The share of health insurance premiums that federal employees and retirees pay themselves will rise an average of 10.9 percent for 2027, the Office of Personnel Management says. The figure is for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, known as FEHB, and comes from OPM’s highlights for plan year 2027. The overall average premium, which includes what the government pays, rises 9.3 percent.
The enrollee increase is smaller than last year’s. OPM’s highlights put the 2026 average enrollee share increase at 12.3 percent and the overall average premium increase at 10.2 percent.
Federal employees and annuitants in an FEHB plan will see their new rates when Open Season begins on Nov. 9. The question for each household is how much its own plan goes up and whether a different plan costs less. The 10.9 percent is an average across plans, so an individual plan can land above or below it.
This story moves again when Open Season opens on Nov. 9; The Retirement Money Brief will cover the next step in plain English when it happens.
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Three averages and what separates them
OPM reports three different growth rates for FEHB in 2027. The overall average premium rises 9.3 percent, down from 10.2 percent. The average enrollee share rises 10.9 percent, down from 12.3 percent. The government contribution rises 8.6 percent, down from 9.2 percent.
The enrollee number is the highest of the three because the government’s contribution is growing more slowly than the total premium. When the government’s share grows 8.6 percent and the total grows 9.3 percent, the part left to enrollees grows faster than either.
How the government’s share is set
For most employees and annuitants, the maximum government contribution is 72 percent of the program-wide weighted average premium, according to OPM’s 2027 premiums page. For 2027 that works out to a biweekly maximum of $352.04 for Self Only, $767.53 for Self Plus One and $843.82 for Self and Family.
The same page lists the program-wide weighted average premiums, which are $488.95 biweekly for Self Only, $1,066.02 for Self Plus One and $1,171.97 for Self and Family. OPM also notes that in some cases the enrollee share for Self Plus One will be higher than for Self and Family, and it publishes a chart naming the affected plans. Separate rate charts cover HMO plans, fee-for-service plans, temporary continuation of coverage and former spouses.
The Open Season calendar
OPM’s Open Season announcement says the window runs from Nov. 9 through Dec. 14, 2026. The FEHB program will have 45 participating carriers offering 118 plan options. OPM’s highlights say coverage takes effect on Jan. 1 or Jan. 10, 2027, depending on the enrollee’s category.
Dental and vision plans go through a separate program, FEDVIP, where OPM reports average premium increases of 1.0 percent for dental and 1.6 percent for vision. The announcement also says people with flexible spending accounts through FSAFEDS must make a new election each year to keep that benefit, and that a Visa FSA card is available for 2027.
Dental and vision are a separate choice
FEDVIP, the dental and vision program, has 11 dental carriers and 5 vision carriers offering 31 plan options, according to OPM’s highlights. Premiums there rise far less than medical premiums, so a household reviewing coverage during Open Season can look at all three kinds of coverage in the same sitting. The announcement links separate plan comparison tools for FEHB, PSHB and FEDVIP.
OPM’s highlights also report that 187 tribal employers cover about 47,033 employees through these programs. That group faces the same Open Season dates as federal workers.
Comparing FEHB plans before Dec. 14
The 2027 premiums page above is the free official place to see each plan’s rates, with separate charts for HMO and fee-for-service options. Anyone comparing plans can start with the current plan’s rate and the rates of two or three alternatives in the same enrollment type, since Self Only, Self Plus One and Self and Family are priced differently.
Premium is only part of the cost. Gather last year’s explanation-of-benefits statements, a list of regular doctors and prescriptions, and the total spent on copays and deductibles. A plan with a lower premium can cost more over a year if a doctor falls outside its network or a medication costs more.
Matthew Kiley, OPM’s associate director for healthcare and insurance, said in the announcement: “Open Season is the time to look beyond your current plan and make sure your coverage still works for you and your family.”
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This piece was drafted with AI assistance and checked for accuracy against the Office of Personnel Management pages linked above.
