Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan, Basic Option: 2027 PSHB premiums and benefits
Federal Benefits Open Season for plan year 2027 runs November 9 to December 14, 2026.
* Three PSHB options end after 2026: GEHA High, MHBP Consumer, and UnitedHealthcare Postal East. If you are in one, choose a plan by December 14. See what ends| Enrollment | Employee, biweekly | Employee, monthly | Annuitant, monthly | Change in your share vs 2026 | Employee, per year (26 periods) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self Only code 33A | $139.94 gov $318.23 | $303.20 | $303.20 | +$12.35 biweekly (+9.7%) | $3,638 |
| Self Plus One code 33C | $340.28 gov $689.34 | $737.27 | $737.27 | +$26.44 biweekly (+8.4%) | $8,847 |
| Self and Family code 33B | $385.46 gov $748.55 | $835.16 | $835.16 | +$27.94 biweekly (+7.8%) | $10,022 |
Traditional, PPO network. Offered nationwide. Open to everyone eligible for PSHB. Source. The government share is the lesser of 72% of the PSHB program-wide average premium or 75% of this plan's premium (OPM). Employee figures are OPM's rate for active postal employees; USPS non-career employees and some union contracts differ.
Educational information only; StandWatch is not acting for OPM or the Postal Service, and the brochure and the HR Shared Service Center are the final authority. Same code and assumptions as the comparison page: worst year is exact (premiums plus the in-network out-of-pocket maximum, minus an HSA deposit); the other three are estimates under stated usage profiles, each labeled copays only, has coinsurance, or not priced.
Deductibles and limits
| Self Only | Self Plus One | Self and Family | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deductible | None out of network Not applicable | None out of network Not applicable | None out of network Not applicable |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | $8,500 out of network Not applicable | $17,000 out of network Not applicable | $17,000 out of network Not applicable |
What you pay for care, in and out of network
| Service | In network | Out of network |
|---|---|---|
| VISITS | ||
| Preventive care | Member Pays Nothing | Member Pays All Charges |
| Primary care visit | $35 Copayment | Member Pays All Charges |
| Specialist visit | $50 Copayment | Member Pays All Charges |
| Urgent care | $50 Copayment | $50 Copayment When NSA protections apply. Otherwise, member pays all charges. |
| Emergency room | $500 Copayment Per day per facility, nothing for professional services. | $500 Copayment Per day per facility, nothing for professional services. |
| Labs and X-rays | $40 Copayment Blood test and urinalysis have a 15% coinsurance when billed by a professional provider. | Member Pays All Charges |
| CT, MRI, PET | $100 Copayment When billed by a professional provider. $250 Per day per facility. PA required for some tests. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Hospital stay, per admission | $500 Copayment Per day, Up to $3,500 per admission. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Hospital room | Member Pays Nothing These costs are included in the hospital inpat cost per admission copayment. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Surgeon, inpatient | $200 Copayment Prior approval required for some surgical services. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Outpatient surgery | $250 Copayment Per day per facility. Some services require prior approval. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Mental health, office | $35 Copayment | Member Pays All Charges |
| Mental health, inpatient | $500 Copayment Per day, up to $3,500 per admission. Precertification required. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Physical therapy | $35 Copayment ($50 for a specialist. 50 combined visits with physical and speech therapies.) | Member Pays All Charges |
| Chiropractic | $35 Copayment Limited to 20 visits per calendar year. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Acupuncture | $35 Copayment ($50 for a specialist visit. Limited to 12 visits per calendar year.) | Member Pays All Charges |
| Maternity care | Member Pays Nothing | Member Pays All Charges |
