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Since 2019, military retirees (including gray area retirees), spouses, surviving spouses, and dependents have been eligible for the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). It replaced the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program, which ended Dec. 31, 2018.

FEDVIP features 11 dental plan providers (seven nationwide/international and four regional) and five vision plan providers (all nationwide/international). All plans (except one regional dental provider) offer both “standard” and “high” plan options.

[LEARN MORE: BENEFEDS.gov]

Standard plans have lower monthly premiums, which means they’re about half the cost of the high option. But these plans also have higher copays.

For dental, generally speaking, if you and your family have good oral health, then a standard plan is probably best. But if that’s not the case, or if there’s a need for orthodontia work, then a high plan is probably best.

Premium rates for dental plans are determined by your location. High-cost areas incur higher monthly premiums.

For vision plans, the major difference between standard and high options is the yearly frame/lens allowance. Each provider has one premium for standard and one for high, no matter the location.

You can shop for plan availability and costs online.

[RELATED: 2026 TRICARE Plan Costs Revealed]

A New Year

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) manages FEDVIP. Each October, OPM announces plan increases for the next calendar year just prior to the annual FEDVIP open season.

For 2026, average monthly premiums have increased by 3.3% for dental and 0.5% for vision plans.

MOAA strongly recommends comparing next year’s pricing to this year’s premium when deciding whether you are satisfied with your dental and/or vision plan. If you take no action during the open season, you will be automatically rolled over to the same plan with new pricing for the next year.

Mark your calendar now for the next open season, expected to run Nov. 9-Dec. 14, 2026.

[RELATED: 2026 FEDVIP Premiums Announced]

OPM’s announced average increases are just that — averages across all 11 dental and five vision plans — and not all provider increases were the same for their standard and high plans. Notably, dental high plan increases ranged from a low of 0.6% to as much as 9.6%, whereas dental standard plan increases ranged from 1.9% to 11%.

Three of the five vision plans had no premium increases. However, the two with increases ranged from 1.4% to 8% for high, and 3.1% to 10% for standard.

An example of dental plan premium cost ranges for “Self Plus One” (you and a dependent) in the National Capital Region span from $32.33 to $66.76 for standard, and from $47.28 to $118.30 for high.

The “Self Plus One” standard monthly vision plans range from $13.72 to $16.21, and high plans from $23.94 to $29.16 across the board.

However, the most important FEDVIP issue will most likely remain: the plan(s) your dentist and/or optometrist accept.