Last Updated: October 28, 2026 Reading Time: 7 min
Premiums get the headlines at Open Season, but the deductible and the out-of-pocket maximum decide what a bad year costs you. We compared OPM's 2026 and 2027 FEHB plan benefits files row by row for the 114 plan options that appear in both. Of the 111 options with a comparable in-network deductible in both files, 13 raised it for 2027 and none lowered it. Thirty-seven raised their in-network out-of-pocket maximum.
The Nationwide Plans: What Changed for 2027
These are the 17 options OPM's service-area files flag as nationwide. Figures are in-network, Self Only / Self Plus One / Self and Family, from OPM's 2026 and 2027 plan benefits public use files.
| Plan option | Deductible 2026 | Deductible 2027 | Out-of-pocket max 2026 | Out-of-pocket max 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BCBS Standard Option | $350 / $700 / $700 | $500 / $1,000 / $1,000 | $6,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 | $7,000 / $14,000 / $14,000 |
| BCBS Basic Option | $0 / $0 / $0 | $0 / $0 / $0 | $7,500 / $15,000 / $15,000 | $8,500 / $17,000 / $17,000 |
| FEP Blue Focus | $750 / $1,500 / $1,500 | $1,000 / $2,000 / $2,000 | $10,000 / $20,000 / $20,000 | $11,000 / $22,000 / $22,000 |
| MHBP Standard Option | $350 / $700 / $700 | $500 / $1,000 / $1,000 | $6,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 | $8,000 / $16,000 / $16,000 |
| Foreign Service High Option | $300 / $600 / $600 | $300 / $600 / $600 | $6,000 / $8,000 / $8,000 | $6,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 |
| Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan | not applicable in the 2026 file | $300 / $600 / $600 | $9,200 / $18,400 / $18,400 | $12,000 / $24,000 / $24,000 |
| GEHA High Option | $500 / $1,000 / $1,000 | no change | $7,500 / $15,000 / $15,000 | no change |
| GEHA Standard Option | $500 / $1,000 / $1,000 | no change | $8,000 / $16,000 / $16,000 | no change |
| GEHA HDHP | $1,800 / $3,600 / $3,600 | no change | $6,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 | no change |
| GEHA Elevate | $750 / $1,500 / $1,500 | no change | $10,600 / $21,200 / $21,200 | no change |
| GEHA Elevate Plus | $200 / $400 / $400 | no change | $7,000 / $14,000 / $14,000 | no change |
| Compass Rose High Option | $350 / $700 / $700 | no change | $6,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 | no change |
| Compass Rose Standard Option | $500 / $1,000 / $1,000 | no change | $9,000 / $18,000 / $18,000 | no change |
| SAMBA High | $300 / $600 / $600 | no change | $5,000 / $10,000 / $10,000 | no change |
| SAMBA Standard | $350 / $700 / $900 | no change | $6,000 / $12,000 / $12,000 | no change |
| APWU High Option | $450 / $800 / $800 | no change | $6,500 / $13,000 / $13,000 | no change |
| APWU Consumer Driven Option | $2,200 / $4,400 / $4,400 | no change | $6,500 / $13,000 / $13,000 | no change |
Source: OPM 2026 FEHB Plan Benefits PUF (file dated 11/20/2025) and 2027 FEHB Plan Benefits PUF (revised 10/21/2026), in-network rows. "Nationwide" = OPM service-area file flag. FedTools analysis, October 28, 2026.
Of these 17, three raised the deductible and six raised the out-of-pocket maximum. None lowered either one.
The biggest out-of-pocket jump among nationwide plans is the Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan, up $5,600 for Self Plus One and Self and Family. Its 2026 deductible cells read "Not applicable," so there is no deductible change to compute for it. Among the large nationwide plans, MHBP Standard's family maximum rose the most, by $4,000 to $16,000.
