Read OPM's headline figures in the right column
OPM publishes weighted average total premiums to summarize the program and maximum government contributions to explain the upper limit of the government share for most employees and annuitants. Those figures are useful context, but they are not substitutes for the rate row attached to a specific plan option and enrollment code.
For most employees and annuitants, OPM says the government share is the lesser of 72 percent of the program-wide weighted average or 75 percent of the total premium for the selected plan. The resulting 2026 maximums are $324.76 biweekly for Self Only, $711.17 for Self Plus One, and $778.03 for Self and Family. The enrollee pays the amount left after the applicable plan-specific government contribution.
| Enrollment type | Weighted average total premium (biweekly) | Maximum government contribution (biweekly) |
|---|---|---|
| Self Only | $451.05 | $324.76 |
| Self Plus One | $987.73 | $711.17 |
| Self and Family | $1,080.60 | $778.03 |
Turn the plan-specific deduction into an annual comparison
For a typical active employee paid biweekly, multiply the plan's employee-share deduction by 26 to compare a full year of premiums. Do not multiply OPM's monthly annuitant rate by 12 and treat the result as an active-employee payroll total; OPM publishes separate biweekly and monthly columns for different payment lanes.
Premium alone is not expected annual cost. Add the deductible, predictable copays or coinsurance, prescriptions, out-of-pocket maximum, provider network, and any HSA or HRA contribution. A lower deduction can still expose a household to more early-year cash need, while a higher premium can buy a design that better fits recurring care.
- Filter by the state, county, and ZIP where the plan must serve you.
- Select the correct enrollment type before comparing deductions.
- Compare the same pay-period basis and the same enrollee status.
- Open the official brochure before relying on a deductible, network, drug, or Medicare coordination detail.
Keep active FEHB, retirement FEHB, and post-separation coverage separate
This page addresses 2026 plan-rate comparison. It does not determine whether someone may carry FEHB into retirement, elect Temporary Continuation of Coverage after separation, or qualify as a family member. Those decisions follow separate eligibility and enrollment rules even when the plan name looks the same.
A resignation or RIF can also change who pays the premium. Do not use an active-employee deduction as a TCC estimate: TCC generally uses a separate rate lane and can include the full premium plus an administrative charge. Use the existing separation guide for that timeline and ask the employing office for the applicable rate and election instructions.
Questions about this FEHB decision
How should I compare my 2026 FEHB premium?
A program-wide change is not enough to price your enrollment. Use OPM's 2026 rate chart for the exact plan, option, enrollment type, and enrollee status, then compare that employee share with the corresponding prior-year row.
How do I calculate my annual FEHB employee premium?
For the normal active biweekly lane, multiply the exact employee-share deduction by 26. Verify uncommon payroll arrangements and annuitant monthly deductions separately.
Does the 2026 maximum government contribution equal what my agency pays?
Not necessarily. It is a maximum for most employees and annuitants. The government share shown on the rate row for your plan and enrollment code is the figure to use.
Should I choose the FEHB plan with the lowest premium?
Premium is only one input. Compare provider access, prescriptions, deductible, cost sharing, out-of-pocket exposure, Medicare coordination, and any HSA or HRA contribution in the official brochure.
Primary sources
Reviewed August 25, 2026. Each source below is an official federal page used for the claims on this resource.
- OPM 2026 FEHB premiums (opens in a new tab)
Program-wide weighted averages, maximum government contributions, and official rate-chart links.
- OPM FEHB plan comparison (opens in a new tab)
Plan-specific premium, deductible, account, and benefit comparison by location.
- OPM cost of FEHB insurance (opens in a new tab)
The government-share formula and responsibility for the remaining plan premium.
- OPM FEHB public-use files (opens in a new tab)
Source workbooks behind FedUp.work's normalized 2026 comparison data.
This is general educational information, not legal, tax, financial, medical, or enrollment advice. OPM, your employing office or retirement system, the carrier brochure, Medicare, and the plan administrator control your actual eligibility, timing, costs, and coverage.