Foreign Service Benefit Plan

I was very satisfied with FSBP for more than a decade. Recently however, the number of claims rejected by Aetna (who administers the plan now) has skyrocketed. Having to logon to both the FSBP website and the Aetna website to find and match up claims, with the explanations of benefits documents (which include multiple claims), and denial letters adds a layer of complexity that seems designed to keep customers from clearly understanding or tracking claims. Everyone says the massage benefit is worth it, but since this summer (2025), Aetna is denying massages both domestically in the U.S. and overseas. Most massage parlors cannot provide or will not provide an invoice with sufficient detail to meet Aetna's new standards - effectively rendering this "benefit" useless. And it's not just ma

Really appalling customer service - I don't know if it's FSBP, or Aetna, or AFSA - but it's all bad. 1) call, 2) get transfered, 3) wait over 2 hours to speak to a "Health Benefits Officer", 4) they recite the benefits book, can provide no other information, give me a new number, 5) call new number, 6) that person sends me back to the 2 hours wait to speak with another HBO, 7) call number again, ask not to be transferred, 8) the person says they don't have the information I'm looking for even though they're the correct number to call, 9) they recommend I go back to HBO/member services as ask to speak to a supervisor... 3.5 hours, no answers, and not the first time I've gone through their hoops to ask the question.

Nightmare. They lure you in with the massages and their customer service is abysmal. If I could give this negative stars, I would.

My experience (over 30 years) with this plan was wonderful until fairly recently. When Aetna took over as plan administrator, the level of rejected claims for overseas customers rose markedly. Aetna demands detailed receipts which are not customary in many countries (and indeed are prohibited by HIPPA regulations), forcing us to have to call and argue about many claims that are perfectly valid and for which we have supplied ample documentation. If you are overseas, this may not be the best plan for you.

I recommend them. Grace explained my health policy in detail and made sure the claim process was quick. She was courteous and always followed up.