AFSPA Talks

Today marks the start of federal open season, and we're kicking it off with an episode focused on FSBP changes for 2027. If you want to know more about premiums, benefits changes, and more, this is the episode for you.  Join us for other podcasts and live events throughout Open Season. Find all of the opportunities to engage with us at www.afspa.org/events.  Learn more about FSBP in 2027 at www.afspa.org/openseason. View our full open season presentation here. More information about open season generally is available at: www.opm.govwww.benefeds.gov - for the FEDVIP options www.fsafeds.gov - for the FSAFEDS program

For today's episode, we start with a brief discussion of what contributed to premium increases for 2027. We will, of course, have more information about this during our Open Season webinars, and you can register for those and other upcoming events at www.afspa.org/events. We are continuing our Overseas October theme. In this episode, we talk about care in Germany. What are the major differences? What should people consider before moving overseas to Germany or elsewhere? To help us answer these questions and more, we turn to one of our direct billing providers in the Ramstein area: Dr. Adam Flynn.  Links:Upcoming Events: www.afspa.org/eventsDetails of the Foreign Service Benefit Plan: www.afspa.org/fsbpFSBP Overseas Direct Billing Partners: https://www.afspa.org/fsbp/overseas/overseas-partners/Flynn Family Medicine: www.flynnsmedical.comFSBP Open Season: www.afspa.org/openseason

The Bureau of Medical Services within the Department of State plays a unique role in supporting the thousands of members of the Foreign Service and other U.S. government agencies, and their families, serving around the world. These medical professionals provide primary care, arrange medevacs, support ongoing chronic care, and more. Today, AFSPA Talks with three leaders from MED to learn a bit more about their work and to get some advice for audience members who are new to the Foreign Service or considering joining.  Please note: This episode was recorded in late September 2026. All information in this episode is current as of that date.  Links discussed in this episode: Upcoming AFSPA Events: www.afspa.org/events AFSPA's Life Insurance Open Enrollment: www.afspa.org/life Choosing Federal Health Insurance: Selecting Federal Health Insurance  

For almost 40 years, the Senior Living Foundation has helped meet the needs of the Foreign Service community. We do this with professionalism and dignity while maintaining our clients' privacy. Today, we'll look at how SLF works, who we can help, and what that help looks like. SLF Social Work Consultant Joan Parrish, MSSW, LGSW, joins us to share her role in the process.  For more information on SLF, please visit www.slfoundation.org.Follow SLF on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@seniorlivingfoundation) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/seniorlivingfoundation). To join us for our Next Chapter Conversation on September 23, please visit https://www.youtube.com/live/V7PLC7fdnXc?si=aVA59SQhO4Wc-eO9.  You can submit your questions for the event here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/KNUsfShw0r To explore other upcoming events from AFSPA and our partners, please visit www.afspa.org/events.

August is a time of change for many. For families with children, it's back-to-school time. For many AFSPA members, it's also PCS season. This can all combine to make for a challenging period. To help us talk through ways to manage these changes, we're talking with Catherine McLean, MSW, LCSW, from the Truman Group. She shares her knowledge as a licensed clinical social worker and her experience as an expat and a counselor to many other expats. To help after the episode ends, she's also shared an infographic available here.Upcoming events: www.afspa.org/events Truman Group: www.trumangroup.com

Many of you know that AFSPA offers more than the Foreign Service Benefit Plan. But did you know that we go beyond traditional insurance? In this episode, AFSPA's Sr. Director for Ancillary Programs walks us through some of the hidden treasures she manages, including travel insurance, members-of-household plans, and professional services partnerships. There's something for everyone at AFSPA. For more information on AFSPA's ancillary programs, please visit www.afspa.org/aip. 

In today's episode, we continue our focus on men's health but expand it to care options for everyone. Removing barriers to care makes it easier for everyone to get the support they need, and that's exactly what we discuss today. Members of the Foreign Service Benefit Plan have access to a variety of telehealth and chronic care management options through our partnership with Teladoc Health. Chris Eastburn from Teladoc provides us with an overview of the various programs and how they can help all our members. For more information on FSBP care options, visit www.afspa.org/fsbp. To see our upcoming events, visit www.afspa.org/events.Join us for AFSPA Live on June 25. Submit your questions in advance at: https://forms.office.com/r/9FuRJC76sN.Don't miss open enrollment in AFSPA's disability insurance program through June 30. Learn more and enroll at www.afspa.org/aip/disability.

Statistically speaking, men are less likely to seek care, both for prevention and treatment. This applies to physical health and mental/behavioral health. In recent years, this discrepancy has led to a widening gap in life expectancy between men and women. We discussed these differences, the importance of care for men, and even dived into some trends with Dr. Kelly Ruel, Sr. Medical Director for Aetna/CVS Health.  To learn more about topics discussed in today's episode, please visit:AFSPA Events - https://www.afspa.org/eventsFSBP Preventive Care, Virtual Care, and Wellness Programs - https://www.afspa.org/fsbp/wellness-programs/

National trends indicate that more people are waiting until a bit later in life before considering their options. Some plan months or years in advance before starting the journey, while others make plans quickly when they find out a new addition is on the way. Growing a family looks different for each of us. Last year, more than 700 FSBP members gave birth and grew their families in locations around the world.  For FSBP members at any stage of the fertility, maternity, or parenting journey, they can access support through Maven Clinic. As part of Maternity May, we welcome Dr. Kathleen Green from Maven to talk about their support program and how members can benefit from this free, global offering. You can ask your own questions to Dr. Green during this month's AFSPA Live on May 28 at 11 am ET.  To enroll in Maven Clinic, please visit www.mavenclinic.com/join/FSBP To learn more about our upcoming programs, please visit www.afspa.org/events.

AFSPA is happy to announce that we recently launched a new long-term disability insurance plan in partnership with Prudential. This new plan offers a variety of ways to customize coverage based on your salary and how long of a benefit period you want. To learn the ins and outs of the new plan, we welcome back Nicole Devlin from Prudential to the program. To learn more about the new plan, please visit www.afspa.org/aip/disability. To see all of our upcoming events, please visit www.afspa.org/events.