The Biggest Deductible Increases Across All FEHB Plans
All 13 deductible increases, ranked by the largest single-tier move. Figures are Self Only / Self Plus One / Self and Family, in-network.
| Plan option (OPM code) | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna Direct (N6) | $1,600 / $3,200 / $3,200 | $2,000 / $4,000 / $4,000 | +$400 / +$800 / +$800 |
| FEP Blue Focus (13) | $750 / $1,500 / $1,500 | $1,000 / $2,000 / $2,000 | +$250 / +$500 / +$500 |
| Aetna HealthFund HDHP (22) | $1,800 / $3,600 / $3,600 | $2,000 / $4,000 / $4,000 | +$200 / +$400 / +$400 |
| BCBS Standard Option (10) | $350 / $700 / $700 | $500 / $1,000 / $1,000 | +$150 / +$300 / +$300 |
| MHBP Standard Option (45) | $350 / $700 / $700 | $500 / $1,000 / $1,000 | +$150 / +$300 / +$300 |
| Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Standard Option (63) | $0 / $0 / $0 | $150 / $300 / $300 | +$150 / +$300 / +$300 |
| Kaiser Permanente Southern California Prosper (FL) | $100 / $200 / $200 | $250 / $500 / $500 | +$150 / +$300 / +$300 |
| Altius Health Plans HDHP (9K) | $1,700 / $3,400 / $3,400 | $1,800 / $3,600 / $3,600 | +$100 / +$200 / +$200 |
| Kaiser Permanente Washington Options HDHP (L1) | $1,650 / $3,300 / $3,300 | $1,750 / $3,500 / $3,500 | +$100 / +$200 / +$200 |
| CareFirst BlueChoice HDHP (B6) | $1,700 / $3,400 / $3,400 | $1,750 / $3,500 / $3,500 | +$50 / +$100 / +$100 |
| Kaiser Permanente Colorado Prosper (N4) | $300 / $600 / $600 | $350 / $700 / $700 | +$50 / +$100 / +$100 |
| Kaiser Permanente Washington Core Prosper (PT) | $250 / $500 / $500 | $300 / $600 / $600 | +$50 / +$100 / +$100 |
| Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Prosper (T7) | $100 / $200 / $200 | $150 / $300 / $300 | +$50 / +$100 / +$100 |
Kaiser Hawaii Standard is matched across a renamed option label (same plan code and RI number). Aetna Direct and Aetna HealthFund HDHP are not flagged nationwide in OPM's service-area files, so they're listed here rather than in the nationwide table.
Two HDHPs, CareFirst BlueChoice (B6) and Kaiser Washington Options (L1), landed exactly on $1,750 Self Only and $3,500 family. That's the IRS minimum deductible for an HSA-qualified high deductible health plan in 2027: "not less than $1,750 for self-only coverage or $3,500 for family coverage" (Rev. Proc. 2026-24).
The Biggest Out-of-Pocket Maximum Increases
The out-of-pocket maximum is the most you pay for covered in-network care in a year. It moved more often than the deductible: 37 options raised it. The largest family-tier increases:
| Plan option (OPM code) | Self Only 2026 to 2027 | Self and Family 2026 to 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan (43) | $9,200 to $12,000 | $18,400 to $24,000 (+$5,600) |
| Kaiser Permanente Washington Core Standard (54) | $5,000 to $5,000 | $5,000 to $10,000 (+$5,000) |
| Foreign Service High Option (40) | $6,000 to $6,000 | $8,000 to $12,000 (+$4,000) |
| MHBP Standard Option (45) | $6,000 to $8,000 | $12,000 to $16,000 (+$4,000) |
| Aetna Direct (N6) | $6,000 to $8,000 | $12,000 to $16,000 (+$4,000) |
| Aetna Open Access Saver (QQ) | $6,500 to $8,500 | $13,000 to $17,000 (+$4,000) |
| Aetna Open Access Basic Option (JN) | $6,000 to $7,500 | $12,000 to $15,000 (+$3,000) |
| Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Prosper (T7) | $4,000 to $5,300 | $8,000 to $10,600 (+$2,600) |
Two options lowered their out-of-pocket maximum: Medical Mutual of Ohio (Northern) Basic Option ($13,000 to $12,000 family) and Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Standard ($9,600 to $9,000 family).
GEHA HDHP's $3,600 Family Deductible Is Not New
OPM's files show the same GEHA HDHP deductible in 2026 and 2027:
| GEHA HDHP, in-network | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Deductible, Self Only | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Deductible, Self Plus One | $3,600 | $3,600 |
| Deductible, Self and Family | $3,600 | $3,600 |
| Out-of-pocket max, Self Only | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Out-of-pocket max, Self Plus One and Family | $12,000 | $12,000 |
The figure is the same in both years. It's also above the IRS 2027 family minimum of $3,500, so it is a legal HDHP deductible, but the IRS floor doesn't set it.
