Rural Carrier Benefit Plan, High 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 79A | $179.37 gov $318.23 | $388.63 | $388.63 | +$21.13 biweekly (+13.4%) | $4,664 |
| Self Plus One code 79C | $346.96 gov $689.34 | $751.75 | $751.75 | +$40.46 biweekly (+13.2%) | $9,021 |
| Self and Family code 79B | $339.96 gov $748.55 | $736.58 | $736.58 | +$39.70 biweekly (+13.2%) | $8,839 |
Traditional, PPO network. Offered nationwide. Only active and retired rural letter carriers, who must be or become members of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association. Dues vary by state. 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 | $350 out of network $800 | $700 out of network $1,600 | $700 out of network $1,600 |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | $5,000 out of network $7,000 | $10,000 out of network $14,000 | $10,000 out of network $14,000 |
What you pay for care, in and out of network
| Service | In network | Out of network |
|---|---|---|
| VISITS | ||
| Preventive care | Member Pays Nothing | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between our allowance and billed amount |
| Primary care visit | $20 Copayment (No deductible) | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Specialist visit | $35 Copayment (No deductible) | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Urgent care | $35 Copayment (No deductible) | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Emergency room | $200 Copayment (No deductible) | $200 Copayment plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Labs and X-rays | 15% Coinsurance . Certain tests require prior approval. | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount. |
| CT, MRI, PET | 5% Coinsurance . Certain tests require prior approval. | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Hospital stay, per admission | $200 Copayment | $400 Copayment |
| Hospital room | Member Pays Nothing | 30% Coinsurance of Plan allowance |
| Surgeon, inpatient | 15% Coinsurance (No deductible) | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Outpatient surgery | 15% Coinsurance | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Mental health, office | $20 Copayment | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Mental health, inpatient | $200 Copayment (No deductible) | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount (No deductible) |
| Physical therapy | 15% Coinsurance . Limited to 90 combined PT, OT and ST visits | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount. Limited to 90 combined PT, OT and ST visits. |
| Chiropractic | $20 Copayment | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Acupuncture | 15% No deductible, limited to 30 visits per person per calendar year | 30% Coinsurance No deductible, limited to 30 visits, plus any difference between our allowance and billed amount |
| Maternity care | Member Pays Nothing (No deductible) | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Maternity hospital stay | Member Pays Nothing (No deductible) | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Infertility diagnosis and treatment | 15% Coinsurance | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| IVF and assisted reproduction | Member Pays Nothing up to the Plan maximum for 2 complete cycle. Must use an Institute of Excellence Infertility Provider | Member Pays All Charges |
| Hearing aids | Covered . You pay all charges over $3,000, every three years. (No deductible) | Covered . You pay all charges over $3,000, every three years. (No deductible) |
| Durable medical equipment | 15% Coinsurance | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between plan allowance and billed amount |
| Home health | 15% Coinsurance (No deductible). Limited to 90 visits per calendar year. | 30% Coinsurance plus any difference between our allowance and billed amount. . Limited to 90 visits per calendar year. |
| Adult dental exams | Covered based on Plan's scheduled allowance | Covered based on Plan's scheduled allowance |
| Children's dental exams | Covered based on Plan's scheduled allowance | Covered based on Plan's scheduled allowance |
| Routine eye exam | Covered . Nothing up to $45, then all charges (No deductible) | Covered . Nothing up to $45, then all charges (No deductible) |
| Eyeglasses | Covered only when caused by an accidental injury or intraocular surgery | Covered only when caused by an accidental injury or intraocular surgery |
| PRESCRIPTIONS | ||
| Tier 1 (usually generic) | Generic - 30% Coinsurance | Generic - 30% Coinsurance |
| Tier 2 | Preferred Brand - 30% Coinsurance | Preferred Brand - 30% Coinsurance |
| Tier 3 | Non-Preferred Drugs - 30% Coinsurance | Non-Preferred Drugs - 30% Coinsurance |
| Tier 4 | Non-Preferred Brand - $70 Copayment | Non-Preferred Brand - 100% Coinsurance |
| Mail order | Yes | Yes |
| Prescription out-of-pocket maximum, Self | None | Not listed |
| Prescription out-of-pocket maximum, family | None | Not listed |
| WITH MEDICARE | ||
| Part B premium reimbursement (Medicare Advantage option) | $1,200 | Not listed |
| Part B premium reimbursement (prescription drug plan) | None | Not listed |
| Part D drug plan: most you pay in a year | $2,000 | Not listed |
| Deductible with Parts A and B | Deductible waived | Deductible waived |
| Out-of-pocket maximum with Parts A and B | $5,000 For Self Only coverage. For Self Plus one or Family coverage OOP max is $10,000 | $7,000 For Self Only coverage. For Self Plus one or Family coverage OOP max is $14,000 |
| Primary care with Parts A and B | Member Pays Nothing | Member Pays Nothing |
| Specialist with Parts A and B | Member Pays Nothing | Member Pays Nothing |
| Hospital stay with Parts A and B | Member Pays Nothing | Member Pays Nothing |
| Part B reimbursement with Parts A and B | Not applicable | Not applicable |
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
Rural Carrier Benefit Plan plan site · Summary of Benefits and Coverage · Brochure RI 72-012 (the official statement of benefits) · Every PSHB brochure · OPM premiums · What this brochure says about GLP-1 drugs · (800) 638-8432
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.
