The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released 2027 premiums for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program, and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) on September 30, 2026.
Federal employees and retirees in FEHB will pay an average of 10.9% more toward premiums in 2027. That is down from a 12.3% increase in 2026, but it is the third straight year of double-digit growth, following 13.5% in 2025. PSHB enrollees will pay 8.2% more on average, compared with 11.3% in 2026. FEDVIP premiums rise by an average of 1.0% for dental plans and 1.6% for vision plans.
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Those are averages, and individual plans moved by very different amounts. The tables below pull the key numbers from OPM’s 2027 rate charts, currently available as Excel files. OPM’s updated online plan comparison information is expected in early November. Open season runs November 9 through December 14, 2026, and the FEHB open season page covers the dates, deadlines, and benefit changes.
How much individual FEHB plans changed
The 10.9% figure is OPM’s program-wide average of the change in the enrollee’s share of the premium. The rate charts show how unevenly that played out. OPM announces 118 FEHB plan options for 2027. For the analysis below, each plan-option entry in the rate charts is counted separately, including separate health maintenance organization (HMO) rating areas. Of the entries analyzed, 117 have comparable premiums for 2026 and 2027. Counting those entries equally, the median Self Only premium rose about 6%, well below the program-wide average. Some premiums rose far more, and some went down.
The table shows the change in the enrollee’s biweekly premium from 2026 to 2027. These figures describe the rate-chart entries analyzed, rather than the typical enrollee’s experience, because they are not weighted by enrollment. The median dollar change is in parentheses.
| Enrollment type | Entries with a lower premium | Entries up 15% or more | Median change | Largest increase | Largest decrease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | 20 of 117 | 18 of 117 | +5.9% (+$6.49) | +63.1% | -46.4% |
| Self Plus One | 22 of 117 | 20 of 117 | +6.3% (+$16.28) | +104.9% | -41.1% |
| Self and Family | 21 of 117 | 20 of 117 | +5.5% (+$14.70) | +83.7% | -42.3% |
Biggest changes among nationwide FEHB plans
The 17 nationwide fee-for-service plan options listed below show the spread clearly. In the list, GEHA is the Government Employees Health Association, MHBP is the Mail Handlers Benefit Plan, SAMBA is the Special Agents Mutual Benefit Association, APWU is the American Postal Workers Union, and HDHP is a high deductible health plan.
- Unchanged: GEHA HDHP, GEHA Standard Option, and the GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan Elevate Option have the same enrollee premiums as in 2026.
- Lower: GEHA High Option (Self Only down 14.0%) and the Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan (Self Only down 16.1%).
- Largest increases: MHBP Standard Option (Self Plus One up 104.9%, or $226.65 biweekly), the Foreign Service Benefit Plan High Option (Self Plus One up 66.4%), APWU Health Plan High Option (Self Only up 36.9%), SAMBA High (Self Only up 36.7%), and the GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan Elevate Plus Option (Self Only up 28.0%).
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan: Standard Option and Basic Option Self Only premiums each rise 8.7%, and FEP Blue Focus rises 11.0%.
2027 nationwide FEHB premiums: biweekly (employees)
Each cell shows the enrollee’s 2027 biweekly premium with the change from 2026 in parentheses. The last column is the Self Only percent change.
