4 September 2026 - Letter from FAFICS President - changes to UNHQ-administered health insurance plans

Dear colleagues and friends,

Since the changes to the UN Headquarters-administered health insurance plans took effect on 1 July 2026, many of your members have written to your Association and/or to me directly. Your concerns are legitimate, and I want to address them directly, and to tell you plainly what FAFICS is doing about them.

What changed. The changes are described in two UN Information Circulars — ST/IC/2026/2 and ST/IC/2026/3 — an increase in premiums across every UN Headquarters-administered plan, in some cases by as much as 40 per cent, and benefit changes such as higher out-of-pocket thresholds and reduced physical therapy coverage.

These increases follow years in which claims have exceeded contributions system-wide, driven mainly by an ageing population, costlier post-pandemic care, and shrinking plan reserves which were used in the past to absorb part of increases in some of the plans with sufficient reserves. Contribution levels for participants and the Organization were increased accordingly, in line with the cost-sharing ratios approved by the General Assembly.

Retiree representatives from AFICS/NY continued their efforts to advocate for the broadest possible benefits at the most reasonable cost possible during the Health and Life Insurance Committee (HLIC) review of the plans. I encourage every retiree to read the circular covering their own plan directly, rather than rely on second-hand accounts.

What FAFICS is doing. FAFICS advocates for equitable access to health insurance benefits at the most reasonable cost possible. Our mandate is to be the unified, system-wide voice of retirees — raising issues that no single Association may be able to address alone.

In recent months we have written formally to the most senior UN management responsible for health insurance policy, pressing for stronger funding arrangements, full voting representation of retirees on health insurance committees, better-value coverage, and to allow the President of FAFICS to address the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) on issues of concern to retirees.

We ran the largest survey of its kind in relation to claims’ processing/appeal mechanisms as well as long-term care awareness — over 2,400 responses from 48 Associations — to build a solid evidence base, and we have turned that evidence into seven concrete recommendations adopted at our 56th Council session in Vienna this July, now driving our 2026–2027 work plan. We also coordinate closely with FICSA, UNISERV and CCISCUA, so that the voice of retirees carries real weight. A detailed account of these actions is set out in the Annex to this message (which is included in the PDF of this letter).

What your members can do. If your members have concerns with the level of benefits or other general issues related to their health insurance policy, they should raise it with their former organization and if necessary, with their local AFICS. If a claim is rejected or an enquiry goes unanswered: the matter should be raised first with their plan’s claims administrator; if unresolved, it can be raised with the health insurance unit of their former organization; if the matter persists, it can be brought to the attention of their local AFICS, which can escalate generic, system-wide issues to FAFICS. We cannot take up individual cases across our 65 Associations, but every case you share sharpens our advocacy. You and your members are not facing this alone.

I invite every Association to send us your generic questions and concerns at any time. FAFICS will keep reporting to you, regularly and in plain terms, on what we are doing and achieving. This is our commitment to you.

Darshak Shah

President, FAFICS

This letter, including the annex, is also available for download in English, French and Spanish.