| Maternity hospital stay | $500 Copayment Per day, up to $3,500 per admission. Precertification required. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Infertility diagnosis and treatment | 15% Coinsurance Ultrasounds $40 copayment; genetic testing $100 copayment (Prior approval required.) | Member Pays All Charges |
| IVF and assisted reproduction | Member Pays All Charges | Member Pays All Charges |
| Hearing aids | Covered 1 every 5 years for adults; yearly for children under the age of 22. You pay any amount over $2500. | Covered 1 every 5 years for adults, yearly for children under the age of 22. You pay any amount over $2500. |
| Durable medical equipment | 35% Coinsurance | Member Pays All Charges |
| Home health | $35 Copayment Limited to 25 visits per person per calendar year for 2 hours per day. | Member Pays All Charges |
| Adult dental exams | Covered $35 copayment per evaluation. | Not Covered |
| Children's dental exams | Covered $35 copayment per evaluation. | Not Covered |
| Routine eye exam | Not Covered | Not Covered |
| Eyeglasses | Not Covered Routine eyeglasses not covered. See brochure for coverage. | Not Covered |
| PRESCRIPTIONS | ||
| Tier 1 (usually generic) | Preferred Generic - $15 Copayment | Preferred Generic - Not applicable |
| Tier 2 | Preferred Brand - 35% Coinsurance | Preferred Brand - Not applicable |
| Tier 3 | Non-Preferred Brand - 60% Coinsurance | Non-Preferred Brand - Not applicable |
| Tier 4 | Preferred Specialty Tier - 35% Coinsurance | Preferred Specialty Tier - Not applicable |
| Mail order | No | No |
| Prescription out-of-pocket maximum, Self | None | Not listed |
| Prescription out-of-pocket maximum, family | None | Not listed |
| WITH MEDICARE | ||
| Part B premium reimbursement (prescription drug plan) | $800 | Not listed |
| Part D drug plan: most you pay in a year | $2,400 | Not listed |
| Deductible with Parts A and B | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Out-of-pocket maximum with Parts A and B | $8,500 $8,500 Self, $17,000 Self +One; Self and Family | Not applicable |
| Primary care with Parts A and B | Member Pays Nothing | Member Pays All Charges |
| Specialist with Parts A and B | Member Pays Nothing | Member Pays All Charges |
| Hospital stay with Parts A and B | Member Pays Nothing | Member Pays All Charges |
| Part B reimbursement with Parts A and B | $800 Maximum | No |
OPM's summary of the plan's cost sharing. The small print under a figure is OPM's own wording and usually carries the real terms: per-day charges, caps, and whether the deductible applies. The brochure is the official statement of benefits.
Official pages
Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan plan site · Summary of Benefits and Coverage · Brochure RI 71-020 (the official statement of benefits) · Every PSHB brochure · OPM premiums · What this brochure says about GLP-1 drugs · (312) 297-6000
Before you enroll
Not the official statement of benefits. This plan's brochure is the only contractual statement of what it covers, excludes, and limits. Where this page and the brochure disagree, the brochure governs. Read it before you enroll.
Estimates, under published assumptions. Premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums are OPM's figures. The year-cost figures are estimates under the usage profiles and assumed charges published on the comparison page, labeled exact, copays only, has coinsurance, or not priced. They are not predictions of what you will spend.
What the model leaves out. Out-of-network care and balance billing, whether your own doctors take this plan, whether your medications are on its formulary and at which tier, referral and prior-authorization rules, mail-order and specialty pharmacy pricing, FEDVIP dental and vision, and Medicare coordination at 65 beyond the rows shown. Postal Service employees and annuitants are in a separate program and are not covered.
No affiliation. StandWatch is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for the U.S. Postal Service, the Office of Personnel Management, or any federal agency. The plan data is OPM's; the arrangement is ours. StandWatch is not a health plan, a broker, or an insurer, and nothing here is a recommendation to select, keep, or drop any plan, or medical, insurance, financial, tax, or legal advice. The full educational-purpose statement.
Source: OPM PSHB Public Use Files, plan year 2027 (rates, plan key, plan benefits, service area), and the OPM PSHB premium charts for the change from 2026.
