Federal employees and annuitants have from November 9 through December 14 to choose 2027 health, dental and vision coverage. The most useful comparison is the amount that will leave each paycheck or monthly annuity, followed by the deductible, provider network and the services a household expects to use.
The Office of Personnel Management says existing FEHB, Postal Service Health Benefits and FEDVIP elections generally continue into 2027 when an enrollee makes no change. A Federal Flexible Spending Account does not. FSAFEDS participants must make a new election each year.
Start with the amount you will actually pay
The average FEHB enrollee share of premiums will rise 10.9 percent in 2027, according to an analysis by Federal News Network. That average does not describe every plan. The same analysis found decreases, no change and increases well above the average among individual options.
OPM's 2027 premium page separates the total premium, government contribution and enrollee share. Compare the enrollee share for your enrollment code, then convert it to an annual amount. Most active employees can multiply the biweekly figure by 26. Annuitants using the monthly rate can multiply by 12.
One official Compass Rose brochure shows why the pay schedule matters. The Compass Rose Standard Option lists a $151.89 biweekly enrollee share for Self Plus One, or about $3,949 over 26 pay periods. Its monthly enrollee share is $329.09, also about $3,949 over a year. The annual cost is nearly identical even though the figures on the page look far apart.
Two-person households should compare Self Plus One with Self and Family instead of assuming the smaller category is cheaper. OPM says the Self Plus One enrollee share exceeds Self and Family in some plans and publishes a separate list of those cases.
Read the plan changes, not only the rate
Premiums are only one part of the bill. The deductible, catastrophic limit, hospital cost sharing and prescription rules can move in the other direction. In each plan brochure, Section 2 identifies changes for 2027. The back cover shows the premium for each enrollment code.
Federal News Network reports that the 2027 FEHB lineup has 14 fewer plans and that roughly 39,000 employees and annuitants are affected by departures. Some enrollees who make no election will be moved into a designated replacement plan. Anyone receiving a plan termination or service-area notice should compare that default with other available plans before December 14.
The same report identifies higher deductibles or hospital costs in several widely used options. A lower premium may still produce a larger annual bill when a household expects specialist visits, hospital care or expensive prescriptions. Check whether current doctors and pharmacies remain in network, then add the deductible and likely copays or coinsurance to the annual premium estimate.
Decide whether an HSA or FSA fits the plan
A high-deductible health plan can include contributions to a health savings account, but eligibility depends on the coverage. The IRS sets the 2027 HSA contribution limit at $4,500 for self-only coverage and $9,000 for family coverage. Those limits include eligible contributions from all sources, so subtract any plan contribution before deciding how much to add.
FSAFEDS has different rules. Its current contribution page lists a $3,400 maximum election for both the Health Care FSA and Limited Expense Health Care FSA, with a $100 minimum. The dependent-care maximum is $7,500 per household, or $3,750 for married people filing separately. These official figures should control over summaries that cite a different limit.
The FSAFEDS deadline page confirms that 2027 enrollment closes December 14 and the benefit period begins January 1. OPM also says eligible employees can choose a new FSA payment card for qualified expenses or continue using paperless reimbursement.
A practical comparison before December 14
For each available plan, record the annual enrollee premium, deductible, out-of-pocket maximum and expected costs for prescriptions and recurring care. Confirm the provider network directly with the plan, especially after a merger, service-area change or replacement notice. Then check whether an HSA contribution or a fresh FSA election changes the household's after-tax cost.
Keeping current FEHB, PSHB or FEDVIP coverage may require no action, but keeping an FSA does. The deadline for both changing coverage and making the new FSA election is December 14.