Keep in mind that GEHA HDHP, like other HSA plans, puts a premium pass-through into your health savings account. Your net deductible, after that money, is lower than the gross figure. We compared gross deductibles only.
What a Higher Deductible Means for You
A higher deductible doesn't mean every member pays more. Three things decide it:
- How much care you use. If you rarely meet your deductible, a $150 increase may cost you nothing. If you have surgery or a chronic condition, a higher out-of-pocket maximum is the number that matters.
- Your premium. A plan that raised its deductible may still be the cheaper plan overall once you add 12 months of premiums. Our 2027 government-share breakdown covers the premium side.
- Account contributions. HDHP and consumer-driven plans contribute to an HSA or HRA, which lowers the net deductible. Compare the net figure in the plan's 2027 brochure.
Open Season runs November 9 to December 14, 2026. Most employee changes take effect January 10, 2027; annuitant changes take effect January 1. If you do nothing, you stay in your current plan, with its 2027 deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. If your plan is leaving FEHB after 2026, see what happens to discontinued plans.
How We Built This Comparison
- Sources: OPM's FEHB Plan Benefits public use files for 2026 (file dated November 20, 2025) and 2027 (revised October 21, 2026), downloaded from opm.gov.
- Matching: we matched plan options by OPM plan code and option name, checked against the RI number. 114 options appear in both years. Twelve of those matched on the same code and RI number with a renamed option label. Eighteen 2026 options have no 2027 row and four 2027 options are new.
- What we compared: in-network deductible and in-network out-of-pocket maximum for each enrollment tier. We did not compare out-of-network figures, net deductibles, copays or premiums.
- Download: the full plan-by-plan comparison is a free CSV file (136 rows, one per plan option, with OPM's raw cell text).
- Not checked: we did not check these figures against each plan's 2027 brochure. The brochure is the official statement of benefits, so confirm your plan's numbers there before you enroll.
Compare Your 2027 FEHB Costs
Use the free FEHB Premium Calculator to pick a plan and enrollment type and compare 2027 premiums. For the large nationwide plans it also shows the 2027 deductible and out-of-pocket maximum from OPM's file. Then check the FEHB plan evaluation guide for how to weigh premium against out-of-pocket risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which FEHB plans raised their deductible for 2027?
Thirteen of the 111 plan options with a comparable in-network deductible in both OPM files raised it, and none lowered it. Among nationwide plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard Option and MHBP Standard Option went from $350 to $500 for Self Only, and FEP Blue Focus went from $750 to $1,000.
Did GEHA HDHP change its family deductible to $3,600 for 2027?
No. OPM's plan benefits files show GEHA HDHP at $1,800 Self Only and $3,600 for Self Plus One and Self and Family in both 2026 and 2027, with the same $6,000 and $12,000 out-of-pocket maximums. It is not a change.
Did any FEHB plan lower its deductible for 2027?
Among the 111 options with comparable in-network deductible figures in both files, none lowered its deductible. Two lowered their out-of-pocket maximum: Medical Mutual of Ohio (Northern) Basic Option and Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Standard.
Does a higher deductible mean I will pay more in 2027?
Not by itself. These are gross in-network deductibles. Plans with an HSA or HRA contribution show a lower net deductible, which we did not compare, and your total cost also depends on your premium and how much care you use. Compare premium plus expected cost sharing before you switch.
When can I change FEHB plans for 2027?
Open Season runs November 9 to December 14, 2026. Most FEHB employee changes take effect January 10, 2027; annuitant changes take effect January 1.
Related Resources
- FEHB Premium Calculator: Compare 2027 plan costs
- FEHB 2027 Government Share by Plan: The premium side of 2027
- FEHB Plans Discontinued for 2027: If your plan is leaving
- FEHB Plan Evaluation Guide: How to compare plans beyond the premium
Sources: OPM 2026 FEHB Plan Benefits Public Use File (2026-fehb-plan-benefits-11202025.xlsx) and 2027 FEHB Plan Benefits Public Use File (2027-fehb-plan-benefits_102126.xlsx); OPM service-area files for the nationwide flag; IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-24 (2027 HDHP minimum deductibles). Comparison tables are FedTools analysis; the full 136-row comparison is reproducible with scripts/fehb/compare_benefits_2026_2027.py.