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Should you take Medicare Part B with FEHB or PSHB in 2027?

Federal retirees can keep FEHB with or without Part B. Postal retirees in PSHB often can't. Answer a few questions to see whether Part B is required for you, what it would cost with IRMAA, and whether waiting means a lifelong penalty. It's free. Open Season for 2027 runs November 9 to December 14, 2026.

1. Which program is your health plan in?
2. Are you retired?
3. Your date of birth

Used for your Medicare enrollment dates and the PSHB age exception. It stays in this browser.

4. Do you have Medicare Part A (hospital insurance)?

Most people get Part A free at 65 after working and paying Medicare taxes.

5. Do you have Medicare Part B (medical insurance) now?
6. Your enrollment type
7. Where you live, and your plan now

Your state decides which regional plans and rates apply. Pick your current plan so the report can compare it with the others.

8. Your 2025 tax return: filing status and income

Social Security sets your 2027 IRMAA from your 2025 return. MAGI = adjusted gross income (Form 1040 line 11) plus tax-exempt interest (line 2a).

9. How much health care do you expect to use in 2027?

The report prices each plan for this level of use, and shows the other two as well.

Your answers stay in this browser. Nothing is sent to our server.

Checking your purchase…

Why not OPM's Plan Comparison Tool?

Use it too. It shows each plan's premium and what you pay with Medicare, including any Part B premium reimbursement. But when we checked on October 27, 2026, it didn't add the Part B premium or IRMAA, and didn't compare your total cost with and without Part B. It also still showed 2026 premiums; OPM says 2027 data arrives in early November. PSHB members are sent to the Postal Service Health Benefits System (PSHBS) instead.

Plans in the 2027 report

Every plan below is priced from OPM's 2027 rate tables and the plan's own 2027 brochure. Plans we couldn't price reliably are listed with the reason; we never estimate a plan's numbers.

FEHB: the national plans

APWU Health Plan High Option; Blue Cross and Blue Shield FEP Blue Standard; Blue Cross and Blue Shield FEP Blue Basic; GEHA High Option; GEHA Standard Option; MHBP Standard Option; SAMBA High Option; SAMBA Standard Option; Blue Cross and Blue Shield FEP Blue Focus; GEHA Elevate Plus; Compass Rose Health Plan High Option; Foreign Service Benefit Plan; Aetna Advantage.

Not included (9)
  • APWU Health Plan: Consumer Driven Option: Consumer-driven option: its Personal Care Account pays first (and can repay Part B premiums if money is left), which this report doesn't model; the brochure's Medicare chart doesn't cover this option.
  • GEHA: HDHP: High-deductible option: with Medicare it pays from an HRA first (which can also repay Medicare premiums), which this report doesn't model.
  • GEHA Indemnity Benefit Plan: Elevate Option: The brochure's Medicare chart doesn't cover the Elevate Option, and the option doesn't waive cost-sharing when Medicare pays first.
  • Compass Rose Health Plan: Standard Option: The brochure's Medicare chart doesn't cover the Standard Option (a network-only option), so it can't be priced with Medicare paying first.
  • Aetna: HDHP/Aetna Direct/Aetna Advantage: Aetna HealthFund HDHP: High-deductible option: with Medicare it pays from an HRA first (which can also repay Medicare premiums), which this report doesn't model.
  • Aetna: HDHP/Aetna Direct/Aetna Advantage: Aetna Direct: Consumer-driven option: its Medical Fund pays claims first and can repay Part B premiums only if money is left, which this report doesn't model.
  • Aetna HealthFund CDHP and Aetna Value Plan: Aetna HealthFund CDHP: Consumer-driven option: its Medical Fund pays claims first and can repay Medicare premiums only if money is left, which this report doesn't model.
  • Aetna HealthFund CDHP and Aetna Value Plan: Value Plan: The brochure's Medicare chart doesn't cover the Value Plan, and it doesn't waive cost-sharing when Medicare pays first.
  • Panama Canal Area Benefit Plan: FFS Plan with a POS Option: A plan for the Panama Canal area; not covered by this report.

