Picking the best health insurance plan under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHB) is different for each person. For comparison purposes, it may help to know:
- Which plans have the biggest monthly increases for 2017?
- Which are now the most expensive plans per month?
- Which are the cheapest plans for an employee each month?
There is a dramatic difference in the monthly cost to an employee for insurance.
In these examples, the most expensive monthly charge for an employee is $2517.89. At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest monthly cost is $32.29.
Before jumping into the $32.29 plan, keep in mind it is available in Guam, and the coverage will be substantially different than the ones in Kansas or Missouri for $2517.89 per month.
Plans With Biggest Monthly Increases
Here are the top five FEHB plans with the biggest monthly increases over last year for a federal employee. Each of these plans is a health management organization (HMO). The average monthly change in employee payments under the FEHB for non-Postal plans in both Fee for Service Plans and HMOs is $41.30.
| Plan | 2017 Monthly Cost | Monthly Increase |
|---|---|---|
| NY GHI Health Plan (Self Plus One) | $1296.25 | $660.27 |
| NJ GHI Health Plan (Self Plus One) | $1296.25 | $660.27 |
| GA Humana Employers Health (High Self & Family) | $1289.13 | $523.69 |
| Washington Aetna Open Access (High Self & Family) | $1257.52 | $503.76 |
| GA Humana Employers Health (High Self Plus One) | $1246.94 | $503.06 |
Most Expensive FEHB Plans by Employee Monthly Share
These five plans are all health management organizations (HMOs). Note that the high self plus one cost for the Delaware Aetna Open Access plan is higher (by $30 per month) than the high self and family plan. The average monthly premium under the FEHB (including the government’s share and the employee’s share of the cost) for both Fee-for-Service and HMO plans is $1202.60.
| Plan | 2017 Monthly Employee Cost |
|---|---|
| Kansas Humana Health Plan (High Self & Family) | $2517.89 |
| Missouri Humana Health Plan (High Self & Family) | $2517.89 |
| Kansas Humana Health Plan (High Self Plus One) | $2421.08 |
| Missouri Humana Health Plan (High Self Plus One) | $2421.08 |
| Delaware Aetna Open Access (High Self Plus One) | $2377.09 |
Cheapest FEHB Plans by Employee Monthly Share
At the other end of the spectrum, which FEHB plan is the least expensive plan per month? These are all health management organizations (HMO).
| Plan | 2017 Monthly Employee Cost |
|---|---|
| Guam TakeCare (HDHP Self) | $32.29 |
| Guam TakeCare (HDHP Self Plus One) | $76.35 |
| California Health Net (Basic Self) | $76.58 |
| Ohio AultCare (HDHP Self) | $87.54 |
| Puerto Rico Humana Health Plans (High Self) | $91.17 |
Each employee’s needs will be different based on his or her situation, medical history, etc. Check with your agency’s benefits specialists for questions or assistance about the plans available to you or what might be best for your particular situation.
