference between TSA and CBP? What are some do's and don't's when traveling across borders?
The meeting will be available via ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84692463195
pwd=R3M0eFF0NzRaMFo3bTNvNERDNHBBUT09
Meeting ID: 846 9246 3195 Passcode: 137652
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
MEMBERSHIP
The Chapter is looking for a Membership Chair. If you are interested, please contact any of the Officers or Directors. Come be a part of a great group of people fighting for your benefits.
NARFE – PAC (Vacant Chairperson)
March is NARFE-PAC month, and NARFE needs your help to make it a success. NARFE dedicates the entire month of March to raising awareness of NARFE’s political action committee and the vital role it plays in defending and advancing the earned benefits of the federal community.
Help protect your retirement security either by contributing to NARFE-PAC online, by returning the contribution form mailed via NARFE-PAC’s letter campaign, by mailing the PAC coupon located in NARFE Magazine, by calling NARFE headquarters at 1-800-456-8410, option 3, or by making monthly contributions to NARFE-PAC directly from your federal annuity.
NARFE-PAC works for you by educating and supporting Fed-friendly lawmakers who understand that the government should keep the promises made to its public servants. The PAC bolsters the profile of our top issues, creating additional opportunities to educate lawmakers on the issues that affect you most, such as preventing cuts to your cost-of-living adjustments, protecting your health care, and doing away with the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) (source narfe.org).
Mary Ann Bosky recently resigned from being our Chapter’s chairperson. Thank you, Mary Ann, for your several years of service to Spokane Chapter 32. If anyone is interested in filling Mary Ann’s shoes, then please contact President Scott Robinson. With no chairperson, a village is needed to complete the task.
You can contribute to NARFE – PAC using the contribution form found in the monthly NARFE Magazine or by sending a check, made out to NARFE – PAC, to our Post Office Box. The address is: NARFE, PO Box 4592, Spokane, WA 99220.
LEGISLATION Roger Bosky
From the ashes of the last Congress rises the phoenix of a Government Pension Offset/Windfall Elimination Offset (GPO/WEP) bill. These provisions penalize 2 million workers whose problem was that held jobs in both the government and private industry. For that problem their Social Security benefits get reduced. Once again, this popular (HR 82) has 99 co-sponsors. Let us hope that it fares better than prior years when even with 305 co-sponsors it failed to reach the House for a vote. Keep letting Congress know how unfair these provisions are.
Another item that costing us money is the fact that the Office of Personnel is unable to identify ineligible FEHBP family members. This item was said to be costing us 1 billion dollars annually.
On the plus side, Federal employees received a 4.6 % pay boost, and the 1.7 trillion-dollar budget bill was passed thus funding the Government through September. The drawback is that Congress may not pass legislation to increase the debt ceiling. Already the treasury department has taken extraordinary measures such as not funding the Thrift Saving Plan, Government Fund, and suspending investment in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability fund.
PAST VICE PRESIDENT Arlene Patton
LEGcon 2023 is scheduled for June 19-21, 2023, National has announced that this year’s conference will be held virtually. Registration is now open, so please be an early bird and get your registration in. The Washington State Federation has budgeted funds to reimburse 80 registrations.
Chapter 32’s membership remains steady. As of the end of February the Chapter had 229 Chapter members, 203 national only members for a total of 432. Want to thank the 15 Chapters members that renewed their dues in January and February. A special welcome to the ten (10) Wenatchee members that elected to transfer their membership to Chapter 0032-Spokane.
Chapter 0032-Spokane will be celebrating it’s 73 anniversary during our September 11th Chapter meeting. We hope to have the National Region 9 Vice President and the WSFederation president join us for that meeting/celebration. Mark your calendar and come out and join us for the celebration.
NARFE is more than just a great magazine. Let them know! Promote NARFE anytime you can. The more members we have the more power to protect our benefits and retirement!
NARFE = YOUR BEST BET FOR THE FUTURE!
NARFE SPOKANE WEBSITE Chris Smith
I have become the new webmaster for the NARFE Spokane website. The link is https://www.narfespokane.org
The website lives on both computer and mobile (phone) sites, so periodically something slips by me. Check out the news and newsletter tab for the latest, including Candice Correia’s references from her February presentation on 2022 taxes. She’s listed a source for calculating RMD's and where to get free tax help in Spokane. I’ve begun to include some pictures of speakers and events on the website as well.
Please contact me at redpoll@mac.com if you find any errors or have any pictures or pertinent articles that may be of interest to members.
SUNSHINE Susan Harvey WELCOME TO THE WENATCHEE NARFE MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOINED OUR CHAPTER!
The Chapter is sending birthday and anniversary wishes to all who celebrate in March.
We were recently told of the passing of Arlene Johnson and Eugene Owen. Condolences have been sent to their families.
Scott Robinson is continuing the search for a Membership, Alzheimer’s, and Programs Chairs. Call him if you are interested. REMINDER, spouses can be members on their own OR can take over the membership of a deceased member.
If you become aware of good news, illnesses, surgeries, or a death of a member or family member, please contact me at 509-953-6828.
SERVICE & OUTREACH Kathy Brooks We are planning the Pre-Retirement Seminar, or our future retirees. It is scheduled May 22nd and 23rd of this year. If you are, or know anyone interested in attending, please reach out to Kathy Brooks at 509-954-6719 or kmbrooks06@msn
Spokane Washington Chapter 32 PO Box 4592 Spokane, WA 99220 National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association 32
NARFE on the Web: National: www.narfe.org WSF: www.narfewa.org Spokane: https://www.narfespokane.org
Darcy's Restaurant and Spirits
Traditional American Cuisine
10502 E Sprague Ave
Spokane Valley, WA 99206
+1 (509) 891-0773