UC is making a much bigger financial contribution than they have in the past — up by 9.5% from last year. Next year, UC will cover 83% of the total cost of medical premiums — on top of paying 100% of dental and vision premiums. This contribution is in addition to $55.5 million in subsidies and caps negotiated in bargaining unit contracts.

Systemwide Human Resources brought together representatives from groups such as the Academic Council and Employee and Labor Relations, along with outside experts, to look for new strategies to manage costs. The first step is increasing UC’s investment in benefits by 9.5%, for a contribution of 83% of the total cost of medical premiums. In addition:

• UC’s academic health centers are absorbing a significant part of their rising operating expenses, rather than passing those increases along in the cost of providing care to members of UC medical plans. 
• UC is making big changes to medical plans and premiums that are designed to make plans with provider choice and flexibility more affordable and sustain our benefits program for the long term. These changes will bring a new low-premium PPO plan option along with lower premiums for some employees and higher premiums for others. 

Though UC is paying more for medical premiums next year, these strategies are keeping overall premium increases lower for UC employees than they would otherwise be.UC is making a much bigger financial contribution than they have in the past — up by 9.5% from last year. Next year, UC will cover 83% of the total cost of medical premiums — on top of paying 100% of dental and vision premiums. This contribution is in addition to $55.5 million in subsidies and caps negotiated in bargaining unit contracts.

UC Health Savings Plan members have seen unprecedented increases in their premiums over the last few years, while CORE members have missed out on the tax advantages of a health savings account (HSA). HealthSavings+ will be UC’s lowest premium medical plan, and it will be compatible with a health savings account (HSA).

To help HealthSavings+ members start saving for their medical expenses, UC is increasing its annual HSA contribution from $500 to $750 for individuals and from $1,000 to $1,500 for families.

UC contributes every year employees remain enrolled in the plan, and funds in the HSA carry over from year to year. The account belongs to the employee, whether they change jobs or medical plans or retire.

The benefits of HealthSavings+, such as the deductibles and coinsurance, are different than for the current plans. Learn more on the HealthSavings+ page.

Members of CORE and UC Health Savings Plan who don’t act during Open Enrollment will be automatically enrolled in HealthSavings+ if they’re eligible. If you cover a family member in a UC Medicare plan, you aren’t eligible for HealthSavings+ and will be automatically enrolled in UC Care.

The out-of-pocket costs for HealthSavings+ are different from those of CORE or UC Health Savings Plan. For example, HealthSavings+ has an in-network out-of-pocket maximum that is $6,700 for individuals or $13,400 for more than one person, compared to $4,000 for individuals or $6,400 for more than one person. Make sure to review your costs and take advantage of resources such as ALEX to understand all your choices before you choose a plan.

The out-of-pocket costs for HealthSavings+ are different from those of CORE or UC Health Savings Plan. Make sure to review your costs and take advantage of resources such as ALEX to understand all your choices before you choose a plan.

For in-network care, HealthSavings+ has 30% coinsurance for office visits and hospital stays, a $2,500 deductible ($5,000 for more than one person), and $6,700 out-of-pocket maximum ($13,400 for more than one person).

For out-of-network care, HealthSavings+ has 50% coinsurance for office visits and hospital stays, a $4,000 deductible ($8,000 for more than one person), and $8,000 out-of-pocket maximum ($16,000 for more than one person).

Your HSA belongs to you, whether you change jobs or medical plans or retire. Funds in the HSA, along with earnings from interest or investments, carry over from year to year with no limit on the size of your account. (There are limits to how much you can contribute each year.) As you build your savings, you benefit from three significant tax advantages:

• Pretax contributions — Money is deducted from your paycheck before taxes, lowering your taxable income.
• Tax-free earnings — You can invest the money in your HSA, and your earnings are not subject to federal taxes.
• Tax-free withdrawals — As long as you use the funds for qualified medical expenses, you can withdraw the money from your HSA without paying any taxes, even in retirement. 

Due to IRS regulations, the HSA must be combined with a qualifying high deductible medical plan, so it’s only available to you if you enroll in HealthSavings+. If you enroll in any of UC’s other medical plans, you’re eligible to enroll in the Health FSA. You are not allowed to contribute to both an HSA and a Health FSA concurrently.

