Tuesday, September 29, 2009

OPM releases information on 2010 FEHBP premiums

OPM held a press conference today to announce 2010 FEHBP premiums. Press reports can be found in the Washington Post, the Federal Times, Federal News Radio, and Govexec.com . OPM has not yet posted the press release on its website. According to those reports, the average 2010 premium increase is 8.8%, about a point more than last year.

The Kaiser Family Foundation earlier this month released its 2009 Employer Health Benefits Annual Survey which found that
In 2009, the average annual premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance are $4,824 for single coverage and $13,375 for family coverage. Premiums for family coverage are 5% higher than last year ($12,680), but there was no statistically significant growth in the single premiums.

In my estimation, as discussed yesterday, the Program's premium increases are higher than the national average because of its demographics. The Washington Post reports that a Blue Cross executive explained that "The average age of [Blue Cross Federal Employee] program participants is 62, a slightly older pool of participants that require more complex medical care." The Program is fully 1/2 annuitants because of generous federal retirement benefits, and that's a good thing, but you have to take the bad with the good.

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