[Ucrfacultyandstaff] Open Enrollment is Coming Soon!
Puja Pannu
puja.pathak at ucr.edu
Fri Oct 16 11:56:52 PDT 2026
[image: A banner for open enrollment featuring an African American doctor]
Open Enrollment is almost here! Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity
to review, evaluate, and make changes to your UC health and welfare
benefits for the upcoming 2027 plan year. Choosing the right coverage for
you and your family is an essential decision, and Central Human Resources
is here to support you in every step.
Before enrollment opens, please take a moment to read an important message
from Dianna Henderson
<https://pathmail.ucop.edu/e/946353/-on-your-2027-health-benefits-/fxqfz/889108871/h/GNOTnTQ62j8aCaExuuBgkzS4HsBPjipEPO1mbc2ASiE>,
Vice President of Systemwide Human Resources, detailing systemwide health
benefit updates, rising healthcare trends, and how the University of
California is working to manage employee costs for 2027.
To help you navigate your options, Central Human Resources and our plan
partners are hosting informational webinars, virtual help desks, and our
signature on-campus fair. Below is the complete chronological schedule of
all events from the earliest pre-enrollment overview to the close of Open
Enrollment:
WEX - Flexible Spending Accounts & Adoption Assistance Plan Overview
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
10:00 am to 11:00 am
Zoom Meeting
<https://ucr.zoom.us/j/96839572869?pwd=9saif9R79oTXQlbWjvuxPDwO5CMwDw.1>
___________
ARAG Legal Plan Overview
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Zoom Meeting
<https://ucr.zoom.us/j/96839572869?pwd=9saif9R79oTXQlbWjvuxPDwO5CMwDw.1>
___________
Prudential - Life, AD&D and UC Plus Plans Overview
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Zoom Meeting
<https://ucr.zoom.us/j/96839572869?pwd=9saif9R79oTXQlbWjvuxPDwO5CMwDw.1>
___________
Kaiser Permanente
Thursday, October 29, 2026
9:30am to 10:30am
Zoom Meeting <https://ucr.zoom.us/j/99274432552>
Faculty & Staff Virtual Help Desk
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Email: benefits at ucr.edu • Telephone: (951) 827-2636 or (951) 827-5086
___________
Blue Shield Accolade/ Transcarent
Nov 4 | Nov 13 | Nov 18
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
Zoom Registration
<https://accolade.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ws8nXLlaToubqwKI0s3axg>
___________
UCR Health Overview
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
11:00am to 12:00pm
Zoom Meeting
<https://ucr.zoom.us/j/96839572869?pwd=9saif9R79oTXQlbWjvuxPDwO5CMwDw.1>
___________
UC Riverside's Annual Benefits, Health & Wellness Fair
Thursday, November 12, 2026
10:00am to 2:00pm
Registration <https://myadv.ucr.edu/forms/benefits-fair-2026>
Kaiser Mobile Van In-Person Event
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
9:00am to 2:00pm
Location: Olmstead Plaza
Free biometric screenings & flu shots (biometric screening must be
completed for flu shot).
Register and secure your health screening appointment.
<https://wellness-event.kaiserpermanente.org/signup/ucriverside>
___________
California Casualty
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
10:00am to 11:00am
Zoom Meeting
<https://ucr.zoom.us/j/96839572869?pwd=9saif9R79oTXQlbWjvuxPDwO5CMwDw.1>
___________
Health Net HMO
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
11:00am to 12:00pm
Zoom Meeting <https://ucr.zoom.us/j/99274432552>
What to Know About Your 2027 Benefits & Costs
As healthcare costs continue to rise nationwide, the University of
California remains committed to preserving comprehensive coverage and
strong plan choices:
-
Continued Strong University Contribution: UC will continue to cover, on
average, over 85% of total medical premiums across pay bands and
coverage tiers, contributing an additional $294 million toward employee
health benefits this year.
-
Expiration of the UCR Campus Premium Subsidy for Non Represented
Employees: Please note that the temporary UCR employee medical premium
subsidy provided for 2026 to help offset rising healthcare costs will
conclude on December 31, 2026, as communicated when it was introduced. As a
result, higher monthly premium contributions will apply for the monthly
premium contributions for the 2027 plan year.
-
Medical Premium Adjustments: For employees whose medical premiums are
not governed by collective bargaining, the 2027 standard monthly premium
adjustments for individual coverage will range between $6.58 and $29.24,
depending on salary tier and plan election. However, due to the
expiration of the 2026 UCR Campus Premium Subsidy, higher increases will
apply to the Kaiser and UC Blue & Gold HMO plans for Pay Band 1 and Pay
Band 2.
-
Stable Carrier Options: UC will continue to offer its full suite of
medical plans with no carrier changes for 2027. Health Net will continue to
administer the UC Blue & Gold HMO through the end of 2027.
