Federal employees and retirees are slated to pay 7.7% more on average for their Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) premiums next year, according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
The government’s share will increase 5%, making the overall average increase in rates 5.8%.
The increase in employees’ share of premiums is slightly less than 2023’s increase, which was 8.7% more than the previous year.
The 5.8% increase is also less than that of similarly sized employers such as the CA Public Employees Retirement System, which has an overall average increase of 10.77% in 2024.
Open season for 2024 runs from Nov. 13 through Dec. 11, 2023. This year’s program has 69 insurers offering 159 plans, a decrease from 271 as Humana is exiting. This will affect about 10,000 people. Employees currently enrolled in Humana who make no decision on enrolling in a different plan will be automatically enrolled in a GEHA Elevate plan.
FEHBP provides health insurance benefits to 8.2 million federal employees, retirees, tribal employees, and their families.
For 2024, all carriers will cover artificial insemination (AI) procedures and specific AI drugs. In addition, 25 health plans, including national plan options, will offer broad coverage of in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
All insurers also cover a variety of FDA approved anti-obesity medications as part of the program’s comprehensive obesity prevention and treatment that includes screening and counseling.
OPM also asked all insurers to further ease the rules on gender affirming care. Examples include fewer number of evaluation letters for treatment initiation, medical necessity of facial gender affirming surgery and hormone therapy.
The Office of Personnel Management last week took a huge step toward aligning the locality pay maps for employees on the Federal Wage System and General Schedule.
Read More
With the election approaching Marcial Gomez talks about what’s on the line for TSA employees and his concerns about Project 2025.
Read More
Members of AFGE’s DEFCON Steering Group met along with AFGE staff and elected leaders to discuss ways to better serve employees throughout the DoD in the year ahead.
Read More
