Dear AFSPA Member,
Spring is near and soon the cold temperatures will give way to warm sunny days -at least in the Northern Hemisphere! It’s a wonderful season, and we here at AFSPA are springing exciting things into action including our upcoming Annual AFSPA Member Meeting and our AFSPA In Action spring newsletter. If you haven’t already, there is still time to RSVP for the Annual Member Meeting event occurring on Friday, March 4th at 11:30am ET via Zoom. We look forward to seeing you there!
A Focus on Nutrition and our Health
March is National Nutrition Month®. What are two things most of us can control when it comes to our health? They are the food we eat and how often we stay active. This month let’s make it a goal to encourage one another to make healthier food choices and aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. Healthier food choices include eating more vegetables, fruits, and limiting foods with added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. Moderate physical activities include brisk walking, easy jogging, swimming, playing sports, gardening, etc.
AFSPA offers a variety of health and wellness programs incorporated in your Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP) coverage to help you achieve your wellness goals like our Lifestyle and Condition Coaching program, Mediterranean Wellness Program, and Digital Coach Program. If you’re interested in discounts on weight management programs or nutrition services, click here. Your health is our top priority, so I encourage you to explore these amazing programs.
A Focus on our Youth
March is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®. This annual health observance inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. Substance use, such as alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs, by teens can have a big impact on their health and well-being. If you need help talking with your teens or someone close to you about drugs and their effects or want to learn where to go to get help, visit teens.drugabuse.gov. Encourage your teen to test their knowledge about drugs, alcohol, and drug use by taking the interactive National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge quiz.
A Focus on Retirees
Last month, AFSPA published a three-part “Focus on Medicare” podcast series. We kicked off the series with a discussion about “Medicare & the FEHB,” followed by “Medicare, Tricare, & the FEHB,” and finally closing the series with “Introduction to Federal Medicare Advantage Plans.” If you missed any of these episodes, you’re welcome to listen to the recordings on our AFSPA Talks podcast page. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast channel so you don’t miss an episode.
A Focus on Taxes
It’s tax season again. Filing taxes can be stressful and even more so if you are living abroad. AFSPA partners with tax experts from Beers, Hamerman, Cohen & Burger, P.C. to offer our members complimentary 20-minute consultations and a 10% discount off standard hourly rates. To learn more about this special offer, click here or contact us. As a reminder to FSBP members, your Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 1095-B Tax document will no longer be mailed to you automatically. You can request a copy of this document in the AFSPA Member Portal.
I hope you and your family enjoy a safe and healthy spring season. As always, thank you for your trust and for giving us the opportunity to serve you.
To Your Health,
Paula S. Jakub, RHU
CEO, AFSPA
Executive Director, Senior Living Foundation
