PEN SEASON REPORT
2021 OPEN SEASON: NOVEMBER 8 – DECEMBER 13 FEHB PREMIUMS
O
n September 29, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the premium rates for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program’s 2022 plan year. The enrollee share of premiums for non-Postal employees and all annuitants will increase an average of 3.8 percent in 2022. (Postal employees pay a different rate because of collective bargaining agreements.) The average increase in the government share of premiums will be 1.9 percent. The overall average total premium will be 2.4 percent more in 2022, which is lower than the average FEHB increases experienced in most of the past five years and competitive with premium increases projected for or reported by other large private- and public-sector employers. FEHB carriers may offer up to three plan options of any plan type: Self Only, Self Plus One or Self and Family. Overall, the FEHB program will offer 275 health plan choices in 2022. The actual number of choices
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NARFE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2021
available to any given enrollee will be lower and will vary by geographic location. Changes in FEHB coverage may be made during Federal Benefits Open Season, November 8 to December 13. Also included in Open Season are the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) (see p. 50) and the Federal Flexible
EVEN MORE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT NARFE.ORG/ OPEN-SEASON. Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS). There is no need for enrollees to re-enroll in FEHB and FEDVIP unless they want to change plans or their current plan ceases participation. However, employees must re-enroll in FSAFEDS every year to continue to participate.
ENROLLEE PREMIUMS
The tables on pages 37, 38 and 40 list the 14 open-to-all fee-for-service (FFS) plans, the four restricted FFS plans and the largest participating HMOs; the 2022 cost of each plan for both employees and retirees; and the increase/ decrease from 2021. Rates listed are applicable to most non-Postal federal employees as well as all retirees and survivors. For a listing of all premiums, go to www.opm. gov/healthcare-insurance/ open-season/. Changes in FEHB enrollee premiums vary from plan to plan, but, on average, enrollees with Self Only coverage will pay $3.17 more per biweekly pay period; enrollees with Self Plus One coverage will pay $7.61 more per biweekly pay period; and enrollees with Self and Family coverage will pay $10.09 more per biweekly pay period. (Employees pay premiums on a biweekly SEE FEHB PREMIUMS ON P. 42
