Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums rise an average of 10.9% in 2027, while the President’s alternative pay plan proposes no increase in General Schedule base or locality pay. This guide shows the squeeze in dollars per paycheck for Self Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family, tests it against 1% and 2% raise scenarios, and compares five years of compounded premium increases (65.5%) with five years of average pay raises (about 13.4%).
FEHB (Federal Employees Health Benefits)
Is Fraud Driving Your 2027 FEHB Premium Increase? What OPM’s Numbers Reveal
The Office of Personnel management annoucned it found more than $500 million in anti-fraud savings across the FEHB and PSHB programs in 2025. Set against roughly $80 billion in annual spending and a 10.9 percent average premium increase for 2027, the numbers tell a more measured story. Here’s what OPM reported, what its own rule estimates about ineligible family members, and a short checklist for you to run before open season this year.
2026 Federal Benefits Open Season Options Announced by OPM
The Office of Personnel Management announced the 2026 Federal Benefits Open Season, for coverage that begins in the 2027 plan year. This guide covers the key dates, when FEHB and PSHB changes take effect, the FEHB plans leaving the program, new family-member eligibility documentation, and 2027 benefit changes.
2027 FEHB Premiums: Plan-by-Plan Changes (PSHB included)
Federal health insurance premiums are rising again for 2027, and for the third year in a row the average increase is in double digits. That average hides a wide spread, though. Some plans barely moved, a handful got less expensive, and a few nationwide plans jumped far more than the rest. This guide includes the rate tables, the government contribution caps, PSHB rates, and the plans where Self Only costs more than Self and Family.
Keeping FEHB in Retirement: The 5-Year Rule and Waiver
Miss the 5-year rule for keeping the Federal Employees Health Benefits program in retirement and the coverage gap could cost $12,000 a year. Here’s the rule, the waiver, and how to protect your eligibility.
Senators Demand Overhaul of OPM Medical Claims Collection on More Than 8 Million FEHB and PSHB Enrollees
Six Senate Democrats have given the Office of Personnel Management a September 25 deadline to respond to concerns that its medical claims collection on more than eight million FEHB and PSHB enrollees still lacks adequate privacy safeguards. The letter lists ten specific demands, including suspending the collection, shortening its 30-year retention period, and barring the data from ever being used in employment decisions. Here’s what the letter says, why lawmakers still aren’t satisfied with OPM’s safeguards, and what it means for you and your covered family members.
OPM Weighs Changes to FEHB Health Plan Options
OPM is asking whether the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program should offer more health plan options — or fewer. A new request for information, opens a 60-day comment period on how the number and type of FEHB and PSHB plan options affects premiums, consumer experience, and program costs. Here’s what’s actually being asked, and how to weigh in before the window closes.
How Much Will FEHB Cost You Between Retirement and Medicare?
If you’re retiring before 65, Federal Employees Health Benefits premiums between retirement and Medicare eligibility can add up to six figures — yet that cost rarely shows up as a line item in retirement projections. This guide walks through how to estimate your own FEHB bridge cost using your retirement age, current premium, and a few growth assumptions, plus what changes once Medicare eligibility begins.
2026 FEHB Open Season: OPM to Require 100% Verification of Family Members Added
OPM has directed agencies to verify 100 percent of Open Season elections that add a family member to FEHB or PSHB coverage, effective this Open Season (Nov 9–Dec 14, 2026). It’s a statutory requirement now, not a recommendation — tracing to the FEHB Protection Act of 2025. Here’s what documents you’ll need (with a downloadable checklist) and what happens if a family member can’t be verified
CRS Report Questions OPM’s Legal Authority to Collect FEHB/PSHB Medical Claims Data
OPM wants detailed medical claims data on FEHB and PSHB enrollees. A new Congressional Research Service report says the agency’s legal authority to do it is far from settled — and lays out how a court could decide.