deral Employee Open Season Runs Nov. 9 to Dec. 14: Average FEHB Enrollee Share Rises 10.9% for 2027, and New Family Members Need Documentation

SEO title: Federal Benefits Open Season 2026: FEHB Premiums, Dates

SEO description: Federal benefits enrollment runs Nov. 9-Dec. 14. FEHB enrollee premiums rise 10.9% on average, with new family eligibility rules for 2027.

Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), 2026 Federal Benefits Open Season Highlights for Plan Year 2027; OPM Federal Benefits Open Season announcement

Category: Jobs / Health

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Federal employees will have from Nov. 9 through Dec. 14, 2026, to review and change benefits for the 2027 plan year, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The agency reports that the average enrollee share of Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) premiums will increase 10.9% in 2027, compared with a 12.3% increase for 2026. OPM also announced a new documentation requirement for anyone adding a new family member to FEHB or Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) coverage during Open Season.

The 36-day enrollment period applies to eligible federal employees considering health, dental, vision and certain other benefits. OPM says existing coverage generally continues automatically when an enrollee makes no changes, although the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) requires a new election each year. The agency has published premium comparisons, plan counts and enrollment information ahead of the November opening.

1. Open Season Begins Nov. 9 and Ends Dec. 14

OPM's Federal Benefits Open Season for the 2027 plan year begins Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, and concludes Monday, Dec. 14, 2026. The period includes 22 calendar days in November and 14 in December. Eligible employees can use the window to enroll in, change or cancel coverage under the programs for which they qualify.

The enrollment period covers FEHB, PSHB and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), according to OPM's Open Season Highlights. FSAFEDS is also included for active employees only. OPM maintains its official enrollment information and plan comparison resources at opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/open-season.

For federal civilian workers reviewing their benefits, the dates establish a common window for several separate programs. OPM's announcement identifies the programs available during Open Season and distinguishes health insurance from dental, vision and flexible spending accounts. The agency's guidance also explains which coverage continues without a new election.

2. FEHB Premiums Rise 10.9% on Average for Enrollees

OPM reports that overall average FEHB premiums will increase 9.3% for the 2027 plan year, down from a 10.2% increase in 2026. The average enrollee share will increase 10.9%, compared with 12.3% in 2026. The average government contribution will increase 8.6%, compared with 9.2% in the previous year.

These figures describe different parts of FEHB premium costs, according to OPM. The 9.3% figure measures the overall average premium increase, while 10.9% measures the average increase in the amount paid by enrollees. The 8.6% figure describes the average increase in the government's contribution.

For illustration, a hypothetical enrollee premium of $100 would become $110.90 after a 10.9% increase. That calculation is an example of the percentage, not a published 2027 rate for any specific FEHB plan. Actual dollar premiums vary by plan, so OPM's plan comparison tools can be used to examine individual coverage options.

OPM describes FEHB, including PSHB, as the largest employer-sponsored health benefits program in the United States. The program covers approximately 7.9 million federal employees, Postal Service employees, certain tribal employees, annuitants and eligible family members. That figure represents the program's overall covered population, not an estimate of federal employees in Columbus or at Fort Benning.

3. Postal Service Health Benefits Have Separate Increases

OPM reports a 6.7% overall average premium increase for PSHB in 2027, compared with 9% in 2026. The average enrollee share will rise 8.2%, down from an 11.3% increase in the previous year. The government contribution will rise 6.0% on average, compared with 8.0% in 2026.

The PSHB figures differ from the corresponding FEHB averages announced by OPM. Although the agency discusses the programs together in its Open Season materials, it provides separate premium calculations for Postal Service coverage. Employees reviewing PSHB costs should therefore distinguish the 8.2% average enrollee increase from the 10.9% FEHB figure.

OPM also reports that the Postal Service Health Benefits System has redesigned its Enrollee Portal. The updated portal is scheduled to launch during Open Season. That change is listed among the agency's updates for the 2027 plan year.

4. Dental and Vision Premiums Also Change

FEDVIP dental premiums will increase 1.0% overall on average for 2027, according to OPM. Overall average vision premiums will increase 1.6%. Both figures are presented separately from the FEHB and PSHB health insurance premium changes.

OPM's announcement lists 11 dental carriers offering 21 plan options for 2027. The vision program will have five carriers offering 10 plan options. These counts describe the options in the federal program overall.