With an HSA (Health Savings Account), both UC and you can contribute to the account, up to the limits set by the IRS. Your contributions are pretax and lower your taxable income. You can use the money in the account to pay eligible medical expenses for you and your eligible tax dependents, and when you withdraw funds for qualified medical expenses, the funds continue to be tax-free. Funds in the account earn interest and carry over at the end of the year. If you leave UC or retire, the account goes with you and you can continue to use the money in it to pay for eligible medical expenses.

The Health FSA also allows you to make pretax contributions to an account to pay for eligible medical expenses for you and your eligible family members. You can carry over up to $660 from one year to the next, but the account does not go with you if you leave UC or retire. Unreimbursed funds in excess of the carryover amount are forfeited.

If you participated in the Health FSA and have a carryover balance $25 or more at the end of the year and you enroll in HealthSavings+ for the following plan year, a Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LPFSA) will be created for you automatically and the balance of your Health FSA that is eligible for carry-over will be placed in the LPFSA. The following rules apply:

• Contributions are limited to the Health FSA balance; you may not contribute additional funds.
• Generally, eligible expenses are restricted to dental, vision and preventive care services.
• Participation is limited to one year; you may not re-enroll in the LPFSA for a subsequent plan year.
• Any balance remaining in the LPFSA at the end of the run-out period for the plan year is forfeited.

For more information, see the Health FSA Summary Plan Description PDF

The money in your HSA is yours to keep if you switch to another UC plan. You must be enrolled in an HSA-compatible plan (Health Savings Plan this year, or HealthSavings+ in 2026) to contribute to UC’s HSA and to receive UC’s contribution to the account, but you can continue to use the funds in your account to pay for qualified medical expenses regardless of which plan you enroll in for 2026.

You can view your plan costs here, or estimate your costs if you’re a retiree who’s eligible for less than 100% of the UC contribution:

• Employee plan costs
• Retiree plan costs
• Retiree health plan premium estimator

If you are not eligible for the maximum UC/employer contribution (referred to as being subject to graduated eligibility) your costs may be higher than those listed in your Open Enrollment materials and the retiree medical plan chart. The Retiree Health Plan Premium Estimator (updated for 2026 on Oct. 29) can help you understand what your share of your retiree medical premium might be. Please sign in to your UCRAYS account to see your actual costs. 

Beginning next year, UC is balancing premiums across comparable health plans. Monthly premiums for UC Care will be lower, and HealthSavings+ premiums will be lower than 2025 premiums for UC Health Savings Plan.

ALEX will be live on Oct. 29 with 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.

Some members moving from CORE to HealthSavings+ will see premiums that are up to $20 a month higher for single coverage and up to around $94 higher for family coverage. These premium increases will be offset by UC’s contribution to the Health Savings Account.

Kaiser HMO members in the up to $73,000 salary range (as of Jan. 1, 2025) who pay for single coverage may see increases up to $36 a month, while those who pay for family coverage may see increases up to $169 a month. The effect of increases to Kaiser premiums for some represented employees will be mitigated by existing caps and subsidies.

In recent years, UC subsidized a larger share of the total cost for the Kaiser HMO compared to other UC plans with similar benefits, particularly for employees with salaries up to $145,000. Beginning next year, UC is balancing premiums across comparable health plans. UC will pay roughly the same percentage of total premium costs for Kaiser HMO as it does for UC Blue & Gold HMO.

As part of this change, UC is adjusting its premium subsidy structure to make plans that include in-network UC Health providers more affordable. UC Blue & Gold HMO, UC Care and our new HealthSavings+ plan connect employees with the extensive network and expertise of UC’s academic health centers across the state. These plans provide access to leading specialists, advanced treatments, and coordinated care at UC medical campuses, ensuring high-quality, integrated care within California’s premier public health system.

Premiums for represented employees will be implemented consistent with applicable collective bargaining agreements and the law.

If you’re a represented employee, your medical premiums for next year will be implemented consistent with the collective bargaining agreements that apply to you, and with the law. For example, the effect of increases to Kaiser premiums for some represented employees will be mitigated by existing caps and subsidies.

To see rates specific to your location and bargaining unit (if represented), visit ALEX or sign in to your UCPath account during Open Enrollment.

