Last Updated: October 4, 2026 Reading Time: 9 min
If the government's share of your FEHB premium looks smaller for 2027, the reason is in how the contribution is set. The government pays the lesser of a fixed dollar cap or 75% of your plan's premium. The 2027 FEHB government contribution caps rose about 8%. Where 75% of a plan's premium is above the cap, the enrollee pays every dollar past it, and a premium that outgrows the cap widens that gap.
Does the 2027 Cap Hit Your Plan? A One-Minute Check
Find your plan's 2027 total biweekly premium on OPM's rate chart or your plan brochure, then compare it with the break point for your enrollment type.
| Enrollment type | 2027 maximum government contribution (biweekly) | Cap applies when the total premium is above |
|---|---|---|
| Self Only | $352.04 | $469.39 |
| Self Plus One | $767.53 | $1,023.37 |
| Self and Family | $843.82 | $1,125.09 |
Maximum contributions are from OPM's 2027 premiums page. The break point is the cap divided by 0.75 (FedTools calculation). Figures are for full-time, non-postal enrollees.
- At or below the break point: the government pays 75% and you pay 25%.
- Above it: the government pays the flat cap and you pay everything over it. Each additional dollar of premium is yours.
Part-time career employees get a prorated government contribution based on scheduled hours, so their share is lower than anything shown here. Postal employees are in PSHB, which has its own contribution figures.
How the Government Contribution Is Set
The rule is in 5 U.S.C. 8906(b). The government contribution is 72% of the program-wide weighted average premium for each enrollment type, and it cannot exceed 75% of the premium of the plan you chose.
OPM's 2027 weighted averages are $488.95 Self Only, $1,066.02 Self Plus One and $1,171.97 Self and Family every two weeks. Seventy-two percent of each gives the caps in the table above.
That is why "the government pays 72%" is not true of any single plan. Measured against your own plan's cost, the government's share in 2027 runs from the full 75% on lower-cost options down to 52.78%, the lowest share of any nationwide fee-for-service choice.
| Enrollment type | 2026 cap | 2027 cap | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only | $324.76 | $352.04 | +$27.28 (+8.40%) |
| Self Plus One | $711.17 | $767.53 | +$56.36 (+7.92%) |
| Self and Family | $778.03 | $843.82 | +$65.79 (+8.46%) |
Source: OPM's 2026 and 2027 FEHB fee-for-service rate files. Biweekly amounts.
OPM's own headline numbers are averages across the whole program: overall premiums up 9.3%, the average enrollee share up 10.9%, and the government contribution up 8.6%. They do not describe any one plan.
The Plan Behind the "75% to 63.4%" Posts
One plan matches the figure exactly. For MHBP Standard Option Self Plus One, OPM's rate files show:
| 2026 | 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total biweekly premium | $864.50 | $1,210.30 |
| Government pays | $648.38 | $767.53 |
| You pay | $216.12 | $442.77 |
| Government share | 75.00% | 63.42% |
Rounded, 63.42% is the 63.4% figure being quoted. The total premium rose 40.0%. The government's payment rose too, to the cap. Everything above the cap landed on the enrollee, whose cost more than doubled. Over 26 pay periods that is $5,893 more a year.
MHBP Standard received the full 75% in all three enrollment types in 2026. In 2027 it is under 70% in all three. If you are in an MHBP plan, see our companion piece on what changed at MHBP for 2027.
Government Share by Plan, 2026 vs 2027
These tables cover the 17 nationwide fee-for-service plan options in OPM's 2027 fee-for-service rate file, each in three enrollment types. OPM offers 118 FEHB plan options for 2027 in all, so HMOs and regional plans are not shown. Each table is sorted from the lowest 2027 government share to the highest.
