Open Enrollment is here: Choose your benefits by Nov. 21, 2025

There are some big changes to UC’s medical plans and premiums for 2026, and now’s the time to act. Open Enrollment began at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30, and ends at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.

Maynard Jenkins, UC’s senior executive director of Benefits Programs and Strategy, has shared a video message about changes to UC’s medical plans and premiums for 2026, and the importance of considering your choices carefully.

Here’s why it’s so important to learn about your options for next year:

• New medical plan: HealthSavings+ will be UC’s lowest premium medical plan, and it will replace CORE and UC Health Savings Plan. HealthSavings+ members will get a tax-advantaged Health Savings Account (HSA) with a higher contribution from UC (up to $750 for individuals and $1,500 for families). CORE and UC Health Savings Plan members who don’t act will be automatically enrolled in HealthSavings+ if they’re eligible.
• Changing premiums: If you don’t choose a new plan during Open Enrollment, your medical plan premiums may change a lot. UC is balancing premiums more equitably next year, paying about the same percentage of total premium costs for Kaiser HMO as for UC Blue & Gold HMO. ALEX, your virtual benefits counselor, can show you 2026 medical plan premiums (specific to your plan, location and union group).
• New administrator for UC’s employee PPO plans: Blue Shield of California will be the plan administrator for HealthSavings+ and UC Care. Nearly 98% of Anthem’s in-network providers are also in Blue Shield’s network, and you’ll have more in-network providers overall. Accolade Care Advocates and Navitus will continue as our partners.

What you need to do

Before you enroll or make changes on UCPath — by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21 — consider all your options!

Resources to help you choose:

• The Open Enrollment website provides details about choices, changes and costs.
• ALEX offers customized comparisons of medical plan premiums (including any caps or subsidies that may apply to your bargaining unit contract or location), out-of-pocket costs, and in-network providers.
• Your Open Enrollment packet, mailed from UC, and emails from UCPath and your medical plan share important updates — so open your mail! (Note: The brochure in your packet has a typo that incorrectly states that HealthSavings+ will have the same premium as Kaiser CA HMO. As stated elsewhere in the brochure, HealthSavings+ premiums will be lower than premiums for Kaiser HMO next year. We apologize for the error!)
• Events at your location offer opportunities to ask questions.
• Represented employees: Your collective bargaining agreements and unions have more information about how these changes apply to you.