Navigating FEHB Open Season Amid a Government Shutdown
Will the government shutdown impact Open Season? These are some potential challenges for federal employees.
As the partial government shutdown drags on, federal employees and retirees may be wondering what implications it will have for the upcoming FEHB Open Season. Will the shutdown create any problems for your health insurance benefits?
FEHB Open Season
This year’s Open Season runs from November 10–December 8, 2025.
During this time, eligible federal employees and retirees can enroll in, change, or
cancel coverage for the:
- Federal Employees Health Benefits Program;
- Postal Service Health Benefits Program;
- Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP); and
- Federal Flexible Spending Account Program, or FSAFEDS (active
employees only).
Health, dental, and vision enrollment will automatically continue from year to year unless a participant chooses to make a change during Open Season. However, eligible employees who wish to continue participating in the next plan year must re-enroll with FSAFEDS each year.
What Happens During a Shutdown?
Open Season continues, even during a government shutdown. FEHB coverage also continues during a lapse in appropriations, with employees repaying their share of premiums through payroll withholding upon returning to pay status.
Additionally, a shutdown does not alter the effective date of any changes made during Open Season; they still take effect on January 1.
Online enrollment platforms will still be available (i.e. BENEFEDS). All FEHB and FEDVIP brochures and premiums are available on the Office of Personnel Managment (OPM) website.
On a related note, OPM has announced that it will only announce Open Season via the OPM website and other digital formats starting in 2026 and each year thereafter.
Challenges to Watch For in a Government Shutdown
Although Open Season and enrolling or re-enrolling in benefits plans is technically not affected, there are challenges to be aware of that can potentially arise.
If you need assistance from human resources staff, it may be harder to get during the shutdown, i.e. due to employee furloughs, so plan accordingly. You may need to rely more on online resources, such as OPM’s website or insurer’s websites.
Watch for errors – double check to make sure you are still enrolled in your benefits plans and that any changes you made during Open Season take effect as intended after the shutdown concludes. Keep an eye out during the shutdown from announcements from your agency’s HR office and OPM about any new information or changes that could affect your benefits.
Also, after the shutdown ends, you will need to budget for a single lump sum deduction of premiums from your accumulated back pay to compensate for the interrupted benefits deductions from your salary.
Strategies for Navigating Open Season During the Shutdown
Use Online Resources
Remember that there are online resources as well that may be helpful for researching FEHB plans. For example, we have many articles about the FEHB on FedSmith, the OPM website lists FEHB plan information and premiums and has a plan comparison tool, and the insurance company websites also provide extensive information about specific plans, i.e. BCBS Nationwide.
Important Websites
Document Elections and Confirmations
Keep a written record of the changes you make to your benefits plans during Open Season, and double check after the shutdown concludes to ensure they take effect as expected.
For federal retirees: confirm your annuity deductions and contact OPM early if any errors arise.
Remember to budget for a one-time, larger-than-usual lump sum deduction from your salary to cover the missed benefits premiums that accrued during the shutdown. Once the shutdown has concluded and your regular paychecks resume, double check to ensure that the amount of your pay and all benefits deductions are correct.
After January 1, check everything again to be sure that your 2026 FEHB, FEDVIP and other benefits deductions match your records of your Open Season selections for the new year.
Conclusion
The ongoing government shutdown is no doubt frustrating and stressful for federal employees. Fortunately federal employees and retirees can take some solace in the fact that their FEHB coverage will continue despite the shutdown.
Although Open Season is expected to generally continue as normal, it is still wise to take action early when researching available benefits options and changes, document your benefits selections, and double check everything once the shutdown concludes.