The self plus one option for federal employee health insurance is finally here, an addition that many have long wanted. However, it's not clear that the option, intended for employees with only a single family member to cover apart from themselves, is actually going to be much of a moneysaver.

Richard Thissen, president of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, said self plus one builds more flexibility into the coverage options.

"NARFE members have long advocated for this change, and we are pleased it will finally be an option," he said.

However, analysis shows that the savings between self plus one and self plus family — the traditional alternate choice to self only — is likely to amount to no more than $100 to $200 per year, and in some cases will cost even more than family coverage, wrote Walt Francis, principal author of Checkbook's Guide, an annual report of federal health insurance costs and coverage.

"Check the back page of your plan brochure (and also the section on "Changes for 2016") before you make the wrong decision," Francis wrote.

An analysis at Fedsmith yielded similar results.

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