Across the faculty/staff PPO and HMO plans, access to weight loss and appetite suppressant medications (for example, drugs known as GLP-1s) will only be available for members with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher. Some members who are currently using these medications may be able to continue their coverage — consult your health plan or plan documents for more information. These medications will continue to be covered at current eligibility criteria for members with diabetes. 

In response to a California state mandate, benefits for infertility services and prescriptions will be expanded and made more affordable for Kaiser CA HMO and UC Blue & Gold HMO members trying to grow their families. Coverage will expand to include up to three completed oocyte (egg) retrievals per lifetime and unlimited embryo transfers of IVF, GIFT and ZIFT per member. Infertility services and prescriptions will be covered at the plan-specific cost share.

To help members who can’t find an in-network provider, PPO plan out-of-network coverage for select services is increasing from 75% to 80% of allowed amounts. Note: in-network dentists agree to set charges for covered services, so your costs will be lower in-network.

An important part of our responsibility for overseeing UC’s benefits is regularly reviewing the insurance carriers who administer our plans to ensure we’re getting the best service and provider networks at a reasonable cost. We’ve completed thorough reviews of the administrators for our employee PPO plans, Medicare supplement plans and dental plans.

Blue Shield of California is replacing Anthem Blue Cross as the administrator of UC Care and will be the administrator for HealthSavings+. Blue Shield was selected as our best choice by a committee with representatives from UC’s stakeholder groups.

No. Accolade Care Advocate will provide member services for UC Care and HealthSavings+. Navitus will continue to be the pharmacy benefit administrator for the faculty/staff PPO and Medicare Supplement PPO plan members.

Almost 98% of Anthem’s in-network providers are in-network for Blue Shield. The transition to Blue Shield will increase the total number of providers who will be in-network for UC Care and HealthSavings+.

If your current provider is not in the Blue Shield network, you will receive a letter from UC in early October explaining your options. You can also search for a new provider by using the Blue Shield provider search tool at www.blueshieldca.com/networkppo.If you need assistance finding a nearby provider or confirming if you can continue treatment with a current provider, an Accolade Care Advocate can help. Call (866) 406-1182, Monday through Friday, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT.

We’ve spent well over a year getting ready for the implementation of Blue Shield as our new plan administrator, and our partners — Blue Shield, Navitus and Accolade — are working together closely to make sure our members have a smooth transition.

UC follows the best practices advised by UC Procurement in evaluating administrators for its benefits plans. In parallel with UC’s review of the employee PPO plans, another group of stakeholders reviewed our options for administering UC High Option Supplement and UC Medicare PPO (with and without prescription drugs) plans and determined that Anthem Blue Cross remains our best choice.

UC plans to review other medical plan partners in the coming years.

We heard from many employees that their providers are leaving the Delta Dental network.  UC conducted a thorough review to determine if another administrator would better serve the UC community. Our review found that Delta Dental does remain our best choice — changing administrators would put the providers of about 20% (80,000) of our members out of network.

To help members who can’t find an in-network provider, PPO plan out-of-network coverage for select services is increasing from 75% to 80% of allowed amounts. Note: in-network dentists agree to set charges for covered services, so your costs will be lower in-network.

See medical plan choices and changes for faculty/staff and for retirees for an overview of your options.

UC’s benefits decision support tool, ALEX, is available to help employees determine which plan is the best fit for you and your family. ALEX will ask a few questions, then provide rates specific to each employee, as well as estimates of out-of-pocket costs for care and side-by-side plan comparisons.

Each medical plan carrier contracts with doctors, medical groups, hospitals and other providers. One plan may negotiate a lower rate than another, and so be able to include a doctor or medical group in its lowest cost network while another cannot. That’s one of the reasons UC offers a choice of medical plans: to provide the widest choice of doctors and facilities at the lowest cost possible.

UC Care and HealthSavings+ are both appropriate plan options for those with covered family members who live and/or study out-of-state. Both plans allow members to access the nationwide Blue Shield provider network. To find a provider, visit the provider directory.

The detailed benefits summary on each plan’s website provides information on specific procedures.

Yes, UC’s medical coverage includes behavioral health benefits for mental health services and substance abuse treatment. Here are a few things you should know:

• If you select Kaiser HMO, you may access care from Kaiser behavioral health providers or from Optum in-network providers.
• If you select UC Blue and Gold HMO, you may access care from Health Net Behavioral Health in-network providers.
• If you select a PPO plan, you may access care from Blue Shield in-network providers. You may also access care from out-of-network providers, but your costs will be higher and you may need to pay your provider directly for services and submit a claim for reimbursement.
• Even if you are a member of an HMO plan, you do not need a referral from your primary care provider to see a behavioral health provider. Some services require preauthorization.

