AFSPA Talks

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, members of the Foreign Service community join to share their journeys with growing their families. Their stories of adoption, IVF, and surrogacy highlight the challenges and joys that each family experienced. In celebration of Pride Month, we are proud to feature stories from the LGBTQ+ community about their Family Formation Journeys. Thank you to glifaa (Gays, and...

Today AFSPA Talks kicks off a month-long focus on infertility and family formation with a focus on the mental health. Experiencing challenges conceiving, facing a diagnosis of infertility, and considering ways to expand your family including ART procedures and adoption have effects beyond physical health. They can cause depression and anxiety, put strain on relationships, and more. Our guest today...

As we wrap up our focus on AFSPA's AIP options, Vishal Jain from Prudential joins us to discuss Financial Wellness. Learn about the connections between financial and mental wellness and how Prudential's Financial Wellness Program - available at no cost to all AFSPA members - can help you manager your daily spending, pay down debt, and plan for the future.  For more information about this...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton talks about Life Insurance. Do you know the differences between term, whole, and universal life insurance? Nina Matias from Prudential does, and she’s back to share her expertise. This time, she talks about life and AD&D insurance. Find out about evolutions in the types of plans available and what considerations to take into account when decidin...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton talks about AFSPA’s Discount Care Program. Valerie DeBruin, VP of Network Operations for Careington and Dr. Joan Waldron discuss the discount plans - their value and how they work. Dr. Waldron also provides great information about the important of preventative dental care. For more information on AFSPA’s Discount Care Program, click here .  

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO, Kyle Longton and Adrienne Seabrooks, Director of Ancillary Insurance Programs at AFSPA, talk about some of the unique AIP programs AFSPA offers. This is a preview of four episodes in our “Focus on AIP” podcast series. To learn more about AFSPA’s Ancillary Insurance Programs (AIP), visit our website at afspa.org/aip . Watch this quick video to see how some of ou...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO, Kyle Longton has an in-depth discussion with Dr. Peter Rasmussen, MD, Chief Clinical Officer at The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Susan Scott, Director of Client Services at The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic about our partnership with Cleveland Clinic for the overseas virtual second opinion program.    The Foreign Service Benefit Plan has a special arrangemen...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO, Kyle Longton has an in-depth discussion on Medicare Advantage Plans  and how they work together with the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and commercial plans, with John H. Ficaro, Vice President of Aetna Group Retiree & De-Risking Solutions. This is the last episode of our "Focus on Medicare" podcast series. If you missed the firs...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO, Kyle Longton discusses Medicare, Tricare, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, and how they work together with Rear Adm. Christine Hunter (Ret.), MD Former Chief Medical Officer, OPM Co-Chair, NCQA Committee on Performance Measurement . AFSPA CEO, Paula S. Jakub, RHU also joins the conversation to give us more information on how Medicare co...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, CEO, Paula Jakub brings us through a discussion on Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, and how they work together. Paula talks about Medicare regulations, benefit coordination, how to differentiate between Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D, and how the FEHB coverage works for federal retirees who do not take Medicare. We highly encourage y...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton takes us through a discussion of how AFSPA can help you with your 2022 new year's resolutions. Listen in as Kyle discusses wellness incentives, wellness programs, and more!

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton discusses staying healthy throughout the holiday season with Dr. Jonathan Rubens, Chief Medical Officer of ActiveHealth Management. Senior Director Leah Briggs also joins the conversation to give us more information on Lifestyle and Condition Coaching and how a coach can help you stay on track this holiday season. Jonathan S. Rubens brings more than...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton is the one being interviewed! That's right, this episode dives into Open Season and the questions members usually have this time of year. Kyle brings us through 2022 Foreign Service Benefit Plan plan changes and enhancements, and answers FAQs. 

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion on Long Term Care for Long Term Care Awareness Month. For this episode, Kyle is joined by Linda Tsironis Caruthers, founder and CEO of Long-Term Care Consultants.  Linda Tsironis Caruthers, CSA, LTCP is the founder and CEO of Long-Term Care Consultants, Inc., a dedicated long-term care insurance agency providing long-t...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks we hear from the Senior Living Foundation's caregiving webinar. AFSPA CEO Paula Jakub, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Senior Living Foundation provides some background on the Foundation and introduces Heather Suri, an aging life care professional who runs a care management agency in Northern Virginia, and Kevin Montgomery, a licensed clinical s...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion on healthy pregnancy with Dr.  Joanne Armstrong, Chief Medical Officer for Women's Health and Genomics at CVS Health. Kyle and Dr. Armstrong talk about preparing for pregnancy, advice for while you're pregnant, and post-pregnancy tips.  Joanne Armstrong, MD, MPH is  She is responsible for women's health...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion of 2021 Open Season with AFSPA's CEO, Paula Jakub. The two talk plan enhancements, changes, and more, serving as your guide to this year's Open Season. Open Season runs from November 8 - December 13. Go to afspa.org/openseason for more information, and visit afspa.org/events to register for one of our virtual...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion of diabetes with Teladoc Health's Director of Clinical Products, Dr. Tejaswi Kompala.  Dr. Teja Kompala is the Director of Clinical Products and clinical subject matter expert for the diabetes and weight management/diabetes prevention programs. As a board-certified Endocrinologist, her responsibilities at Teladoc...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion of virtual behavioral support for kids with Brightline’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David Grodberg.  Dr. Grodberg has over 20 years of clinical experience providing evaluation and treatment for children, adolescents, and their families across many conditions and levels of care. Dr. Grodberg is currently a faculty membe...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion of breast cancer and getting a second opinion with PinnacleCare's Clinical Director, Jeff Weaver.  Jeff Weaver is a certified Master’s level Physician Assistant and the Clinical Director of the Group Benefits at PinnacleCare, where he has overseen the medical management of complex and serious illness for the past...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion of Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM) and the State Department's Office of Casualty Assistance (OCA). Kirk Leach, Director of the OCA, joins Kyle for this episode on life insurance and personal contingency planning. Kirk Leach has been the Director of the Office of Casualty Assistance (OCA) at the State Departm...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion of chronic pain management with Hinge Health's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jeff Kraus. The two discuss chronic pain, the affects of working from home, how chronic pain relates to one's mental wellness, and more.  Dr. Jeff Krauss graduated from Harvard College, earned his Medical degree from the University of C...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through a discussion on opioids and overdoses with Katherine Lurk and Becky Parker. The three take an in depth look at the opioid epidemic, removing the stigma surrounding opioid overdoses, how to get help if you're struggling with opioid misuse, and more. Katherine Lurk is the Clinical Pharmacist and Manager of Business Development w...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through our third and final discussion of back to school. This episode looks at going back to school amidst the pandemic through the eyes of pediatrician Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph. Dr. Pearl Ben-Joseph shares the safest practices for returning to school, preventative measures against getting COVID-19, as well as the affects of increased socia...

In this episode of AFSPA Talks, COO Kyle Longton brings us through another back to school discussion, this week with middle school teacher Annitra Smith-Lincoln. Learn about what going back to the classroom was like last year for middle schoolers, and what it will look like this year as we continue to battle COVID-19.  Annitra Smith-Lincoln has taught for a total of 18 years, grades 3-12. She is c...