Washington, DC – The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced the average premium rate for the 8.2 million people covered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program will increase by 3.7 percent in 2014. That percentage is only slightly higher than last year’s increase of 3.4 percent and less than the national average increase in 2013. The average premium increase for the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) will be under one percent for dental coverage and average premiums for vision benefits will decrease by 1.3 percent.
“For the third year in a row, OPM has kept the average premium increases for the FEHB Program under 4 percent, continuing our commitment to provide federal employees, annuitants and their families with the best possible coverage options,” said OPM Acting Director Elaine Kaplan. “The FEHB Program delivers competitive rates and benefits through an efficiently run program to attract and retain top-talent in the federal service.”
There are no significant benefit changes for 2014 and more plan choices: 256, up by over 10 percent from 2013.
On average, FEHB Program enrollees with self only coverage will pay $3.28 more per bi-weekly pay period, and enrollees with family coverage will pay $7.90 more. Premiums for Health Maintenance Organizations will increase an average of 6.5 percent, while Fee-for-Service plans will see an average increase of 3.1 percent.
The 2013 Open Season for health, dental, and vision insurance and flexible spending accounts will be held from November 11, 2013 to December 9, 2013. The annual Open Season gives federal employees and retirees the opportunity to review their health plan choices and make changes for the following year. It also allows eligible employees to enroll for coverage. FEHB Program enrollees should review the benefits and premiums for their health plan choices and decide what coverage will best fit their healthcare needs in the coming year.
Established in 1960, the FEHB Program is the largest employer-sponsored health benefits program in the United States. The government provides a weighted average contribution of 72 percent of premiums with a cap of no more than 75 percent of total premium cost. Approximately 90 percent of all federal employees participate in the Program.
2014 Premiums
Full Sets of Rate Charts
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. Note: Non-U.S. Postal Rates apply to enrollees who are not employed by the U.S. Postal Service. U.S. Postal Rates apply to enrollees who are employed by the U.S. Postal Service.
HMO (Regional Plans with Specific Service Areas)
- Non-U.S. Postal Rates (PDF file) [1.22 MB]
- U.S. Postal Rates (PDF file) [1.25 MB]
FFS (Fee-for-Service/Nationwide Plans)
- Non-U.S. Postal Rates (PDF file) [63.73 KB]
- U.S. Postal Rates (PDF file) [61.82 KB]
Dental Premiums
If you live outside of the United States:
You can enroll in one of the plans listed in the International Dental Premium Chart (PDF file) [21.83 KB]. These plans provide coverage for services received outside the United States.
If you live inside the United States:
Your rates are determined based on where you live. This is called a rating area. To find your bi-weekly or monthly Dental premium, you must first find your rating area in the file below.
To find your Dental rating area, use the Dental Rating Area Chart.
- Find your state and your corresponding zip code (1st 3 digits).
- Look under the Plan name and locate the corresponding rating area.
To find your bi-weekly or monthly Dental or Vision premium, match your rating area with your desired FEDVIP plan in the Dental Premium Chart (PDF file) [81.85 KB].
For enrollment/premium questions regarding the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, please contact BENEFEDS at 1(877)888-3337. To enroll in FEDVIP, please visit the BENEFEDS website (external link)
Vision Premiums
Your rates are not based on where you live or rating areas. Please see the Vision Premium Chart (PDF file) [30.69 KB] for your bi-weekly or monthly premiums.
For enrollment/premium questions regarding the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, please contact BENEFEDS at 1(877)888-3337. To enroll in FEDVIP, please visit the BENEFEDS website
Who are they kidding? United Healthcare up 100%. Blue Shield up 59%.
That’s 5 less martinis I can have per year.
Key take away in above article: FEHB, because of its size and clout, was able to negotiate increases below the national average (of plan increases). If Donahoe gets his way, and pulls all Postal employees and retires out of FEHB and into his independent “new” plan, he won’t have the bargaining leverage FEHB has for getting the best prices for federal employees. Not to mention undermining FEHS itself by pulling out 25% of its participants from the pool of participants. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Congress should send this proposal to the reject bin ASAP. Yea, we understand you are trying to force all retirees to join Medicare so USPS will only have to pay 20% but destroying FEHB, or unilaterally forcing employees out of it is not the way to do it.
The real question that needs to be answered: Why is “medical inflation” going up 4% a year, when inflation in general is less than 2%? As Desi said to Luci, “somebody’s got some plaining to do”. Maybe the stock holders of Cigna, Aetna, and the other for profit health plans need a boost in dividends. Maybe the CEOs need another few million in bonus pay.
Experts estimate 30% or more of plan costs are directly related to administrative costs. Read that as the mind-numbing paperwork these plans make everyone fill out – the MDs, the patients. All the “gatekeepers” and approvers that the insur. companies throw up in your path to finally getting decent care and some benefit for the thousands you are shelling out of your paycheck, not to mention the thousands your employer is kicking in. The number one goal of an insurance company is to minimize claims payouts and keep as much of your premium dollars as possible.
Think about this: Between what USPS pays for premiums toward your health insur. and what you kick in for a good, “high” level family plan, these insur, companies are collecting about $15K a year. (If you don’t believe me, look at your annual “statement of benefits” that USPS sends you once a year.) So, over a 30 year career, the insur, co. collects $15K times 30 years = $ 450,000. How much of that, after deductibles, exclusions and co-pays do you think you get back? Pretty nice scam. Don’t be fooled by the “non-profit” status of some of these plans. I looked at the salaries of one of the Blue Cross Plans, and they pay their senior execs millions. Then they fly around, all expenses paid, to endless conferences and seminars. Nice gig.
Pay more for less coverage, and they don’t supply the Vaseline, Oh what a deal
Humana up over 20%, who are they kidding?
Dean Care in Wisconsin up 372% since 2005.
Premium increase every year, not a news.