All of UC’s medical plans except the UC Medicare PPO without Prescription Drugs plan include prescription drug benefits.

Some of UC’s medical plans have a single plan administrator for medical and prescription drug benefits and others have a separate pharmacy benefit manager for prescription drug benefits. Your plan’s administrator or pharmacy benefit manager will be your point of contact for questions about your prescription drug benefits.

UC Medicare PPO without Prescription Drugs is only available to those who have other Medicare-coordinated health insurance that covers prescription drugs through a non-UC plan (such as another employer or former employer) or a government program like Tricare. You must provide proof of your Part D coverage to enroll in the UC Medicare PPO without Prescription Drugs plan. This requirement is to ensure you have the coverage you need, and to help protect you from being assessed a penalty by Medicare.

The prescription drugs covered by each medical plan are included in the plan’s formulary (a list of generic and brand name prescription drugs covered by a plan) which is developed by the plan’s administrator or pharmacy benefit manager.

Each plan’s formulary can be slightly different, so if you’re considering a new medical plan it’s a good idea to check the plan’s formulary. You can call the customer service number on your ID card to find out whether a particular drug is on the formulary, or you can search the formulary on your plan’s or pharmacy benefit manager’s website.

See Plan contacts for information about who manages pharmacy benefits for UC’s plans and how to find the formulary.

The pharmacy benefit manager will list covered alternatives for prescribed drugs that are not on the formulary. Talk to your doctor about whether any of the alternate drugs on the formulary would be a safe and effective substitute for your current prescription.

If your doctor decides that you need a drug that is not on the formulary, your doctor can request an exception to cover that drug. Contact your plan administrator or pharmacy benefit manager or visit the website to learn more about the exception and appeals process.

If you and your doctor decide to request an exception for a drug not on the formulary, make sure your doctor submits the clinical information and documentation needed to support your request. Your plan’s pharmacy benefit manager can explain to your doctor exactly what is needed, including clinical information explaining why the covered drug cannot be used.>Why do I pay more for some prescription drugs that are on my plan’s formulary than others?

Generally, your share of the cost will be lower for generic drugs than for brand-name drugs, but some other factors may affect your share of the cost, too.

Many drug formularies use a prescription drug tier system (developed by the pharmacy benefit manager) to organize covered drugs and help you understand your costs ahead of time. In most cases, the higher the tier a drug is assigned, the higher your share of the costs will be. For example, a drug in Tier 1 will be less expensive to you than a drug in Tier 3. Check your plan’s coverage summary to learn more.

Generally, your share of the cost will be lower for generic drugs than for brand-name drugs, but some other factors may affect your share of the cost, too.

Many drug formularies use a prescription drug tier system (developed by the pharmacy benefit manager) to organize covered drugs and help you understand your costs ahead of time. In most casejs, the higher the tier a drug is assigned, the higher your share of the costs will be. For example, a drug in Tier 1 will be less expensive to you than a drug in Tier 3. Check your plan’s coverage summary to learn more.

Enrollment in voluntary disability, life insurance and/or AD&D are not available as part of Open Enrollment through UCPath. However, you may submit a request to enroll or change your elections at any time during the year. Here’s how:

• Voluntary disability — Submit an Evidence of Insurability application (which includes a Statement of Health) PDF to the insurance company — approval is not guaranteed.
• Supplemental life — Submit a request through your UCPath account. Prudential will reach out by email with a statement of health for you to complete.
• AD&D — Complete the UCPath Benefits eForm: Submit New Form; in the Reason For Request, select Change AD&D.

These plans are designed to supplement other health insurance plans; they are not a replacement for them. If you receive services for a covered accident, illness or hospital stay, you will get a cash benefit from Prudential paid directly to you — over and above what any other insurance plan pays. You decide how to use the funds.

Medical plans are designed to pay doctors and hospitals for specific medical services after you pay your deductible or copayment/coinsurance. The supplemental health plans don’t pay doctors or hospitals — they pay you.

