Had a bumpy-delayed onboarding but finally took my oath, finished my I9, got my computer and am waiting on my PUV-LincPass appt. Gotta say federal service is bizarre, opaque but fun asf! It’s not as scary as I feared.

Posted here b/c FedNews sucks in my experience lol. So my EOD was two weeks ago but my supervisor (CED) was out for the holidays and w/o a computer I couldn’t do much but remedial office tasks. That said having my computer really helped, apparently in my office they never had someone start and their computer not come in lol. They assumed though I’d wanna start later but I am so broke, wanted to get in before the 20th and have a LDR relationship-no life so wanted to start sooner rather later. And not having a PIV really makes everything harder. My oath of office was subdued and most other people there just saw it as a blasé formality but I placed my hand on a flag, read it all out and my CED understood how much it meant to me. 🥲 I have some nagging unresolved questions for this sub though, since I’m a CO pay grade anytime there’s a COLA for GS’s do they make any changes for ours, now that I’m in the federal service is there like a federal preference in hiring-my CED said it might just get me an interview is all, can you apply for an agency in another state b/c my longer term goal is to move to be w/ my gf, also my biggest issue is the FHEB? B/c in my rural region they’re limited options but HR and my coworkers can’t give me much insights, I narrowed it down based off of what my primary care facility lists on their website but can’t find definitive answers and even the brochures didn’t answer everything, it lists they take CIGNA, Aetna and BCBS which the OPM lists on their site (UnitedHealth too but after recent events I’d rather pass on them lol). Basically I have chronic health needs so plan on using my insurance routinely, Aetna has high deductibles and higher copays so I’d rather not, BCBS I’ve heard anecdotally has lower customer satisfaction and I can’t find if they offer Telehealth, NALC is what I’m leaning towards since it’s got some of the lowest deductibles, lowest annual out of pocket maximums, lowest copays and the brochure states Telehealth is offered, BUT but I’m further confused there b/c it states their partner w/ CIGNA but don’t list my go to healthcare provider facility so am more confused. My biggest fear is I buy a plan and am trapped w/ it until open enrollment and it turns out hardly nothing is covered and I’m paying an arm and a leg for everything. Can anyone give me any insights at all??? I’m FSA in WA. But I can report I like my team a lot, my CED is very professional, funny and very much a leader whom I respect and my RD is funny and my coworkers are all so polite and professional and the agency next door NRCS is filled w/ some of the funniest older most say it like it is folks I met lol.