Eligible federal employees can review dental and vision coverage during the Nov. 9-Dec. 14 Open Season. OPM provides a FEDVIP Plan Comparison Tool for examining available options. The agency's Open Season materials place dental and vision choices alongside health insurance decisions while identifying their separate programs and premiums.

5. New Family Members Must Have Supporting Documentation

A new rule for 2027 requires anyone adding a new family member to FEHB or PSHB during Open Season to submit supporting documentation, according to OPM. The agency identifies the FEHB Protection Act of 2025 as the basis for this requirement. The documentation is used so OPM can verify the new family member's eligibility for coverage.

The requirement specifically concerns adding a new family member during Open Season. OPM's published summary states that supporting documentation must be submitted for that eligibility verification. The summary does not provide a specific document checklist in the verified information used for this report.

Federal employees planning to add a family member can gather supporting documents before making their enrollment changes. Employees can also ask their employing office's benefits officer about the enrollment process. The documentation requirement is one of the changes the agency highlights for the 2027 plan year.

6. Why OPM Says Health Insurance Costs Are Increasing

OPM attributes the premium increases primarily to rising prices and greater use of several categories of health care. Those categories include inpatient, physician, outpatient and surgical services. The agency also identifies continued growth in behavioral and mental health care as a contributing factor.

Prescription drug spending is another factor cited in OPM's Open Season Highlights. The agency specifically identifies GLP-1 medications, specialty drugs and other high-cost therapies. These explanations describe the cost pressures OPM associates with the program-wide premium changes.

OPM also explains how the government's share of FEHB premiums is generally calculated. 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 selected plan. This formula helps distinguish the government's contribution from the amount paid by an individual enrollee.

The formula does not establish a single dollar contribution for every employee or plan. OPM's separate premium figures show that the overall average, average enrollee share and government contribution can increase at different rates. For 2027, those FEHB increases are 9.3%, 10.9% and 8.6%, respectively.

7. Existing Coverage Continues, but FSAFEDS Requires a New Election

OPM says health, dental and vision coverage generally continues automatically when an enrollee makes no changes during Open Season. Employees satisfied with their existing coverage therefore do not need to make a new election solely to maintain those plans. The agency identifies FSAFEDS as an important exception to that general rule.

FSAFEDS participants must re-enroll each year, according to OPM. The program is available during Open Season for active employees only. This annual election requirement differs from the automatic continuation described for existing health, dental and vision coverage.

OPM also announced a new FSAFEDS Visa FSA Card for 2027. The card applies to Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) and Limited Expense Health Care Flexible Spending Account (LEX HCFSA) accounts, with a choice between a debit card and paperless reimbursement. OPM's announcement identifies HealthEquity as the FSAFEDS administrator.

8. How Many Plans Are Available for 2027?

OPM lists 45 FEHB carriers offering 118 plan options for the 2027 plan year. The agency separately reports 17 PSHB carriers with 65 plan options. Dental and vision options are counted under FEDVIP, with 21 dental plan options and 10 vision plan options.

These figures come from OPM's official Open Season announcement. They provide a program-wide picture of the choices identified for 2027, rather than specific premium quotations for an individual employee. OPM directs enrollees to its FEHB and FEDVIP comparison tools to review coverage choices.

Matthew Kiley, OPM's associate director for healthcare and insurance, said in the agency's announcement, "Open Season is the time to look beyond your current plan." The agency's guidance identifies comparing plans as part of the annual enrollment process. Its published tools provide the official starting point for examining the available health, dental and vision options.

9. Where Federal Employees Can Find Official Enrollment Information

OPM's Open Season page provides the central source for information about the Nov. 9-Dec. 14 enrollment period. The agency also offers the FEHB Plan Comparison Tool and FEDVIP Plan Comparison Tool. Employees can also ask their employing office's benefits officer about enrollment questions.

The agency's announcements distinguish FEHB and PSHB health insurance, FEDVIP dental and vision coverage, and FSAFEDS flexible spending accounts. They also separate the program-wide average premium increases from the costs associated with particular plans. That distinction is especially important when interpreting the 10.9% average FEHB enrollee increase.

The enrollment period concludes Dec. 14, 2026, according to OPM. Existing health, dental and vision coverage generally continues without a new election, while FSAFEDS requires annual re-enrollment. For the 2027 plan year, OPM's additional family eligibility documentation requirement applies when adding a new family member to FEHB or PSHB during Open Season. Official information is available through the OPM Open Season website, the agency's 2027 Open Season Highlights, and its Federal Benefits Open Season announcement.