Federal employees and retirees will pay an average of 3.8 percent more toward their health insurance premiums in 2015, the Office of Personnel Management announced Tuesday.
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program enrollees with self-only coverage will contribute an average of $2.93 more per paycheck, while those with family coverage will pay about $6.89 more.
The increase is steeper than the rise in the government’s portion of the premiums, which will go up 3 percent. The employee share is increasing faster because employees are choosing better plans that require more out-of-pocket costs. Overall, the government pays about 70 percent of employees’ premiums.
Postal employees will face much more dramatic increases, and will contribute an average of 18.7 percent more toward their premiums next year. The government contributions will decrease an average of 0.9 percent. OPM officials said the bargaining process has caused the employee share to go up.
Feds Will Pay 3.8 Percent More Toward Health Care Premiums in 2015
OPM Announces 2015 Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Premium Rates
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 3.2 percent in 2015. That percentage is lower than last year’s increase of 3.7 percent and represents the fourth consecutive year that FEHB rate increases have been below 4 percent. The average premium increase for the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) will be 1.7 percent for dental coverage and average premiums for vision benefits will increase by 1.5 percent.
“OPM is continuing its commitment to provide federal employees, annuitants and their families with the best possible coverage options,” said OPM Director Katherine Archuleta. “The FEHB Program delivers competitive rates and high quality benefits through an efficiently run program to attract and retain top-talent in the federal service.”
Due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the FEHB program now covers more than 400,000 young people between the ages of 22 and 26 through their parents’ employer-based coverage.
“The ACA has not only expanded coverage for uninsured Americans, but increased competition, accountability, and incentives for value in the system, which have resulted in lower cost increases in the FEHB and elsewhere,” Director Archuleta said.
The FEHB program continues to offer comprehensive preventive services at no cost to the enrollee and a number of plans have added incentives to enrollees to participate in wellness activities. In 2015, there will be 257 plan choices, including 4 new plan choices offered in 12 service areas and 2 existing plans expanding to 8 service areas.
On average, FEHB Program enrollees with self only coverage will pay $2.93 more each bi-weekly pay period, and enrollees with family coverage will pay $6.89 more. Premiums for Health Maintenance Organizations will increase an average of 4.0 percent, while Fee-for-Service plans will see an average increase of 3.1 percent.
In the upcoming Open Season, federal employees interested in a flexible spending account (FSAFEDS) can avail themselves of new features: a lower annual minimum ($100) and the ability to carry over up to $500 of unused funds to the following year.
The 2014 Open Season for health, dental, and vision insurance and flexible spending accounts will be held from November 10, 2014 to December 8, 2014. 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 health care 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 premiums. Federal employees, retirees, and dependents participate in the Program. Approximately 85 percent of Federal employees choose to enroll and, including covered federally employed spouses, approximately 90 percent of retirees participate.
The OPM website provides a detailed breakdown on the FEHB Program premium rates and the FEDVIP rates.
2015 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) [684.69 KB]
- U.S. Postal Rates (PDF file) [643.09 KB]
FFS (Fee-for-Service/Nationwide Plans)
- Non-U.S. Postal Rates (PDF file) [34.37 KB]
- U.S. Postal Rates (PDF file) [61.27 KB
It is so important to me that everyone in our Federal family has the peace of mind to know that they and their loved ones are protected and covered for life’s health emergencies and for the preventive care that helps keeps us all safe and secure. I’m happy to report that once again, your FEHB Program is providing these benefits at a cost that is affordable to our deserving, hard-working Federal workforce.
Captn Salty: Thanks for proving once again that “Racism is Dead in America”! Bet you felt the same way about the Village Idiot of Crawford, TX, huh? Just saying…..
Nice: Your correct, your HealthCare Premiums will (not) go down by 3000% that Obama promised under the Affordable HealthCare Act better known as “RomneyCare” after Mitt Romney who`s Massachusetts model was used to formulate the concept. About as “accurate” as former President George W`s warning about Weapons of Mass Destruction and getting rid of Saddam Hussein. Now we have ISIS or ISIL instead running both Iraq and Syria. Attaboy George!
Didn’t you union guys donate to the campaign of and vote for the Magnificent Mulatto? Send him a thank you note for all he has done TO you the past 6 years. Don’t bend over ass he has 2 more years.
Call a spade a spade and forget ACA ~~ call it what it is ~~ obama-care and he does not care at all.
According to the chart, my HMO will be going down 87.21! I can’t believe it! If true, 2 dinners out a month for free! Pinch me!
Thanks a lot unaffordable care act. If we got the slugs out of the process, keep the managers, the premiums would go down and benefits would go up!
You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Both parties are keeping the lid on rate increases until after the election. This 18% stuff is just a taste of the bad news that escaped from under the lid.
Folks are going to be in for a shock when the chickens finally come home to roost on these costs. Somebody will have to pay for it, and that would be us.
Really Sal? A $3000 raise this year? Your math must be alot better than mine
Thank You Obammacare, My Health care provider did not get their contract renewed by Blue Cross. Now their OUT of NETWORK.
thanks Obama…thanks all u liberal democrats
Evil all of them. Numbers don’t lie…oh wait, the prefunding uses a 9% rate on medical inflation. “represents the fourth consecutive year that FEHB rate increases have been below 4 percent.” I wonder if they used true numbers(or a true Actuary company) How much would the Prefunding be overfunded like every other fund the Postal Service has set up.
It looks like in their attempt to look clever, some posters simply show how ill informed they are. When did Obama say health benefits premiums would be reduced by 3000%? Once you reduce any amount by 100%, it’s down to zero. How can it then be reduced an additional 29 times zero? FEHBP premiums are set by OPM, not the contract. Fred didn’t write the contract-Arbitrator Das did. Locality pay has absolutely nothing to do with health benefits premiums. I don’t like premium increases any more than the next guy, but I also see no reason to attempt to misplace the cause of, or blame for, the increase.
Chuckie boy cut the B/S you are getting a $3000 plus raise this year
Tony boy read your contract
Read again, the ACA requires covering 400,000 more. Thanks Barry.
Sure glad we supported Obama in the last 2 elections. Somehow I feel as though I shot myself in the foot, again.
Better get a good raise to cover that
Just like any marriage, can’t live with it , and can’t live without it!
Why are postal employee rates increasing ? We do not receive locality pay like the rest of the federal sector. Being that our health increasing by 8 plush percentage will be getting locality pay ???????
so the little bit we get in the contract raise we get to give part away for health ins increase…..yep we “won” the contract. thanks Fred
So my premiums will not be going down by 3000% like Obama promised?