Federal Benefits Open Season Set for Nov. 9 to Dec. 14, 2026

The Federal Benefits Open Season for the 2027 plan year will run from November 9 through December 14, 2026, giving Federal and Postal Service employees a five-week window to enroll in, change or cancel participation in four benefits programs. The announcement, detailed in a new FEDZONE column by benefits expert Edward A. Zurndorfer, launches a series of columns walking employees and retirees through each program ahead of the 2027 plan year.

What can employees do during open season?

During the open season window, Federal and Postal Service employees can enroll in, change or cancel participation in the programs covered by the series. The column identifies four programs in total, with subsequent FEDZONE installments planned to present information on each one. The stated goal is to help employees and retirees make informed decisions about their health, dental and vision insurance coverages for themselves and their families during 2027.

Which enrollments continue automatically — and which do not?

The auto-renewal rules differ sharply by program, and that distinction carries the biggest practical consequence for HR communication. Current health insurance, dental and vision insurance enrollment automatically continues from the current plan year to the next plan year unless a participant chooses to make a change during open season. In other words, employees who take no action keep their existing coverage.

FSAFEDS works differently. Current FSAFEDS enrollment requires re-enrollment each year for employees who wish to continue participating in the next plan year. Employees who miss the December 14, 2026 deadline will see their flexible spending account participation lapse for 2027. Benefits offices should flag this distinction early in any open season communication plan.

How does the government's premium share work?

The federal government's share of premiums paid for the FEHB program is set by law under what is known as the "Fair Share" formula. The formula is designed to maintain a consistent level of government contributions as a percentage of total program costs, regardless of which health insurance plan or type of enrollment — self only, self plus one, or self and family — an employee or retiree elects.

The government contribution is calculated separately for the FEHB program and the PSHB program, the separate program serving Postal Service members. For most employees and retirees, the federal government contribution equals the lesser of two amounts:

• 72 percent of the program-wide weighted average of premiums that OPM determines each year for self only, self plus one, and self and family enrollments, respectively; or
• 75 percent of the total premium for the particular plan an enrollee selects.

The formula applies to FEHB program health plans and PSHB program health plans for 2027 alike, meaning the government subsidy level holds steady across plans and enrollment types even as total premiums rise.

What is driving 2027 premium increases?

According to the column, FEHB and PSHB premium increases for 2027 stem primarily from three forces:

• Rising prices and utilization across inpatient, physician, outpatient and surgical services;
• Continued growth in behavioral and mental health care; and
• Higher prescription drug spending, particularly on GLP-1 drugs, specialty drugs and other high-cost therapies.

The GLP-1 reference underscores how weight-loss and specialty medications have become a measurable cost driver across the federal workforce's health programs, a trend private-sector employers are watching closely as well.

Where can employees find their 2027 rates?

2027 health insurance premium rate charts showing the actual premium rate adjustment for each FEHB program health plan and enrollment type are available on OPM's website at opm.gov under healthcare and insurance plan information. PSHB-eligible members seeking PSHB health plan information should consult the dedicated PSHB resources.

The column advises all prospective and current Federal and Postal Service employees to carefully review plan-specific premium changes, while cautioning that premiums are just one factor in choosing a health insurance plan. Employees are also advised to evaluate health plan quality and coverage information to make the best decision for themselves and their families.

With roughly a year before the window opens, agencies and benefits administrators have time to build the FSAFEDS re-enrollment message and the 2027 rate comparisons into their open season calendars, and the remaining FEDZONE columns will fill in the program-by-program details.