Expert's View

FEHB Open Season Coming Up

On October 4, OPM announced that the 2018 Federal Employees Health Benefits Open Season will run from November 13 to December 11 and offer 262 health plan choices government-wide. It also announced what the FEHB premiums will be next year. Not surprisingly, those rates will rise by an average of 4 percent in total. However, the average enrollee share will rise by 6.1 percent, while the average government share will only rise by 3.2 percent.

With that in mind, Acting OPM Director Kathy McGettigan urged “federal employees and retirees to carefully review their healthcare needs and to chose wisely among the plans and enrollment options available to them during this enrollment period.”

If you are interested in finding out what the 2018 rates will be for your current plan, go to https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/premiums. There you’ll find a full set of rate charts, organized as follows:

HMO (Regional Plans with Specific Service Area

Non-Postal Rates

U.S. Postal Rates

TCC and Former Spouse Rates

FFS (Fee-for-Service/Nationwide Plans)

Non-Postal Rates

U.S. Postal Rates

TCC and Former Spouse Rates

In a helpful note, OPM points out that “in addition to the biweekly and monthly premiums, you can also find the total premiums, the amount the government pays, and the change in your portion of the premium compared to last year. All FEHB plans will offer self only, self plus one, and self and family enrollment types.”

Now it’s time for those of you who are already enrolled in the FEHB program to begin comparison shopping. And for those of you who have yet to enroll to give it serious consideration.

 

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