By heavily subsidized they mean 70% of the premium is covered by the government for a choice of policies that mostly break down to an 80% /20% insurance/benificiary benefit. When the employees are move to the exchanges the government pays up to 75% for what ends up being the same cost breakdown with higher deductibles.
I wonder how many chiefs of staff are career federal employees. One would think if they aren't they could easily move to K street if the health coverage is so bad. They could also punch their boss in the face for not designating them as an employee that gets to keep their FEHB.
Perhaps they doth complain too much.