The Foreign Service Journal, June 2012

J UN E 2 0 1 2 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 51 A F S A N E W S THIS MONTH IN DIPLOMATIC HISTORY: State’s Roll of Honor BY GREG NAARDEN O n June 16, 1976, U.S. Ambassador toLebanonFrancis E.Meloy Jr. set out topresent his credentials to the country’s newly elected president, Elias Sarkis. Ridingwithhiminhis carwere the economic counselor, RobertWaring, and anembassydriver, ZouhierMoghrabi. The Lebanese civil war had erupted the year before, and Beirut’s downtown commer- cial center had become the dividing line between the Muslim and Christian com- munities. Members of the Popular Front for the Liberationof Palestine stopped the embassy vehicle as it crossed theGreenLine andkid- napped the three men. Their bullet-rid- dled bodies were found shortly thereafter on a nearby beach. Meloywas a career ForeignServiceoffi- cer who had served in the U.S. Navy dur- ing World War II. He joined the State Department in 1946, serving inDhahran, Paris, SaigonandWashington. Prior tohis assignment toBeirut, he hadbeen theU.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. Waring had also joined State after the war, and had served in sev- eral European countries and Morocco before taking up his position in Beirut. Shortly after hearing the news of the deaths, President Gerald Ford addressed reporters at theWhiteHouse. “Thesemen had lived in danger for many weeks and did so with dedication and disregard for personal safety, aswe have come to expect of the Foreign Service.” O nApril 23, AFSAwelcomedPaula S. Jakub, executive vicepresident of the American Foreign Service Protective Association, to speak to AFSA members on theFederal EmployeesHealth Benefits program andMedicare. The full house attested to the importanceof the sub- ject for federal employees nearing retire- ment. Jakub’s presentation covered how FEHB and Medicare work together. She started off by pointing out that for those who choose to retire overseas, “Medicare and overseas are like oil andwater—they do not mix.” AsMedicare does not cover overseas claims, retireesmust rely solelyon their FEHB coverage. She helped to alleviate the confusion surrounding the four parts of theMedicare program and how they relate to FEHB: • Part A is free hospital insurance avail- able to all once they turn 65. Enrollment in Part A is automatic once you have enrolled in Medicare. • PartB ismedical insurance,whichcov- ers your doctor visits and has a premium. • Part C is a HealthMaintenance Org- anization, providing comprehensivemed- ical coverage. To enroll, you must be enrolled in Part A and Part B. • Part D offers prescription drug cov- erage. The FEHB plan provides the same minimumcoverage for prescriptiondrugs as Part D. Jakub highlighted the following con- siderations to take note of: • Medicare has a specific enrollment period and if you fail to enroll during this time, you will be penalized. The initial enrollment period covers seven months: three months before your 65th birthday, your birthday month and the three months after it. If you fail to enroll in Medicare during that period, youwill have to pay a penalty. • Your doctor may or may not accept Medicare, with consequences to your pocketbook if not. • If your doctor does participate in Medicare, thenMedicarebecomes yourpri- marycoverage formost services,withFEHB picking up the remaining costs. • Enrolling inMedicare Part B is a per- sonal decision, depending on how much risk you are willing to take, your overall health and your income. The following Web site will help you calculate your Medicare costs: www.medicare.gov/navi gation/medicare-basics/eligibility-and- enrollment.aspx. The presentation ended with Jakub answering anabundanceof questions from the packed room. If youwould likemore informationonthis topic, orhaveyourown questions, please feel free to contact Paula Jakub at (202) 833-4910 or paula.jakub@ AFSPA.org . The video of the seminar is posted on AFSA’s Web site at www.afsa.org/AFSA Videos.aspx. AFSPA VP Speaks on FEHB and Medicare BY MATTHEW SUMRAK, ASSOCIATE COORDINATOR FOR RETIREES On April 23, Paula Jakub, AFSPA executive vice president, addresses AFSA members on coordi- nating the FEHB program and Medicare. Continued on page 53 Shortly after hearing the news of the deaths, President Ford addressed reporters at the White House. ÁSGEIR SIGFÚSSON