Update: OPM has released 2021 rates for the Federal Employee Health Benefits and Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Programs.
The enrollee share of FEHB premiums will rise 4.9 percent on average for 2021 while premiums in the FEDVIP vision-dental insurance program will be about flat.
FFS (Fee-for-Service/Nationwide Plans)
HMO (Regional Plans with Specific Service Areas)
According to OPM, the 2021 biweekly maximum government contribution for non-Postal employees and annuitants is $241.58 for Self Only, $517.46 for Self Plus One, and $562.25 for Self and Family. The monthly maximum government contribution is $523.42 for Self Only, $1,121.16 for Self Plus One and $1,218.21 for Self and Family.
It said that for 2021, the biweekly program-wide weighted average premiums for Self Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family enrollments with a government contribution are $335.53, $718.70, and $780.90, respectively, while the monthly program-wide weighted average premiums for Self Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family enrollments with a government contribution $726.98, $1,557.18, and $1,691.95.
As always there is substantial variation within the overall average, with higher increases in some plans and the costs in some others essentially flat or decreasing a bit. Retirees pay premiums at the same rates, but monthly rather than biweekly. Premiums for Postal Service employees, but not for its retirees, are slightly lower due to contract terms.
For retirees and non-postal employees in the largest FEHB plan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield standard, biweekly enrollee rates for self-only are increasing by $6.54 to $123.45, for self plus one by $13.66 to $280.81 and for family coverage by $13.38 to $300.12.
The open season for changing existing plans or levels or types of coverage—or, for active employees but not retirees, to enroll—will be November 9-December 14. Similar policies apply to the FEDVIP program except that unlike in the FEHB, retirees may elect coverage even if they are not already enrolled.
While the government pays about 70 percent of the total cost of FEHB premiums, FEDVIP premiums are at the enrollee’s sole cost. OPM earlier had announced the addition of two dental plans to the prior 10 and one vision plan to the prior four.
In both FEHB and FEDVIP, an existing enrollment will continue next year unless changed.
That is not the case with the flexible spending account program; those who wish to have a dependent care and/or health care account in 2021 must make a new election during the open season. Further, to take advantage of the allowed carryover of up to $550 of unspent health care account money from one year to the next, an employee must have an account in the second year.
Maximums are $5,000 for dependent care accounts and $2,750 for health care accounts; the latter figure may rise slightly for 2021 under a potential inflation adjustment announcement that is yet to come.
Key Provisions of FEHB for Federal Employees
Temporary Continuation of Coverage in FEHB
ask.FEDweek.com: FEHB Enrollment Special Considerations