Random, but as a Fed what is your preferred health care plan? It’s open season.
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Anonymous
| Curious what you recommend? Is BCBS the overall winner? Is GEHA better? I’ve got a family of four. Obviously this all andecdotal but helpful. |
Anonymous
| Checkbook does a helpful book each year. Generally, high-deductible plans are more cost-effective if you consider the much higher premiums for regular plans. |
Anonymous
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GEHA had been fine before but has been an absolute nightmare this year. They never mailed me my card despite me requesting it multiple times, denied claims for random reasons (I found out they told me one thing, told my doctor another).
I'm switching off them this year. |
Anonymous
I don't quite understand the GEHA and MHBP HDHPs. The biweekly premiums are the virtually the same as the standard plans. Yes, you get $$ in your HSA from the gov, but the deductible on the standard plans is much cheaper ($350-500). We don't have a lot left over to invest in the HSA, and due to the premiums being about equal, we can't even invest the delta between them. I tried doing the math for us, and due to a high monthly prescription for me, therapy for a couple of us, and psychiatry appointments, if we did bump up against the family deductible, it would be towards the end of the year. So we would pretty much always be paying out of pocket but not saving any of the money provided in the HSA. |
Anonymous
For us, the high deductible plans are better. First, most of our doctors are out of network, so we have to pay for those out of pocket and don’t really get reimbursed. Second, the HSA rollover is excellent tax free savings if we don’t use it all. Finally, I have found that preventative care (colonoscopies, mammograms, MRIs.) are generally covered with no co-pay. So in a normal year, we pay a much lower premium and about the same in service payments. |
Anonymous
| GEHA uses the United Healthcare network, which is now OON with Hopkins and apparently other providers as well. We have a lot of Hopkins providers and so are switching to the MHBP plan which uses Aetna. I’ve also heard good things about the Foreign Service plan but my agency isn’t eligible. |
Anonymous
| We use BCBS basic. It covers us fine. There are pros and cons to every plan. For us, the cons of BCBS are manageable right now. |
Anonymous
| I have BCBS standard but the monthly premiums for 2026 are nearly $1000 for the family plan. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
That’s insane. I’m sorry, but you should really run the numbers. |
Anonymous
| I use BCBS focus. Premiums are really low and as long as you are in network everything is covered. Co-pays are low. Because it is BCBS the network is very wide. Anything out of network I just flex. I haven't had any problems. |
Anonymous
| Look who takes your doctors and the premiums, copays and deductibles. It also depends on health issues. |
Anonymous
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It really depends on your personal situation, particularly if you're on any necessary drugs that are unaffordable without insurance.
One of my medications is over $5,000 a month without insurance, so for me the most important consideration is that any insurance plan I get covers that particular drug. For you, the most important consideration may be premiums, deductibles, or the PPO network. |
Anonymous
The thing is it’s not perfect but it’s about the best health insurance you can have. I know I may be “overpaying” but I’m risk averse in this area. |
Anonymous
| BCBS Standard |