FEHB Health Premiums up

[James48843]

I think this is the year I’m going to dump my health insurance.

I’m retired now, and next year’s premium is going to be $593 a month.

I’m 64, and also retired Army National Guard, so I’m thinking i will go to TRI-CARE Select this year, and TriCare for life next year when I turn 65.

Tri-care select is a lot cheaper than Blue Cross. Has anybody done this? Dropped Blue Cross FEHB after retirement to switch to TriCare?

I imagine TriCare Select for a year, and then TriCare for life, combined with Medicare, should cover it enough, don’t you think?

I’m also getting care and prescriptions from VA, so I can’t imagine having any medical bill worries in the future.


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[James48843]

Full set of new FEHB rates for 2025:

https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/premiums



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[FAAM]

James..., Thx for your service, & for posting links regarding '25 FEHB rates!
I'm retired (FERS) that included buy-back of credit for my 9+ years of Army active-duty time (plus a year of Nat'l. Guard that didn't count ). I have FEHB (MHBP) and just reached age 65 last month. I am only 10% disabled VET, so I get some VA medical care but not nearly full-care, & don't have any TriCare (though my 83-yr-old mother has TriCare [having been married to my father during his entire USAF active duty career] as a Medicaid Recipient since she lives only with SS-income & no estate. So, I cannot help on any of that stuff for you; but in my recent digging around trying to figure my own options/pros-&-cons regarding Medicare & FEHB... I WARN YOU:

You'll want to be very careful of how/ what form &/or words you submit to end your FEHB coverage -- assuming you want to retain your rights to re-start FEHB benefits at later date for you (& others eligible to use FEHB because of you). I must verify in detail... however, per phone call(s) with OPM regarding that, I was informed that if you "terminate" (don't quote me on that word, but that or something like it) your FEHB coverage, for a reason like that situation you discribed, you can or will lose your rights to FEHB benefits forever; yet if you "Suspend" (or such other word I'm not sure of) your FEHB "temporarily" for a year or more, then you can preserve your benefits to have FESB coverage later.
I also recall you may need to coordinate and get approval from OPM/FEHB (or such) to be able to suspend your use of FEHB so you can have it available later... and i think there is a specific form your must complete and submit to them for this purpose.

Also, be careful as some FEHB plans/carriers will automatically enroll you in their version of Medicare Part-D without adequate notice and without your approval. Mine did so (new thing in 2024 that I don't think was happening in 2023). I highly question that they (Aetna/MHBP) had the authoity to legally auto-enroll me in their Part-D coverage without my express authorization in the affermative to do so; I'm digging & have found zero documentation or knowleageble fed-employee anywhere so far that confirms my private-corpration FEHB carrier had such authority and right. I have had to spend a lot of time to figure all this out and jump through hoops to get 'disenrolled'; there was no added "premium" but they effectively dropped my normal FEHB-MHBP drug coverage the second my Medicare Part-D coverage began, and I later found I was subject to IRMA taken out of my SS monthly amount (I now have to get SS/CMS to refund that IRMA taken out for this month). Likewise, I'm not enrolled automatically in Part-B, as Medicare/SS notified me of their auto-enrollment of me into Parts-A & -B months ahead of time - allowing for me to research & to OPT-OUT of Part-B; with FEHB, I didn't want to also pay the Part-B premium plus the IRMA for that. My wife is still a FED employee with her own FEHB... so I will avoid the "Penalties" for not enrolling in Part-B (& Part-D?) by suspending my FEHB (until my wife retires) & going under her FEHB (as Self+one) since that relieves one of the Penalty since it is equal or better (FEHB) medical insurance coverage (it seems that although my FEHB/MHBP Std-Option/plan is identical to my wife's, that/ mine isn't [or may not be considered acceptable, I must dig more] equal to avoid the penalties since I'm not "Employed with employer-provided equivalent health insurance" - go figure?).
... OMG -- I am tired of this stuff, with the federal 'city hall'.

 

[James48843]

From govexec.com

Federal and postal workers to see double-digit health care premium increases again next year​

Federal employee groups decried the second consecutive year of premium increases eclipsing 10 percent amid a government shutdown and a proposed 1% pay raise for non-law enforcement personnel.​

ERICH WAGNER
|
OCTOBER 9, 2025

Federal employees and retirees will pay an average of 12.3% more toward their health insurance premiums in 2026, marking the second consecutive year of double-digit cost increases.

The government’s share of Federal Employees Health Benefits Program premiums will increase by an average of 9.2%, bringing the overall premium increase to 10.2%. In 2025, civilian federal workers were estimated to pay an additional 13.5% on their employer-sponsored health insurance, compared to just 7.7% in rate hikes in 2024.

On average, feds in “self only” plans will pay an additional $15.43 per biweekly paycheck on FEHBP premiums, while those enrolled in “self plus one” insurance plans will pay an additional $34.21 per pay period. Federal workers enrolled in family coverage pay $38.81 more per paycheck on average next year.

Enrollees in the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program, which replaced the U.S. Postal Service’s previous insurance offerings last fall, will see their premiums increase by 11.3% on average next year, a slightly larger increase from 2025’s 11.1% rate hike. The government’s share of PSHB premiums will increase 8.0% on average in 2026.

More:

Federal and postal workers to see double-digit health care premium increases again next year

Federal employee groups decried the second consecutive year of premium increases eclipsing 10 percent amid a government shutdown and a proposed 1% pay raise for non-law enforcement personnel.

www.govexec.com

[/QUOTE]
[/quote]

Big hikes coming.

Federal and postal workers to see double-digit health care premium increases again next year

Federal employee groups decried the second consecutive year of premium increases eclipsing 10 percent amid a government shutdown and a proposed 1% pay raise for non-law enforcement personnel.

www.govexec.com

 

[James48843]

From govexec.com


More:

Federal and postal workers to see double-digit health care premium increases again next year

Federal employee groups decried the second consecutive year of premium increases eclipsing 10 percent amid a government shutdown and a proposed 1% pay raise for non-law enforcement personnel.

www.govexec.com

[/quote]

Big hikes coming.

Federal and postal workers to see double-digit health care premium increases again next year

Federal employee groups decried the second consecutive year of premium increases eclipsing 10 percent amid a government shutdown and a proposed 1% pay raise for non-law enforcement personnel.

www.govexec.com

[/QUOTE]


Full set of health insurance rates for the 2026 year from OPM:

Premiums

Health Plan Premium rates for Postal and Non-Postal employees. This includes biweekly and monthly premiums, total premiums, the amount the government pays, and the change in your portion of the premium compared to last year.

www.opm.gov