Dear AFSPA Member,
As we move through the summer months, it’s a great time to focus on the tools and resources that support your overall well-being. This month, we’re highlighting the benefits of self-care through alternative treatment options available under the Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP), as well as the importance of reviewing your life insurance beneficiaries to help ensure your loved ones are protected. Taking advantage of these tools can help you protect what matters most while supporting your overall health and financial wellness.
You Deserve a Massage!
A relaxing massage can be more than a luxury. It can be a valuable tool for managing stress, relieving anxiety, easing muscle tension, improving mood, combating insomnia, overcoming joint pain, and supporting overall well-being. As we recognize the benefits of massage therapy during Everybody Deserves a Massage Week (July 12 – 18), I encourage you to explore alternative treatments, including massage therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic services, under your FSBP coverage.
FSBP covers up to 50 massage therapy, 50 chiropractic, and 50 acupuncture visits annually for members and covered dependents, with reimbursement of up to $75 per visit when services are provided by a qualified U.S.-licensed massage therapist or an eligible therapist abroad. (The Plan only covers one massage per day for each covered member.) To help ensure your claims are processed smoothly, please note that special filing requirements apply to massage therapy claims. We encourage you to review these requirements before seeking services or submitting a claim.
Review Your Beneficiaries: A Small Step That Makes a Big Difference
Life insurance is designed to provide financial protection and peace of mind for the people who matter most. That’s why it’s important to periodically review and update the beneficiary designations on your life insurance policies and other benefit plans.
Life circumstances can change over time. Marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, retirement, or the loss of a loved one may affect whether your current beneficiary designations still reflect your wishes. Taking a few minutes to review this information can help ensure that benefits are distributed according to your intentions and can prevent unnecessary delays or complications for your family during a difficult time.
As part of your overall financial wellness planning, I encourage you to review the beneficiaries associated with your life insurance coverage, retirement accounts, and other benefit programs. It is the official documents associated with these that determine how benefits are distributed, not provisions in a will. Keeping this information up to date is one of the simplest yet most meaningful ways to protect your loved ones and provide them with financial security when they need it most.
AFSPA offers life insurance plans designed to help meet the evolving needs of our members and their families. To learn more about AFSPA’s life insurance options or to update your beneficiary information, visit afspa.org/life. You can also tune in to an upcoming AFSPA Talks podcast this month featuring Sr. Director of AFSPA Ancillary Insurance Programs (AIP), Adrienne Coleman-Seabrooks, who will discuss available life insurance options and share guidance on reviewing and updating beneficiary designations.
Stay Connected
Lastly, stay updated on everything AFSPA through our website’s news feed, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, and social media channels (@afspacares). We discuss a variety of engaging topics across all platforms.
As we celebrate Independence Day, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. Whether you are observing the Fourth of July here in the United States or serving overseas, this holiday offers an opportunity to reflect on the freedoms and opportunities we are privileged to enjoy. Your dedication and service to our nation play an essential role in protecting those freedoms, often under unique and challenging circumstances. On behalf of AFSPA, thank you for your commitment, sacrifice, and service. We are honored to support you and your family and wish you a safe, healthy, and happy Fourth of July.
Did You Know?
In 2015, FSBP processed approximately 755,000 claims, including 124,000 overseas claims. Last year, the Plan processed 2.28 million claims, including more than 525,000 overseas claims. A total of 900,000 claims – including all overseas claims and hundreds of thousands of stateside submissions – were manually processed in 2025. Even with necessary translations and currency conversions, 99% of claims were processed within 30 working days.
To Better Health,
Kyle Longton, CAE, REBC
CEO, AFSPA