Self Only
| Plan and option | 2026 share | 2027 share | You pay in 2027 (biweekly) | Change from 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMBA High | 58.96% | 53.26% | $308.98 | +$82.89 (+36.7%) |
| GEHA Elevate Plus | 61.29% | 57.27% | $262.63 | +$57.50 (+28.0%) |
| Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan | 51.52% | 57.87% | $256.25 | -$49.33 (-16.1%) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard | 63.30% | 63.24% | $204.65 | +$16.33 (+8.7%) |
| APWU High | 69.85% | 64.72% | $191.92 | +$51.76 (+36.9%) |
| GEHA High | 62.45% | 67.69% | $168.01 | -$27.28 (-14.0%) |
| MHBP Standard | 75.00% | 69.69% | $153.11 | +$59.22 (+63.1%) |
| Compass Rose High | 69.87% | 70.13% | $149.97 | +$9.91 (+7.1%) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield Basic | 70.83% | 70.76% | $145.46 | +$11.69 (+8.7%) |
| Foreign Service Benefit Plan High | 75.00% | 71.01% | $143.75 | +$43.39 (+43.2%) |
| SAMBA Standard | 72.55% | 72.15% | $135.87 | +$13.01 (+10.6%) |
| APWU Consumer Driven | 75.00% | 75.00% | $102.63 | +$2.01 (+2.0%) |
| GEHA Standard | 75.00% | 75.00% | $86.75 | $0.00 |
| GEHA HDHP | 75.00% | 75.00% | $81.62 | $0.00 |
| GEHA Elevate | 75.00% | 75.00% | $77.92 | $0.00 |
| FEP Blue Focus | 75.00% | 75.00% | $74.16 | +$7.35 (+11.0%) |
| Compass Rose Standard | 75.00% | 75.00% | $69.04 | +$7.40 (+12.0%) |
Self Plus One
| Plan and option | 2026 share | 2027 share | You pay in 2027 (biweekly) | Change from 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMBA High | 58.68% | 52.78% | $686.75 | +$186.02 (+37.1%) |
| GEHA Elevate Plus | 61.27% | 57.00% | $578.95 | +$129.37 (+28.8%) |
| Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan | 56.00% | 62.64% | $457.87 | -$100.81 (-18.0%) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard | 63.38% | 63.05% | $449.89 | +$39.01 (+9.5%) |
| MHBP Standard | 75.00% | 63.42% | $442.77 | +$226.65 (+104.9%) |
| Foreign Service Benefit Plan High | 73.38% | 64.13% | $429.35 | +$171.39 (+66.4%) |
| GEHA High | 62.16% | 67.08% | $376.59 | -$56.36 (-13.0%) |
| APWU High | 72.84% | 67.20% | $374.71 | +$109.60 (+41.3%) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield Basic | 69.02% | 68.65% | $350.48 | +$31.23 (+9.8%) |
| Compass Rose High | 69.54% | 69.50% | $336.89 | +$25.45 (+8.2%) |
| SAMBA Standard | 75.00% | 74.36% | $264.64 | +$27.91 (+11.8%) |
| APWU Consumer Driven | 75.00% | 75.00% | $223.06 | +$4.38 (+2.0%) |
| GEHA Elevate | 75.00% | 75.00% | $187.99 | $0.00 |
| GEHA Standard | 75.00% | 75.00% | $186.51 | $0.00 |
| GEHA HDHP | 75.00% | 75.00% | $175.47 | $0.00 |
| FEP Blue Focus | 75.00% | 75.00% | $159.43 | +$15.80 (+11.0%) |
| Compass Rose Standard | 75.00% | 75.00% | $151.89 | +$16.28 (+12.0%) |
Self and Family
| Plan and option | 2026 share | 2027 share | You pay in 2027 (biweekly) | Change from 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMBA High | 58.85% | 53.19% | $742.68 | +$198.63 (+36.5%) |
| GEHA Elevate Plus | 61.06% | 57.09% | $634.19 | +$138.07 (+27.8%) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard | 62.96% | 62.94% | $496.90 | +$39.24 (+8.6%) |
| APWU High | 69.73% | 64.64% | $461.61 | +$123.89 (+36.7%) |
| GEHA High | 59.70% | 64.75% | $459.39 | -$65.79 (-12.5%) |
| Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan | 58.58% | 65.84% | $437.78 | -$112.27 (-20.4%) |
| MHBP Standard | 75.00% | 67.80% | $400.78 | +$182.58 (+83.7%) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield Basic | 68.56% | 68.53% | $387.54 | +$30.68 (+8.6%) |
| Foreign Service Benefit Plan High | 75.00% | 68.80% | $382.65 | +$134.38 (+54.1%) |
| Compass Rose High | 69.74% | 70.04% | $361.03 | +$23.46 (+6.9%) |
| SAMBA Standard | 75.00% | 75.00% | $280.66 | +$23.18 (+9.0%) |
| APWU Consumer Driven | 75.00% | 75.00% | $243.34 | +$4.78 (+2.0%) |
| GEHA Standard | 75.00% | 75.00% | $231.45 | $0.00 |
| GEHA Elevate | 75.00% | 75.00% | $228.85 | $0.00 |
| GEHA HDHP | 75.00% | 75.00% | $215.63 | $0.00 |
| FEP Blue Focus | 75.00% | 75.00% | $175.35 | +$17.38 (+11.0%) |
| Compass Rose Standard | 75.00% | 75.00% | $165.69 | +$17.75 (+12.0%) |
FedTools analysis of OPM's 2026 and 2027 FEHB fee-for-service premium rate files, matched by enrollment code. Government share is OPM's printed government amount divided by its printed total premium, rounded to two decimals. Biweekly amounts for full-time, non-postal enrollees. Coverage: 17 nationwide fee-for-service options, 51 premium choices, out of 118 FEHB plan options.
What the tables show
| Of the 51 premium choices, the government pays | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Exactly 75% | 25 | 19 |
| Between 70% and 75% | 4 | 6 |
| Under 70% | 22 | 26 |
| Under 65% | 15 | 16 |
The median nationwide fee-for-service option's enrollee cost rises 8.7% for Self Only, 9.8% for Self Plus One and 8.6% for Self and Family. Four plans sit far above that: MHBP Standard, SAMBA High, APWU High and Foreign Service Benefit Plan High, with increases from about 36% to 105%.
