Posted on 03/31/2012 6:57:02 AM PDT by re_tail20
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is currently working towards delivering a private health insurance plan to its employees and wants to opt out of the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP.)
“If provided the authority to do so, we believe that we can provide our employees and retirees with the same or better health coverage for significantly less cost, ” said Postmaster General and CEO Patrick Donahoe during his testimony to the House Oversight Committee.
The financially strapped USPS recently released a plan to cut costs by 2016 to adapt to a marketplace in which there is less demand for hand delivered mail.
“While I commend Mr. Donahoe for his commitment to implement cost cutting measures, the financial status of the postal service remains untenable,” said Oversight Committee Chairman Dennis Ross (R-Fla.)
“In response to this fiscal crisis, the US Postal Service recently presented its five year business plan to profitability…the centerpiece of this plan involves shifting USPS employees and their retirees from the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) to a new USPS run health plan.”
Donahoe claimed a private health plan for the USPS will result in annual savings of approximately $7 billion and will function like any other health insurance plan in the private sector.
Rep. John Lynch (D-Mass.) raised a potential concern of a lack of choice for postal employees in selecting a health insurance plan that is best for them. Donahoe assured there would be tiers of value and quality from which employees can choose, as well as options for employees who have spouses and families.
Moreover, those within the postal service who are eligible for Medicare could enter into the USPS plan as a way for them to cut costs.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
Waiting for the explosion from the left in 3....2....1...!
FEHB, which arranges for the insurance for all federal employees and retirees, would lose big time. With the far healthier and fit USPS employee base OUT of the risk pool, they'd need to raise rates substantially!
Lots of folks have known for many years that USPS has been subsidizing the health insurance programs for the rest of the federal government. Time to end that stuff.
Paul Ryan failed to account for that in his latest proposal to raise federal employee health care employee contributions!
He'll still need to come up with another $7 billion!
MA has a D. Rep named Stephen Lynch, but there ain’t no John....unless of course they were talking about that stellar drooling nitwit, John Olver, Rep. D. Mass!
This is about as misleading a title as I’ve ever seen.
Instead of “US Postal Service Wants Out Of Government-Provided Health Insurance”,
how about : “Postal Service Managers want to kick Postal Workers out of Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan”.
Way more accurate.
Waivered.
Don’t most post office employees have union sponsored plans? So management is trying to prop up the unions?
The managers get kicked out of FEHB as well. Taking $7 billion in unnecessary costs off the table will make it much easier for postal employees to get raises.
One of the plans sponsored by MAIL HANDLERS had a better dental plan than just about anybody so employees with chronic tooth problems would usually sign up with that one.
A story just dripping with irony. Can we ordinary citizens opt out of both the USPS AND Obamacare?
Another waiver to escape oblamer’s signature legislation?
Quelle surprise!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.