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The Open Enrollment Period For Calendar Year 2027 is NOW OPEN. Open Enrollment Runs From Monday, November 9, 2026, Through Monday, December 14, 2026. Learn About Your Coverage Options. 

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program

If you were hired by the District of Columbia Government in a benefits-eligible position before October 1, 1987, and you paid into the plan for five consecutive years immediately before your retirement, you are eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program sponsored by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). 

The Open Enrollment Period For Calendar Year 2027 is NOW OPEN. Open Enrollment Runs From Monday, November 9, 2026, Through Monday, December 14, 2026. Learn About Your Coverage Options Below.

As a retiree with Federal benefits, you may be covered by both the FEHB program and Medicare. Visit OPM’s “Medicare and Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Basics” website to learn how these two plans might meet your coverage needs.

During this enrollment period, you can make changes that best suit your personal circumstances. You may switch to a different health plan, add family members who have become eligible for coverage, or remove dependents who no longer qualify. If you currently provide coverage for a dependent, like a spouse or child(ren), you must present proof that the individual listed in your plan qualifies as a dependent.

If you are satisfied with your health insurance coverage, you do not have to do anything, and your current selection will carry over to 2027. However, if you are considering making a change, we suggest you:

  • contact the health insurance carrier to inquire about coverage options;
  • review the maximum out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., deductibles and copays);
  • familiarize yourself with the exclusions and limitations under the plan; and 
  • find out if your physician is a participating provider in the health care plan you are considering for the 2027 plan year.

FEHB OPEN ENROLLMENT 2026 for 2027 INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Visit OPM’s Plan Comparison Tool to learn more about your coverage options. 
  2. Please refer to the brief video (coming soon!) or the Frequently Asked Questions below for helpful information about enrolling in or making changes to your plan. 
  3. Once you have made your enrollment decision, select the “Submitting Your Enrollment Decisions” button and follow the instructions. 
  4. All changes you make during this period will take effect on January 1, 2027. The premiums will be deducted from your pension benefit beginning February 1, 2027. 
  5. Remember: if you are not making any changes to your plan, you do not have to do anything.

If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact DCRB Member Services or call the Member Services Center at (202) 343-3272. 

Access the Federal Employees Health Benefits Election Form Here

 

Submitting Your Enrollment Decisions+

Option 1: Submit Online (Recommended)

  • Visit dcrb.dc.gov/openenrollment.
  • Complete your enrollment form electronically (In Part D of the SF2809 enrollment form, please use Event Code 2A and for Date of Event please enter 01/01/2027) and compile your required supporting documents, if applicable.
  • Submit your form through the online electronic submission system.
  • The system will automatically send your completed forms to DCRB for processing.
  • A confirmation email will be sent to the email address you provided.

Option 2: Submit by Email

  • Download and complete your enrollment form.
  • Email the enrollment materials to [email protected].
  • You will receive an auto-reply email confirming receipt of your enrollment materials.
  • The DCRB Benefits Department will review your submission and contact you if additional information is needed.

Option 3: Submit via the DCRB Drop Box

  • Complete your enrollment form and compile your required supporting documents, if applicable.
  • Deliver the completed form to the DCRB drop box located at:

     

District of Columbia Retirement Board

Attention: Member Services Center (Open Enrollment)
900 7th Street NW, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20001

  • Important: Please write "Attention: Member Services Center (Open Enrollment)" on the envelope to help ensure prompt processing.
  • The drop box is available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
  • Please note appointments are required for any in-person consultations beyond drop box access.

Option 4: Submit by Mail

  • Complete your enrollment form and compile your required supporting documents, if applicable.
  • Mail the completed enrollment materials to:


District of Columbia Retirement Board

Attention: Member Services Center (Open Enrollment)
900 7th Street NW, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20001

  • Important: Please write "Attention: Member Services Center (Open Enrollment)" on the envelope to help ensure prompt processing.

REMEMBER: Retain a Copy for Your Records

Before submitting, keep a copy of all completed forms and supporting documents for your personal records.

Frequently Asked Questions +

 

Are My Family Members Covered?

Yes, your family members can be covered under a Self and Family or Self Plus One enrollment. Eligible family members include:

  • Your spouse (including a valid common-law marriage)
  • Children under age 26, including adopted children, recognized natural children, and stepchildren (including children of same-sex domestic partners in certain states)

 

Foster children are also eligible if they meet these requirements:

  • Under age 26 (or over 26 if incapable of self-support due to a disabling condition that began before age 26, with documentation provided to DCRB)
  • Currently living with you
  • The parent-child relationship is with you, not the child’s biological parent
  • You are the primary source of financial support
  • You expect to raise the child to adulthood

 

A child over age 26 who is incapable of self-support due to a mental or physical disability that existed before age 26 is also eligible. Your employing office will determine eligibility based on the child’s relationship to you.

 

Do I Need to Submit Proof of My Family Member’s Eligibility?

If you are enrolled in Self Plus One or Self and Family coverage, at the request of the  Office of Personnel Management (OPM), you may be randomly selected to provide proof of your dependents’ eligibility.

 

What Do I Have to Do to Prove Their Eligibility?

You must submit acceptable proof of eligibility for each family member within 60 calendar days of the open enrollment closing date, or they will be removed from coverage.

 

What Happens If I Refuse to Send the Documentation?

If you do not provide the required documentation, your family members will be deemed ineligible and removed from coverage.

 

When and How Can I Make Changes to My Coverage?

You can make changes to your coverage during the annual Federal benefits open enrollment period (mid-November through mid-December). During this time, you can change plans, options, or the type of enrollment (Self Only, Self Plus One, or Self and Family). You can also make changes if you experience an FEHB-specific Qualifying Life Event (QLE), which determines the type of enrollment change permitted. If making a change during open enrollment, select “2A” as the applicable event code.

 

How Can I Learn More About My Options?

OPM offers a comprehensive plan comparison tool to help you explore your options. Before making your final enrollment decision, be sure to review the individual FEHB brochures, as each brochure serves as the official statement of benefits for that plan.

 

I Have Coverage with a Non-FEHB Carrier. Can I Cancel My FEHB Plan? 

Yes, you can cancel your coverage either during the open enrollment season or within 60 days of obtaining coverage outside of the FEHB program. However, please note that if you cancel your coverage, you will not be able to re-enroll in the program.

 

Alternatively, you have the option to suspend your coverage. This allows you to avoid the expense of continuing to pay FEHB Program premiums while using your non-FEHB coverage, without jeopardizing your ability to return to the FEHB Program in the future.

 

DCRB’s Member Services Representatives are available to review your options with you prior to your final enrollment decisions. Contact DCRB Member Services or call the Member Services Center at (202) 343-3272. 

 

Ineligible Enrollment Consequences

Any intentionally false statement or willful misrepresentation, such as including ineligible family members on your health insurance plan, is a violation of the law punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both (18 U.S.C. 1001), and may be subject to investigation.

 

Updated as of 11/09/2026.