Disability plans provide regularly scheduled monthly income replacement payments for non-occupational injuries/illnesses. The supplemental health plans do not provide monthly income. They pay one-time lump-sum cash benefits to you. Once you’ve spent the money, you don’t get more.

You can make changes or enroll, beginning on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, by clicking the “Enroll Now” button at the top of the page. You can continue to make changes until Open Enrollment closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 22. Please note that you can only open the “Open Enrollment event” once each day.

The following plans will be available during Open Enrollment this year:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity
• ARAG Legal
• Health Savings Account (paired with UC Health Savings Plan)
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment (open year-round)
• Pet Insurance (open year-round; enroll through Nationwide at petinsurance.com/uc)

The Supplemental and Dependent Life insurance plans, as well as Short-Term and Long-Term Voluntary Disability insurance plans, are open all year for enrollment; however, outside of your Period of Initial Eligibility (usually when you are first hired), evidence of insurability is required, except for children added to Dependent Life.

If you don’t take action, your current 2024 benefits will carry over to the 2025 plan year with the exception of enrollment in your Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Your premiums will increase to 2025 amounts. You will need to re-enroll if you would like to continue participating in an FSA in 2025.

You will receive a Submission Statement via email upon submitting your elections. Allow 24 hours to receive your statement.

You can also sign in to UCPath online at ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu the day after you have submitted your changes to confirm that your elections went through as intended.

Go to Employee Actions > Health and Welfare > Benefits Summary, change the date to January 1, 2025, and click Go. If you don’t see your changes recorded, please submit an inquiry by clicking on “Ask UCPath.” Select “Open Enrollment” as the topic in the dropdown.

You will receive a final email Confirmation Statement for your 2025 benefit choices by the second week of December, regardless of whether you made changes during Open Enrollment.

You will see your new benefit premium rates on January 2, 2025, for monthly employees and on December 6, 2024, for bi-weekly employees. 

If you are on a leave of absence with pay, you will have the opportunity to make open enrollment elections online via UCPath during the Open Enrollment period. Your benefits will be effective Jan. 1, 2025.

If you are on a leave of absence without pay, you will also have the opportunity to make open enrollment elections. However, the effective date and method of enrollment depend on whether you elected to continue benefits while on leave without pay.

• If you are not enrolled in direct billing, you will select your open enrollment changes when you return from leave. Contact the UCPath Center for more information. 
• If you are enrolled in direct billing, you will submit your open enrollment elections via the Open Enrollment form which you should receive by mail. Contact the UCPath Center for more information.

If you are a new hire you will receive your New Hire packet along with an Open Enrollment packet with instructions on submitting your Open Enrollment benefits for the 2025 plan year.

If you are hired during the Open Enrollment period, you may see multiple benefit events in the Open Benefit Events Section in UCPath. If this is the case, you must complete the New Hire event before you complete the Open Enrollment event. 

Please note:

• If you only complete your new hire event, your 2024 elections automatically roll over to 2025, with the exception of your FSA elections (you must re-enroll in the FSA every year).
• If you only complete the 2025 Open Enrollment event, you will not have benefits until Jan. 1, 2025, when those elections become effective.

While making your Open Enrollment elections, you may select the “Waive” option for any benefit that you want to cancel. You may cancel/waive any plan that is editable during Open Enrollment. To cancel/waive a plan that is not listed in the Open Enrollment event, you may contact the UCPath Center.

First-time users will see the following steps:

1. Go to UCRAYS at retirementatyourservice.ucop.edu.
2. At your first login, and after agreeing to UC’s privacy statement and terms of use, you will be asked questions to confirm your identity.
3. Create a new password for your UCRAYS account.
4. If you’re using a computer or smartphone that is secure, register your trusted device. This can reduce the steps in the login process.
5. Add your cell phone number and personal email address, if they’re not already on file.

It may be helpful to clear your browser’s cache/cookies/browsing history and open a new browsing session before you start your login or registration process – especially if you just received a one-time password. To find out how, search “clear browsing history” in your browser’s help bar.

If you’re still receiving an error message, please call the RASC at 800-888-8267.

Sending a secure message through UCRAYS is the safest, most efficient way to communicate with the RASC. To send a secure message, including attachments, through UCRAYS, just click on “Messages” in the left menu. Our goal is to respond within two business days.