Some FEHB Plans Cost Less for Family Than Self Plus One
In 2027, some FEHB plans charge less for Self and Family coverage than for Self Plus One, by up to $76.29 per pay period.
Source: OPM, 2027 FEHB premium rate charts; OPM, frequently asked questions on Self Plus One enrollee shares.
| Plan option | Self Plus One | Self and Family | Extra for Self Plus One | Per year |
| Kaiser Northern California High | $568.01 | $491.72 | $76.29 | $1,984 |
| Kaiser Washington Core High | $500.13 | $423.84 | $76.29 | $1,984 |
| Kaiser Mid-Atlantic High | $361.71 | $285.42 | $76.29 | $1,984 |
| Kaiser Fresno High | $424.00 | $347.71 | $76.29 | $1,984 |
| Altius Standard (ID, UT, WY) | $588.79 | $526.07 | $62.72 | $1,631 |
| Aetna Value Plan (AK, CA, HI, IN, OH, OK, SC, TX, WI) | $1,214.07 | $1,157.52 | $56.55 | $1,470 |
| Foreign Service Benefit Plan High (nationwide) | $429.35 | $382.65 | $46.70 | $1,214 |
| MHBP Standard (nationwide) | $442.77 | $400.78 | $41.99 | $1,092 |
| Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan (nationwide) | $457.87 | $437.78 | $20.09 | $522 |
Biweekly enrollee shares for 2027, non-postal rates. These are examples, not a complete list: OPM's own Self Plus One versus Self and Family comparison lists 39 plan options with this pattern for 2027, and OPM's 2027 rate charts show every option. The yearly figure is the per-pay-period difference times 26. Postal (PSHB) rates differ.
Why covering fewer people can cost more
The total premium for Self Plus One is never higher than for Self and Family. The difference comes from the government's share. By law, the government pays the lesser of a maximum contribution or 75% of a plan's total premium, and the maximum is set separately for each enrollment type. For 2027, it is $767.53 per pay period for Self Plus One and $843.82 for Self and Family, a difference of $76.29.
When a plan charges the same total for both, the enrollee absorbs that full $76.29, which is why four Kaiser High options (Northern California, Washington Core, Mid-Atlantic, and Fresno) tie for the largest gap. Kaiser Northern California High, for example, has the same total premium, $1,335.54, for each type: after the government's share, Self Plus One enrollees pay $568.01 and Self and Family enrollees pay $491.72.
How common it is
OPM says Self Plus One costs less than Self and Family for 95% of enrollees, so this is the exception. When OPM created the Self Plus One enrollment type for 2016, it required total premiums no higher than Self and Family but acknowledged that some plans could still have a higher enrollee share.
What to check
- Look at both lines in your plan's rate chart.
- If you cover one family member and Self and Family costs less, ask your HR office or plan whether you can choose it.
- Compare deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket limits too, since they can outweigh a premium difference.
Open Season runs November 9 through December 14, and FFEBA's Open Season guide walks through the steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Self Plus One sometimes cost more than Self and Family?
The government pays the lesser of a maximum contribution or 75% of a plan's total premium, and the maximum is set separately for each enrollment type: $767.53 per pay period for Self Plus One and $843.82 for Self and Family in 2027. When a plan charges the same total for both, the enrollee absorbs that $76.29 difference.
Can I choose Self and Family if I only cover one family member?
Ask your HR office or plan. If Self and Family costs less in your plan, compare deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket limits too before you switch.
Which FEHB plans charge less for Self and Family in 2027?
OPM counts 39 plan options for 2027. Examples include Kaiser Northern California, Washington Core, Mid-Atlantic, and Fresno High ($76.29 less per pay period each), Altius Standard ($62.72), Aetna Value Plan ($56.55), Foreign Service Benefit Plan High ($46.70), MHBP Standard ($41.99), and the Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan ($20.09). OPM's 2027 rate charts show every option.
When is FEHB Open Season?
November 9 through December 14, 2026.
Sources: OPM, 2027 FEHB premium rate charts; OPM, "Why are the enrollee shares for some Self Plus One enrollments higher than Self and Family enrollee shares for the same plan?"; 5 U.S.C. 8906; OPM, Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Self Plus One Enrollment Type, Federal Register (September 17, 2015).
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