| Plan | Option | Self Only | Self Plus One | Self and Family | Self Only change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APWU Health Plan | Consumer Driven Option | $102.63 (+$2.01) | $223.06 (+$4.38) | $243.34 (+$4.78) | +2.0% |
| APWU Health Plan | High Option | $191.92 (+$51.76) | $374.71 (+$109.60) | $461.61 (+$123.89) | +36.9% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | Basic Option | $145.46 (+$11.69) | $350.48 (+$31.23) | $387.54 (+$30.68) | +8.7% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | FEP Blue Focus | $74.16 (+$7.35) | $159.43 (+$15.80) | $175.35 (+$17.38) | +11.0% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | Standard Option | $204.65 (+$16.33) | $449.89 (+$39.01) | $496.90 (+$39.24) | +8.7% |
| Compass Rose Health Plan | High Option | $149.97 (+$9.91) | $336.89 (+$25.45) | $361.03 (+$23.46) | +7.1% |
| Compass Rose Health Plan | Standard Option | $69.04 (+$7.40) | $151.89 (+$16.28) | $165.69 (+$17.75) | +12.0% |
| Foreign Service Benefit Plan | High Option | $143.75 (+$43.39) | $429.35 (+$171.39) | $382.65 (+$134.38) | +43.2% |
| GEHA | HDHP | $81.62 (+$0.00) | $175.47 (+$0.00) | $215.63 (+$0.00) | 0.0% |
| GEHA | High Option | $168.01 (-$27.28) | $376.59 (-$56.36) | $459.39 (-$65.79) | -14.0% |
| GEHA | Standard Option | $86.75 (+$0.00) | $186.51 (+$0.00) | $231.45 (+$0.00) | 0.0% |
| GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan | Elevate Option | $77.92 (+$0.00) | $187.99 (+$0.00) | $228.85 (+$0.00) | 0.0% |
| GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan | Elevate Plus Option | $262.63 (+$57.50) | $578.95 (+$129.37) | $634.19 (+$138.07) | +28.0% |
| MHBP | Standard Option | $153.11 (+$59.22) | $442.77 (+$226.65) | $400.78 (+$182.58) | +63.1% |
| Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan | FFS Plan with a POS Option | $256.25 (-$49.33) | $457.87 (-$100.81) | $437.78 (-$112.27) | -16.1% |
| SAMBA | High | $308.98 (+$82.89) | $686.75 (+$186.02) | $742.68 (+$198.63) | +36.7% |
| SAMBA | Standard | $135.87 (+$13.01) | $264.64 (+$27.91) | $280.66 (+$23.18) | +10.6% |
2027 nationwide FEHB premiums: monthly (annuitants)
Annuitants pay premiums monthly. These are the enrollee’s 2027 monthly premiums for the same nationwide plans.
| Plan | Option | Self Only | Self Plus One | Self and Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APWU Health Plan | Consumer Driven Option | $222.36 | $483.29 | $527.23 |
| APWU Health Plan | High Option | $415.83 | $811.87 | $1,000.15 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | Basic Option | $315.17 | $759.38 | $839.67 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | FEP Blue Focus | $160.69 | $345.44 | $379.93 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | Standard Option | $443.41 | $974.76 | $1,076.61 |
| Compass Rose Health Plan | High Option | $324.94 | $729.93 | $782.23 |
| Compass Rose Health Plan | Standard Option | $149.58 | $329.09 | $359.00 |
| Foreign Service Benefit Plan | High Option | $311.46 | $930.26 | $829.07 |
| GEHA | HDHP | $176.84 | $380.18 | $467.19 |
| GEHA | High Option | $364.03 | $815.95 | $995.34 |
| GEHA | Standard Option | $187.95 | $404.11 | $501.47 |
| GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan | Elevate Option | $168.83 | $407.31 | $495.85 |
| GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan | Elevate Plus Option | $569.04 | $1,254.39 | $1,374.08 |
| MHBP | Standard Option | $331.74 | $959.34 | $868.35 |
| Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan | FFS Plan with a POS Option | $555.21 | $992.05 | $948.52 |
| SAMBA | High | $669.46 | $1,487.96 | $1,609.14 |
| SAMBA | Standard | $294.39 | $573.39 | $608.10 |
HMO and regional plan premiums are in OPM’s 2027 FEHB HMO rate chart, listed by plan, option, and location.