Three GEHA options (Standard, HDHP and Elevate) have the same total premium in 2027 as in 2026. GEHA High's total is also unchanged, and because the cap rose, its enrollees pay less: $27.28 less for Self Only, $56.36 less for Self Plus One and $65.79 less for Self and Family, every two weeks.
MHBP Value Plan and MHBP Consumer Option do not appear in OPM's 2027 fee-for-service rate file.
What to Do Before December 14
Open Season runs November 9 through December 14, 2026. For most employees a change takes effect on the first day of the first pay period that begins in January 2027. OPM's 2027 plan year highlights list that as January 10, 2027. Annuitants' changes take effect January 1, 2027, and workers' compensation recipients' on January 24.
A lower government share is a reason to compare, and premium is only part of the cost. A plan with a higher premium can still cost less over a year if its deductible and out-of-pocket limits fit how you use care. Our FEHB plan evaluation guide walks through that comparison, and the 72% rule explainer covers the formula in more depth.
Check Your Own Premium
The free FEHB Calculator takes your plan and enrollment type and shows what you pay per pay period and per year, next to what the government pays. The calculator currently shows 2026 rates, so use the tables above for 2027 until its 2027 update goes live.
For everything OPM has confirmed about next year's rates, see the FEHB 2027 premiums tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the government's share of my FEHB premium drop for 2027?
The government pays the lesser of a fixed dollar cap or 75% of your plan's premium, under 5 U.S.C. 8906(b). The 2027 caps rose between 7.9% and 8.5%. The cap applies when 75% of your plan's total premium is more than the dollar cap. Once it does, you pay every dollar above the cap, so a premium that rises faster than the cap raises your share.
What are the 2027 maximum government contributions for FEHB?
For most employees and annuitants, $352.04 for Self Only, $767.53 for Self Plus One and $843.82 for Self and Family every two weeks, up from $324.76, $711.17 and $778.03 in 2026. The monthly amounts are $762.75, $1,662.98 and $1,828.28, according to OPM.
Does the government pay 72% of my FEHB premium?
No. It pays 72% of the program-wide weighted average premium. Measured against your own plan's cost, that works out to anywhere from 75% on lower-cost plans down to 52.78% on SAMBA High Self Plus One, the lowest nationwide fee-for-service figure in 2027.
At what premium does the FEHB cap apply in 2027?
When the total biweekly premium is above $469.39 for Self Only, $1,023.37 for Self Plus One or $1,125.09 for Self and Family. At or below those amounts, the government pays 75% of the premium.
Which plan had the 75% to 63.4% Self Plus One drop?
MHBP Standard Option Self Plus One. OPM's rate files show the government's share falling from 75.00% in 2026 to 63.42% in 2027, and the enrollee cost rising from $216.12 to $442.77 every two weeks, an increase of 104.9%.
Did any plan's government share go up for 2027?
Yes. GEHA High's premiums did not change, so its enrollees pay less by the amount the cap rose: $27.28 for Self Only, $56.36 for Self Plus One and $65.79 for Self and Family every two weeks. The Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan lowered its premiums, and its government share rose in all three enrollment types.
OPM says the enrollee share rose 10.9%. Why is my increase different?
The 10.9% figure is OPM's average increase in the enrollee share across all FEHB plans. Individual plans range from a decrease of about 20% to more than double. Among the 17 nationwide fee-for-service options, the median enrollee increase is 8.7% for Self Only, 9.8% for Self Plus One and 8.6% for Self and Family.
When does a 2027 FEHB plan change take effect?
Open Season runs November 9 through December 14, 2026. For most employees a change takes effect on the first day of the first pay period that begins in January 2027, which OPM lists as January 10, 2027. For annuitants it is January 1, 2027, and for workers' compensation recipients January 24.
I work part time. Do these government share figures apply to me?
No. Part-time career employees receive a prorated government contribution based on their scheduled hours, under 5 U.S.C. 8906(b)(3). Your government share is lower than the full-time figures in this article.
Related Resources
- FEHB Calculator: Your cost per pay period by plan and enrollment type.
- FEHB 72% Rule: How the Government Contribution Works: The formula in detail.
- FEHB 2027 Premiums Tracker: What OPM has confirmed.
- FEHB Open Season 2026: How to Make Your 2027 Changes: The steps and deadlines.
- FSAFEDS Open Season 2026 Checklist: The one election that does not renew itself.
Sources: OPM FEHB premiums page (2027 maximum government contributions and weighted averages); OPM 2027 fee-for-service premium rate file; OPM 2026 fee-for-service premium rate file; OPM, Federal Benefits Open Season Highlights, 2027 Plan Year; 5 U.S.C. 8906(b); 5 CFR 890.301; GSA payroll calendar.