-
Out-of-Pocket Maximums: Annual out-of-pocket maximums for Kaiser
Permanente and UC Blue & Gold HMO will adjust to $3,000 for individual
coverage and $6,000 for two-party and family coverage.
-
UC Health Network Partnership: UC Health continues to help mitigate
healthcare costs by limiting rate increases for care delivered across UC
medical centers and clinics.
-
For full details, plan summaries, and cost comparison matrices, please
visit the UCNet 2027 Open Enrollment Website
<https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/oe/> and the UCR HR Benefits
Open Enrollment Website <https://hr.ucr.edu/benefits/open-enrollment>.
Will Your Current Benefits Automatically Roll Over?
-
Yes, for most plans: If you are satisfied with your existing medical,
dental, vision, life, and disability selections, no action is required.
Your current elections will roll over into 2027 automatically.
-
CRITICAL EXCEPTION — Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): Enrollment
in the Health
FSA
<https://pathmail.ucop.edu/e/946353/its-health-welfare-health-fsa-/fxqg3/889108871/h/GNOTnTQ62j8aCaExuuBgkzS4HsBPjipEPO1mbc2ASiE>
and/or Dependent Care FSA (DepCare)
<https://pathmail.ucop.edu/e/946353/efits-home-family-depcare-fsa-/fxqg6/889108871/h/GNOTnTQ62j8aCaExuuBgkzS4HsBPjipEPO1mbc2ASiE>
does
NOT roll over automatically. To participate for plan year 2027, you must
actively re-enroll during Open Enrollment.
Action Checklist: 5 Steps to Take Before October 29
Take these five proactive steps in UCPath right now so you are fully
prepared when Open Enrollment begins:
1.
Verify Your Personal & Contact Information
-
Log in to UCPath
<https://pathmail.ucop.edu/e/946353/2026-10-06/fxqgh/889108871/h/GNOTnTQ62j8aCaExuuBgkzS4HsBPjipEPO1mbc2ASiE>
and navigate to the Personal Information Page
<https://pathmail.ucop.edu/e/946353/ObjName-UC-PERSONAL-INFOR-PBPG/fxqg9/889108871/h/GNOTnTQ62j8aCaExuuBgkzS4HsBPjipEPO1mbc2ASiE>
.
-
Verify your home and mailing address to ensure paper Open Enrollment
packets reach you. Also confirm your phone numbers and preferred email
address so you receive critical benefit notifications.
2.
Review Your Current Benefits & Open Life Events
-
Review your current Benefit Summary
<https://pathmail.ucop.edu/e/946353/FL-BEN-SUMM-GRID-FL-GBL-TILE-Y/fxqgd/889108871/h/GNOTnTQ62j8aCaExuuBgkzS4HsBPjipEPO1mbc2ASiE>
by going to Benefits & Retirement > View My Benefit Summary.
-
If you have had a recent qualifying life event (such as marriage,
birth, or divorce), make sure all pending life event submissions
under Update
My Benefits or Select My Benefits are fully resolved prior to October
29.
3.
Verify Your Dependent Information
-
Confirm that all enrolled dependents are accurately listed with
correct dates of birth and Social Security Numbers.
-
If updates are needed, submit an Update Dependent Info eForm
<https://pathmail.ucop.edu/e/946353/SUC-DEP-BDEFADD-IsFolder-false/fxqgl/889108871/h/GNOTnTQ62j8aCaExuuBgkzS4HsBPjipEPO1mbc2ASiE>
under Benefits & Retirement > Forms.
4.
Complete Dependent Eligibility Verification (UnifyHR)
-
If you received a Family Member Eligibility Verification
<https://pathmail.ucop.edu/e/946353/mber-eligibility-verification-/fxqgp/889108871/h/GNOTnTQ62j8aCaExuuBgkzS4HsBPjipEPO1mbc2ASiE>
notice from UnifyHR, ensure you upload all requested supporting
documents immediately. Important: Unverified dependents will lose
coverage effective December 31, 2026, and cannot be re-enrolled
during Open
Enrollment.
5.
Sign up for the CUCSA Town Hall on the 2027 Open Enrollment
-
Have questions about what to expect for 2027 Open Enrollment? Join
the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) on Oct. 26 at 11:30 a.m.
(PT), for a systemwide town hall - Register for the Benefits Town Hall
<https://ucr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7SIPMXAGT6CL6aYJK0VB-Q#/registration>
Support & Contact Information
-
Virtual Counselor: Use ALEX — your virtual benefits guide
<https://start.myalex.com/uc/> to get confidential, tailored benefit
recommendations based on your health usage.
-
Central Human Resources Benefits Office: Contact UCR Benefits by email
at benefits at ucr.edu or call 951-827-2636 / 951-827-5086.
-
UCR HR Benefits OE Website <https://hr.ucr.edu/benefits/open-enrollment>
| UCNet OE Website <https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/oe/>
Unsubscribe <https://multisend-unsubscribe.gmail.com/$placeholder>
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