The government’s share in 2027
For most employees and annuitants, the government contribution is the lesser of 72% of the program-wide weighted average premium or 75% of the total premium for the plan the enrollee chooses. OPM reports that the government’s average contribution will increase 8.6% in 2027. With the average enrollee contribution increasing 10.9%, the employee and retiree portion is growing faster than the government portion.
| Maximum government contribution | 2026 biweekly | 2027 biweekly | 2026 monthly | 2027 monthly | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | $324.76 | $352.04 | $703.65 | $762.75 | +8.4% |
| Self Plus One | $711.17 | $767.53 | $1,540.87 | $1,662.98 | +7.9% |
| Self and Family | $778.03 | $843.82 | $1,685.73 | $1,828.28 | +8.5% |
| Program-wide weighted average premium | 2026 biweekly | 2027 biweekly | 2026 monthly | 2027 monthly | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | $451.05 | $488.95 | $977.28 | $1,059.39 | +8.4% |
| Self Plus One | $987.73 | $1,066.02 | $2,140.08 | $2,309.71 | +7.9% |
| Self and Family | $1,080.60 | $1,171.97 | $2,341.30 | $2,539.27 | +8.5% |
Why the premium squeeze keeps building
Each year’s increase builds on the last. The table compounds OPM’s average enrollee share increases for FEHB since 2023.
| Plan year | Average increase in enrollee share | Cumulative compounded increase since 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 8.7% | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 7.7% | 17.1% |
| 2025 | 13.5% | 32.9% |
| 2026 | 12.3% | 49.2% |
| 2027 | 10.9% | 65.5% |
Compounded, the last three increases alone come to about 41%. These calculations apply the annual program-wide average increases in sequence; they do not measure the actual increase for every enrollee. An individual’s total depends on the plan and enrollment type chosen each year. For most active employees, the proposed 2027 civilian pay freeze would add to the budget pressure (see the 2027 federal pay freeze and General Schedule (GS) pay scale pages), and retirees can follow the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on the COLA Watch page.
When Self Plus One costs more than Self and Family
In some plans, the enrollee’s share for Self Plus One is higher than for Self and Family. Enrollees who want to cover one eligible family member can elect either enrollment type. The analysis of OPM’s 2027 comparison lists identifies 39 FEHB entries and 24 PSHB entries where this happens, counting separate rating areas individually.
Among nationwide FEHB plans, the biweekly Self Plus One premium exceeds Self and Family by $46.70 in the Foreign Service Benefit Plan High Option ($429.35 vs. $382.65), by $41.99 in MHBP Standard Option ($442.77 vs. $400.78), and by $20.09 in the Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan ($457.87 vs. $437.78). The largest gap in the entries analyzed is $76.29 biweekly, in four Kaiser Permanente High options. In Kaiser Permanente Northern California High, for example, Self Plus One is $568.01 and Self and Family is $491.72, a difference of about $1,984 over 26 biweekly payments.
OPM publishes the full lists as Excel files: FEHB and PSHB.
New and discontinued plans for 2027
Nine FEHB plan options and one PSHB plan option are leaving the program. The full list and the default plans are on the FEHB open season page.
The rate-chart analysis also identifies a new option in each program, both in California:
- FEHB: Sharp Health Plan Basic Option, at $67.15 biweekly for Self Only, $147.74 for Self Plus One, and $161.16 for Self and Family.
- PSHB: Kaiser Permanente Fresno California, Prosper option, at $74.45 biweekly for Self Only, with Self Plus One and Self and Family both at $172.07.
2027 PSHB premiums
PSHB enrollees will pay an average of 8.2% more toward premiums in 2027, down from 11.3% in 2026. The overall average premium rises 6.7%, and the government’s average contribution rises 6.0%. For most employees and annuitants, the government pays 72% of the program-wide weighted average premium or 75% of the plan’s premium, whichever is less.
| 2027 PSHB | Maximum government contribution, biweekly | Maximum government contribution, monthly | Weighted average premium, biweekly | Weighted average premium, monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | $318.23 | $689.50 | $441.98 | $957.62 |
| Self Plus One | $689.34 | $1,493.57 | $957.42 | $2,074.41 |
| Self and Family | $748.55 | $1,621.86 | $1,039.65 | $2,252.58 |
As in FEHB, PSHB premiums changed by very different amounts. OPM announces 65 PSHB plan options for 2027. For the analysis below, each plan-option entry in the rate charts is counted separately, including separate regional entries. Of the entries analyzed, 72 have comparable premiums for 2026 and 2027.
