(October 7, 2014) Federal employees and retirees will pay an average of 3.8 percent more toward their health insurance premiums in 2015, the Office of Personnel Management announced Tuesday.

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program enrollees with self-only coverage will contribute an average of $2.93 more per paycheck, while those with family coverage will pay about $6.89 more.

The increase is steeper than the rise in the government’s portion of the premiums, which will go up 3 percent. The employee share is increasing faster because employees are choosing better plans that require more out-of-pocket costs. Overall, the government pays about 70 percent of employees’ premiums.

Postal employees will face much more dramatic increases, and will contribute an average of 18.7 percent more toward their premiums next year. The government contributions will decrease an average of 0.9 percent. OPM officials said the bargaining process has caused the employee share to go up.

Overall premiums for non-postal employees, including both the employee and government portions, will increase by 3.2 percent. That is down from last year when they jumped 3.7 percent. OPM officials were satisfied with the figures, noting 2015 will mark the fourth consecutive year in which the increase was below 4 percent — the longest such streak since the mid-1990s.

Read more: Feds Will Pay 3.8 Percent More Toward Health Care Premiums in 2015 – Pay & Benefits – GovExec.com.