Breaking Down 2026 BCBS Premiums: Which Nationwide Plans Cost More?

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) is set to experience a double-digit increase in premiums for the second year in a row. Federal employees and retirees can expect a substantial 12.3% average increase in their contributions to the 2026 FEHB premiums.

It was even higher in 2025 when they increased 13.5%, and both years are a substantial jump from the 7.7% increase in 2024 and the 8.7% increase in 2023.

Among the most popular health insurance plans within FEHB are those offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). As the 2025 Open Season approaches, I’ve compiled some valuable data on the nationwide BCBS plans that I believe will be helpful for federal employees and retirees in making informed decisions about their health insurance options for the upcoming year.

Please note that all the data presented are based on the enrollee’s share of the 2026 FEHB premiums for the nationwide BCBS plans. These plans offer three distinct options: Basic, Standard, and FEP Blue Focus, along with three enrollment types: Self, Self & Family, and Self Plus One. Consequently, there are a total of nine comprehensive plan offerings to consider.

Which Nationwide BCBS Premiums Increased the Most?

The BCBS Basic option experienced the most significant average increase for the enrollee’s share of the 2026 FEHB premiums, rising by 17.4% from 2025 to 2026. The FEP Blue Focus option also saw a substantial increase, averaging 12.91%.

Furthermore, all enrollment types witnessed double-digit increases compared to the previous year.

The table below provides a detailed breakdown of the average increases for each enrollment type and plan option.

Enrollment TypeAverage IncreaseOptionAverage IncreaseSelf12.95%Basic17.40%Self & Family12.74%FEP Blue Focus12.91%Self Plus One12.11%Standard7.49%

Individual 2026 BCBS Nationwide FEHB Plans

The tables that follow look at the plans individually, broken out by enrollment type.

Self

PlanType2025 Monthly Premium2026 Monthly Premium% IncreaseBasicSelf$245.18$289.8318.21%FEP Blue FocusSelf$128.21$144.7612.91%StandardSelf$378.76$408.027.73%

Self & Family

PlanType2025 Monthly Premium2026 Monthly Premium% IncreaseBasicSelf & Family$657.82$773.2017.54%FEP Blue FocusSelf & Family$303.17$342.2812.90%StandardSelf & Family$920.07$991.607.77%

Self Plus One

PlanType2025 Monthly Premium2026 Monthly Premium% IncreaseBasicSelf Plus One$593.97$691.7116.46%FEP Blue FocusSelf Plus One$275.63$311.2112.91%StandardSelf Plus One$832.31$890.246.96%

More information about these health insurance plans can be found on the BCBS Federal Employee Program (FEP) website. The Office of Personnel Management website lists the 2026 FEHB premiums.

When is the 2025 Open Season?

Open Season runs from November 10 – December 8, 2025. Federal employees and retirees will have the opportunity to choose their federal benefits for the 2026 plan year for health, dental, vision, and flexible spending account benefits during this time.

© 2025 Ian Smith. All rights reserved. This article
may not be reproduced without express written consent from Ian Smith.