AFSPA Talks

There are an increasing number of diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in both children and adults. Despite the prevalence of this diagnosis, many do not understand this condition. Today, we welcome a health coach from Brightline Health who will walk through the basics of ADHD including behaviors, symptoms and treatments. Our guest discusses the support offered by Brightline Health, an in-network, stateside ...

Beginning in January 2024, many Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) plans will be offering a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) to their members. The Foreign Service Benefit Plan will be among them. This program will result in savings for our members aged 65 and older. Join us for a detailed discussion of PDPs generally and the specifics of the FSBP PDP. 

Mark your calendars for two upcoming discussions of the F...

In 2021, we offered an episode diving into the various options that are available for long-term care insurance. Shortly after we aired that program, the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIS or LTCFEDS) stopped accepting new applications and enrollments and changes to existing enrollments, and the stoppage is expected to last through at least December 2024. At the same time, the program is going through a contract renewa...

Today, AFSPA welcomes Dr. Kandis Daroski, PT, DPT, to our show to discuss a new offering from Hinge Health: their Women's Pelvic Health program. Dr. Kandis talks through common pelvic floor issues and how they manifest themselves and how they are typically treated (or more commonly not). She then talks through the innovative solution offered for treating pelvic floor disorders - remote exercise and physical therapy from Hinge ...

For many of us, the end of August means a return to school. That transition can come with a number of changes and challenges. Today, we explore some of the mental health challenges that may arise and how parents can promote mental wellness for their kids of all ages. Jodi Harris, LCSW, of Active and Connected Family Therapy brings her unique experience as both a mental health professional working with Foreign Service families and a...

Skin cancer is the most common cancer and 1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime. As we spend more time in the sun due to summertime, it is important to know the different types of skin cancer, how to prevent it, and what treatments are available. To help us understand more about skin cancer, we have Leah B. Jacobson, Sr. Medical Director at Aetna joining us.

Links discussed in today's episode:

It's summer, and for many of us, that means some travel. These days, travel is rarely without some interruption or challenge, and there's help available when the unexpected becomes inevitable. AFSPA's Sr. Director for Ancillary Insurance Programs Adrienne Seabrooks joins us to help demystify travel insurance and tell us what to look for when considering policies.

This month, AFSPA wants to see your best vacation or tr...

This episode has been in the works for more than a month. April was Autism Awareness Month. Approximately 1 in 36 people are diagnosed with autism, but many of us understand little about the diagnosis. Today, Heather Buzbee of Brightline Health joins us to share her experience as a practitioner and a parent and help us understand this condition. In this interview, we learn about diagnoses, the uniqueness of each person diagnosed wi...

This week, we bring you an overview of health topics for the month of May: Mental Health Awareness Month, Blood Pressure Awareness Month, Better Speech and Hearing Month, and Women’s Health Week. There are a number of programs mentioned in this episode, and here are links to those:

AFSPA’s events calendar: www.afspa.org/events

AFSPA’s blog: www.afspa.org/blogs

myStrength: www.mystrength.com – access code FSBP

AbleTo: www.AbleTo.com

Bri...

A recent WHO study concluded that 1 in 6 adults around the world experiences infertility in their lifetime. Procedures for diagnosing and treating infertility have come a long way in recent decades, and health insurance coverage around these procedures continues to evolve. In 2023, the Foreign Service Benefit Plan ( FSBP) offered coverage of assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures for the first time.

In this episode, we sh...

Today, we bring you something a bit different than our typical episode. It was just over three years ago, in March 2020, when COVID-19 profoundly changed life for most of us. The last three years had profound effects on healthcare around the world - how it's delivered, how data is used, and how we approach issues at a population level. 

Dr. Timothy Foggin of Teladoc Health Canada brings his experience and expertise in family me...

This week, we have an episode that may be of particular interest to the 1,700+ new enrollees who joined FSBP during open season: an overview of the Plan and how it works. We also included a bit about the changes for 2023 for long-time members. Learn more about some of the features mentioned in this episode:

Changes for 2023: https://www.afspa.org/fsbp/new-for-2023/

FSBP Wellness Programs: https://www.afspa.org/fsbp/wellness-programs/

...

Recent changes in access to military treatment facilities (MTFs) have had an outsize effect on DoD civilians in Japan. This episode reviews coverage and programs available to members in Japan - and in many cases around the world - and how to access these benefits. 

For more information about vHealth, please visit https://vhealth-teladochealth.com/en. 

For more information about Livongo chronic condition support, visit get.livongo.com...

Happy New Year! AFSPA Talks is taking a quick break on doing a full episode this week, but we’ll be back in two weeks with a full episode airing on Monday, Jan 23rd where we’ll be talking about the post-holiday blues and the wellness programs we offer to help Foreign Service Benefit Plan members and their dependents. This includes programs like our digital coaching and our Lifestyle and Condition Coaching Program, so stay tuned!

The holidays are upon us, and they bring with them tasty treats and stress. Managing our health this time of year can be a challenge, but it's not impossible. To provide some ways to be kind to ourselves while remaining healthy this holiday season, we welcome Grace Silverio, BSN, CDCES, RN, MSN, Director of Solution Strategy for Teladoc Health and a subject matter expert for chronic conditions. 

For more information on Livongo ...

With only one week left of open season, host Kyle Longton turns to some of his colleagues for help answering your most frequent questions. We touch on general information about FEHB, FEDVIP, and FSAFEDS before digging into FSBP wellness incentives and ending with a lightening round on the FSBP-Aetna Medicare Advantage Program. Some of the websites discussed in this episode include:

FEDVIP information: www.benefeds.com 

FSAFEDS: www.f...

In 2023, AFSPA is offering coverage for ART procedures under the Foreign Service Benefit Plan for the first time. Today we delve into not only this coverage but also causes of infertility and the various treatments, including ART procedures. OB/GYN Jordan Pritzker, MD, MBA, FACOG, joins us to share his expertise in this area and talk us through what individual might experience as they seek to grow their families. 

For more informati...