FEHB 2027: what changes
Premiums up 10.9% on average.
Your plan may differ a lot from the average. Check your own 2027 rate before Open Season.
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1. Why the call letter matters more than you’d think
Each spring OPM sends carriers a call letter — the policy requirements they must satisfy when designing benefits and pricing plans for the coming year. It isn’t advisory. Carriers that don’t comply risk their contract, which means every plan on your Open Season menu has already been filtered through it. If OPM requires something, all plans carry it. If OPM prohibits something, none do.
That’s why the call letter is the earliest reliable read on next year: it tells you what the coverage will look like months before anyone publishes a price.
2. The 2027 timeline
3. What’s already locked in for 2027
OPM’s stated theme for the year is “well care” — a broader emphasis on prevention and on physical and mental wellness of the whole person. Underneath that headline sit several concrete requirements.
| Area | What changes in 2027 |
|---|---|
| Anti-obesity medications | Carriers must use intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) both before and during coverage of anti-obesity drugs |
| Gender-affirming care | Coverage ends entirely on January 1, 2027, including for enrollees who were mid-treatment and permitted to continue through 2026; counseling from licensed mental health providers remains covered |
| Vaccines | All ACIP-recommended vaccines still covered at no additional cost; carriers must remove monetary incentives tied to pediatric vaccination |
| Price transparency | Carriers encouraged to educate members on prescription price transparency initiatives |
| Cost containment | OPM directs carriers to exhaust efficiency options before passing increases to enrollees |
4. What the 2027 rates show
The average enrollee share of FEHB premiums rises 10.9% for 2027, and 8.2% for PSHB. That’s a third straight year of large increases, after 13.5% for 2025 and 12.3% for 2026.
The average hides a wide spread. Some plans rise far more and a few go down, so check your own plan’s 2027 rate, and whether it is still offered where you live. For 2026 several plans left the program, including both NALC options.
Enrollees in the discontinued NALC plans who took no action were auto-enrolled into GEHA High — a plan that may or may not have suited them. If your carrier terminates, you should receive notice, but the default outcome is someone else choosing for you.
5. Model a premium increase
The average is 10.9%. Enter your plan’s actual change to see what it costs you.
Your premium
For reference: 13.5% for 2025, 12.3% for 2026, 10.9% average for 2027. Enter your enrollee share, not the total premium.
Illustrative. 2027 rates vary widely by plan — some rise far more than average and a few decline, which is exactly why comparing plans beats auto-renewing.
6. The retiree-specific traps
Retirement is not a qualifying life event. It does not open a window to change plans — Open Season is your opportunity, same as active employees. After you retire, OPM administers your enrollment instead of your agency, so keeping your contact details current with OPM is what ensures plan notices actually reach you.
Two more: annuitants are not eligible for FSAFEDS flexible spending accounts, though FEDVIP dental and vision remain available. And if you’re approaching or past 65, the FEHB decision cannot be made in isolation from Medicare — the Part B interaction, and any premium giveback your plan offers, can swing the math more than the premium itself.
7. What to do before December 14
Only about 5% of federal employees switch plans in any given year, even though everyone may. After three straight years of large increases, staying put by default is an expensive habit. Pull your current premium and out-of-pocket totals now, then compare plans during Open Season, November 9 to December 14. Warrior Insure’s 2027 Open Season guide and premium estimator walk through the plans. Still working? Federal Warrior’s FEHB comparison tool helps too. On Medicare? See what the increase does to your raise in your 2027 COLA after FEHB and Medicare.
8. FAQ
How much are 2027 FEHB premiums going up?
They are out. OPM announced that the average enrollee share of FEHB premiums rises 10.9% for 2027, and 8.2% for PSHB. Open Season runs November 9 to December 14, 2026, for coverage beginning January 1, 2027. Your own plan’s change can be well above or below the average, so check it in the 2027 rates.
What is the OPM call letter and why does it matter?
The call letter is OPM’s annual guidance to FEHB and PSHB carriers, setting the policy requirements they must meet when designing benefits and submitting rates for the coming plan year. It is not optional. Every plan you will be able to choose during Open Season has already been filtered through these requirements, and carriers that do not comply risk their contract with OPM. That is why the call letter is the earliest reliable signal of what will change: it tells you what coverage rules are locked in months before anyone publishes a premium.
What changes are already locked in for 2027?
Several. OPM’s stated theme for 2027 is ‘well care,’ with a stronger emphasis on prevention and whole-person physical and mental wellness. Carriers must use a rigorous obesity management approach called intensive behavioral therapy both before and during coverage of anti-obesity medications. Coverage for gender-affirming care ends entirely on January 1, 2027, including for enrollees who were mid-treatment and had been permitted to continue during 2026, though counseling from licensed mental health providers remains covered. Carriers must continue covering all ACIP-recommended vaccines at no additional cost, but must remove monetary incentives tied to pediatric vaccination.
Did premiums go up again in 2027?
Yes. The average enrollee share rises 10.9% for FEHB and 8.2% for PSHB in 2027. That follows 13.5% for 2025 and 12.3% for 2026, so it is a third straight year of large increases. Averages hide a wide spread between plans, which is why comparing plans during Open Season is worth the time.
What happens if I do nothing during Open Season?
Your existing enrollment generally continues automatically into the new plan year, but your benefits and premiums may change substantially. The exception is if your plan leaves the program or reduces its service area — in that case you must choose a new plan, and if you do not, you may be automatically enrolled in a replacement that does not fit your needs. That happened in 2026, when enrollees in the discontinued NALC plans were defaulted into GEHA High. Doing nothing is a decision, and in a year of large premium changes it is often an expensive one.
Can I change plans in retirement, and is retiring a qualifying life event?
Retirees can change FEHB plans during Open Season exactly like active employees, and after retirement OPM rather than your former agency administers your enrollment. Importantly, retirement itself is not a qualifying life event, so it does not create a special opportunity to switch plans outside Open Season. Annuitants are also not eligible for flexible spending accounts through FSAFEDS, though they remain eligible for FEDVIP dental and vision coverage. Keep your contact information current with OPM so plan notices actually reach you.