| Enrollment type | Entries with a lower premium | Entries up 15% or more | Median change | Largest increase | Largest decrease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | 15 of 72 | 11 of 72 | +5.6% (+$4.34) | +59.4% | -24.5% |
| Self Plus One | 14 of 72 | 12 of 72 | +5.7% (+$10.70) | +86.8% | -24.5% |
| Self and Family | 12 of 72 | 13 of 72 | +5.5% (+$10.19) | +74.2% | -24.5% |
Nationwide PSHB plans, with the enrollee’s 2027 biweekly premium and the change from 2026 in parentheses:
| Plan | Option | Self Only | Self Plus One | Self and Family | Self Only change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APWU Health Plan | Consumer Driven Option | $100.21 (+$9.11) | $217.81 (+$19.81) | $237.61 (+$21.60) | +10.0% |
| APWU Health Plan | High Option | $142.97 (+$35.82) | $279.13 (+$62.95) | $358.28 (+$82.34) | +33.4% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | Basic Option | $139.94 (+$12.35) | $340.28 (+$26.44) | $385.46 (+$27.94) | +9.7% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | FEP Blue Focus | $84.17 (+$9.02) | $180.95 (+$19.39) | $199.03 (+$21.33) | +12.0% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan | Standard Option | $196.30 (+$6.20) | $435.86 (+$11.44) | $490.62 (+$11.41) | +3.3% |
| GEHA Employee Organization | HDHP | $84.88 (+$0.00) | $182.50 (+$0.00) | $224.27 (+$0.00) | 0.0% |
| GEHA Employee Organization | Standard Option | $84.77 (+$0.00) | $182.26 (+$0.00) | $225.18 (+$0.00) | 0.0% |
| MHBP | Standard Option | $137.78 (+$45.69) | $395.93 (+$183.96) | $372.83 (+$158.83) | +49.6% |
| MHBP | Value Plan | $83.22 (+$12.82) | $200.18 (+$33.37) | $206.73 (+$36.58) | +18.2% |
| NALC Health Benefit Plan | Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP) | $80.53 (+$13.42) | $183.15 (+$30.52) | $198.26 (+$33.05) | +20.0% |
| NALC Health Benefit Plan | High Option | $116.06 (-$5.08) | $290.00 (-$3.31) | $270.37 (+$2.95) | -4.2% |
| Rural Carrier Benefit Plan | High Option | $179.37 (+$21.13) | $346.96 (+$40.46) | $339.96 (+$39.70) | +13.4% |
Among nationwide PSHB plans, Self Plus One also costs more than Self and Family in MHBP Standard Option ($395.93 vs. $372.83), NALC High Option ($290.00 vs. $270.37), and Rural Carrier Benefit Plan High Option ($346.96 vs. $339.96). The largest PSHB gap in the entries analyzed is $59.21 biweekly, in five Kaiser Permanente High options. Regional PSHB plan premiums are in OPM’s 2027 PSHB HMO rate chart, and OPM’s PSHB premiums page has the rest.
2027 FEDVIP premiums
FEDVIP dental premiums rise 1.0% on average in 2027 and vision premiums rise 1.6%, compared with 3.35% and 0.47% in 2026. Unlike FEHB, enrollees pay the full FEDVIP premium. OPM’s dental and vision premiums page has the rates for each plan.
2027 FEHB premium rate charts from OPM
OPM’s 2027 FEHB rate charts are currently available as Microsoft Excel files (.xlsx). The files separate the enrollee’s payment from the government contribution and list both biweekly and monthly amounts, along with changes from 2026. FEHB and PSHB plans offer Self Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family enrollment. The 2027 premium information is on OPM’s FEHB premiums page.
2027 plan comparison tools coming in early November
OPM expects updated benefits information in its online plan comparison tool and the full plan brochures to be available in early November, before open season begins on November 9. The FEHB plan comparison tools page will cover them when they launch.
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