The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) says the 2025 Federal Benefits Open Season will be held from November 10 through December 8, 2025. The 2026 plans and premiums for Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program, and Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) are now available for review.
FEHB participants will pay an average of 12.3% more toward their insurance premiums starting in January 2026, an average of $26.40 more per pay period.
The upcoming 12.3% premium spike follows other increases recently for FEHB enrollees. Federal employees saw an average of a 13.5% increase for the 2025 plan year, the largest year-over-year increase in more than 10 years. Feds also saw a 7.7% increase in 2024, and an 8.7% spike in 2023.
OPM Associate Director of Healthcare and Insurance Shane Stevens stated that the premium increases aren’t as large as they were for 2025. “All that being said, we recognize that increasing health care expenses at this clip is not a sustainable path,” Stevens wrote in a blog post. “As we assess the overall health vs. expense equation across the US, we find an alarming trend.”
Stevens said OPM will look at costs as they relate to waste, fraud and abuse in the programs, as well as moving toward “a more proactive, preventive health-first orientation.”
“None of these initiatives of course will happen overnight,” he said. “But, we are committed to improving the quality of life and quality of care for our members while also ensuring that healthcare remains accessible and affordable for those who work (or have worked) for the American people.”
For 2026, the FEHB Program has 47 participating carriers offering a total of 132 plan options. The PSHB Program has 17 participating carriers offering a total of 75 plan options. FEDVIP will have 11 dental carriers offering 21 plan options and five vision carriers offering 10 plan options.
The 2026 biweekly maximum government contribution for most employees and annuitants (72% of the weighted average) is $324.76 for Self Only, $711.17 for Self Plus One, and $778.03 for Self and Family. The monthly maximum government contribution (72% of the weighted average) is $703.65 for Self Only, $1,540.87 for Self Plus One and $1,685.73 for Self and Family.
For 2026, the biweekly program-wide weighted average premiums for Self Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family enrollments with a government contribution are $451.05, $987.73, and $1,080.60, respectively. The monthly program-wide weighted average premiums for Self Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family enrollments with a government contribution are $977.28, $2,140.08, and $2,341.30, respectively.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.