Open season for federal employees to re-enroll or change their health insurance for next year starts November 13 and goes through December 11. Federal employees and retirees can expect to pay 7.7 percent more for health insurance next year.  Because the increase is an average, exact increases will depend on the type of plan enrollees choose. According to OPM, this is comparable with the increases in plans at other large employers for 2024 and is mainly driven by the rising cost and utilization of prescription drugs, emergency care, and outpatient care. In addition, there are enhanced benefit offerings for FEHBP enrollees in the areas of fertility, coordination with Medicare, pharmacy benefit design, gender affirming care, maternal health, obesity prevention and treatment, mental health and substance abuse, telehealth and antibiotic stewardship.

Please note that next year, Humana will no longer be participating in FEHB. If someone is currently enrolled in a Humana program, they must select a new plan during open season. If they do not select a new plan, they will be automatically enrolled in the lowest-cost nationwide plan for 2024.

With 159 plan options, enrollees in every area of the country have multiple choices with varying coverage options and pricing levels, which is why federal employees are encouraged to use the upcoming open season as an opportunity to comparison shop. OPM offers comparison charts at www.opm.gov that can help employees choose a plan.  In addition, during the open season, NTEU members will again have access to Consumers’ Checkbook’s Online Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees and Annuitants.

OPM also announced this week that average premium increases for dental and vision plans will be 1.4 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. Eligible federal employees who want to set aside pre-tax dollars in flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for their dependent care and health care costs must enroll in FSAFEDS. Enrollees may carry over up to $610 of unused funds remaining in their health care flexible spending accounts and limited expense FSAs at the end of 2023 into 2024, if they re-enroll.