PSHB: every plan with a 2027 brochure

APWU Health Plan High Option; Blue Cross and Blue Shield FEP Blue Focus; Blue Cross and Blue Shield FEP Blue Standard; Blue Cross and Blue Shield FEP Blue Basic; GEHA Standard Option; HealthPartners High Option; HealthPartners Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Colorado High Option; Kaiser Permanente Colorado Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Colorado Prosper; Kaiser Permanente Fresno California High Option; Kaiser Permanente Fresno California Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Fresno California Prosper; Kaiser Permanente Georgia High Option; Kaiser Permanente Georgia Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Georgia Prosper; Kaiser Permanente Hawaii High Option; Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States High Option; Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States Prosper; Kaiser Permanente Northern California High Option; Kaiser Permanente Northern California Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Northern California Prosper; Kaiser Permanente Northwest High Option; Kaiser Permanente Northwest Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Northwest Prosper; Kaiser Permanente Southern California High Option; Kaiser Permanente Southern California Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Southern California Prosper; Kaiser Permanente Washington Core High Option; Kaiser Permanente Washington Core Standard Option; Kaiser Permanente Washington Core Prosper; Kaiser Permanente Washington Options Federal Standard Option; MHBP Standard Option; NALC Health Benefit Plan High Option; UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus Primary Postal West.

Not included (28)
  • APWU Health Plan: Consumer Driven Option: Consumer-driven option: its Personal Care Account pays first (and can repay Part B premiums if money is left), which this report doesn't model; the brochure's Medicare chart doesn't cover this option.
  • GEHA Employee Organization: HDHP: High-deductible option: with Medicare it pays from an HRA first ($1,300 Self Only / $2,600 otherwise, which can also repay Medicare premiums) and waives nothing when Medicare pays first; this report doesn't model the HRA.
  • Kaiser Permanente Washington Options Federal: HDHP (Washington): High-deductible option: pays from an HRA first and waives nothing when Medicare pays first; this report doesn't model the HRA.
  • MHBP Value Plan: The brochure's Medicare chart doesn't cover the Value Plan, and it doesn't waive cost-sharing when Medicare pays first.
  • NALC Health Benefit Plan: NALC Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP): Consumer-driven option: its Personal Care Account pays first and it waives nothing when Medicare pays first (it pays only what is left after Medicare), which this report doesn't model.
  • UPMC Health Plan: Standard Option (Pennsylvania): Its 2027 brochure's Medicare chart conflicts with Section 4 (a $700 deductible with Medicare that appears nowhere else, against $850 / $1,700) and has no hospital line, so we can't price it reliably.
  • UPMC Health Plan: High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) Option (Pennsylvania): High-deductible option: pays from an HSA/HRA first and waives nothing when Medicare pays first; this report doesn't model the account.
  • Rural Carrier Benefit Plan: High Option: Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Aetna: CDHP and Value: Aetna HealthFund CDHP: Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Aetna: CDHP and Value: Aetna Value Plan: Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Aetna: HDHP, Aetna Direct, Aetna Advantage: Aetna Advantage: Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Aetna: HDHP, Aetna Direct, Aetna Advantage: Aetna HealthFund HDHP (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona…): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Aetna: HDHP, Aetna Direct, Aetna Advantage: Aetna HealthFund HDHP and Aetna Direct Plan (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona…): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Aetna: Open Access HMO and Aetna Saver: Aetna Open Access - Basic Option (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Aetna: Open Access HMO and Aetna Saver: Aetna Open Access - High Option (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Aetna: Open Access HMO and Aetna Saver: Aetna Saver (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • CAREFIRST BLUECHOICE, INC.: Blue Value Plus (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • CAREFIRST BLUECHOICE, INC.: HDHP (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • HMSA Plan: High Option (Hawaii): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • HMSA Plan: Standard Option (Hawaii): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Health Alliance Plan of Michigan: High Option (Michigan): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Health Alliance Plan of Michigan: Standard Option (Michigan): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Medical Mutual of Ohio: Basic Option (Ohio): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Medical Mutual of Ohio: Standard Option (Ohio): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • TakeCare Insurance Company, Inc.: HDHP Option (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • TakeCare Insurance Company, Inc.: High Option (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • TakeCare Insurance Company, Inc.: Standard Option (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.
  • Triple-S Salud, Inc: High (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands): Its 2027 brochure wasn't published yet when we built this report (checked October 27, 2026), so we can't price it. OPM posts all brochures in early November.

FEHB's local HMO plans are not included: the report covers the plans sold nationwide. If yours is a local HMO, the free check still works, and its brochure's Section 9 chart shows what it waives with Medicare.

Guides for FEHB and PSHB retirees