When the decade began, we were enmeshed in Congressional actions which lead to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in March 2010. From a health policy perspective, this has been the ACA’s decade for better or for worse.

The FEHB Program celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2019. The FEHBP which was once a fairly uncomplicated program, was burdened — like other group health plans — with ACA obligations and uniquely with new OPM initiatives, such as the agency’s plan performance system. The decade ended with a ray of sunshine created by the repeal of the ACA’s health insurer and Cadillac taxes and a well deserved raise for federal employees.

Will the FEHBP see its 70th anniversary or will be it folded into a Medicare for All arrangement in the 2020s?  Time will tell, but the FEHBlog bets that the FEHBP will see 2030. Let’s hope that we all do.

For a longer trip down memory lane, check out this Becker’s Hospital Review article.

Fun fact to know and tell, as CNBC reports, the 2010s were the only decade in American history without an economic recession.

Happy New Year.