Choose or Change Your Benefits for 2026
Open Enrollment:
Monday, Nov. 10 to
Friday, Dec. 5, 2025
Open Enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to:
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Enroll in or change benefits: Open enrollment is your opportunity to enroll your spouse and/or eligible children in your healthcare plans. After open enrollment, you can only change your benefits if you have a qualifying status change, such as birth or marriage.
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Enroll (or re-enroll) in the Health Care FSA and Dependent Care FSA: Your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions expire every year on Dec. 31. If you wish to continue contributing, you must re-enroll during open enrollment.
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Good news! The maximum annual contribution to the Dependent Care FSA is increasing to $7,500. The maximum annual contribution to the Health Care FSA is increasing to $3,400.
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Review your family, health and income situation and consider if you should switch medical plans or purchase more life insurance, additional long-term care coverage, or the 66-2/3% long-term disability buy-up. You can also drop any voluntary benefits you no longer need.
New: AD&D and Life Insurance Coverage Enhancement
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, your Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage will automatically increase from 1x to 2x your eligible pay up to a maximum of $500,000 (previously $400,000). Your Basic Life coverage will remain at 1x your eligible salary. In addition, the Supplemental Life coverage maximum is increasing to $800,000 (previously ($700,000). All benefit-eligible employees will automatically receive Basic Life and AD&D coverage, fully paid by the District. No action is required to receive these increases.
We encourage you to review your AD&D and life insurance beneficiary(ies) in PeopleSoft (Employee Self Service > Benefit Details > Dependent/Beneficiary Info). Keeping your beneficiary information current ensures your benefits go to the right person and helps avoid delays caused by probate or estate complications.
PPO Plan Premium Changes
Each year, the District carefully reviews medical and dental plan costs to ensure we continue offering comprehensive, high-quality coverage. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, PPO medical plan premiums will adjust, with both the District and employees continuing to share in the cost.
The District remains committed to supporting your health and well-being by continuing to cover a portion of premiums and by offering benefits that provide value, stability, and peace of mind for you and your family. Your PPO plan premium also includes dental coverage, and dental premiums will adjust as part of this update.
The chart below compares the 2025 and 2026 medical and dental rates to help you select the option that best fits your needs.
2026 PPO Plan Rates
PPO Plan | Medical 2025 | Medical 2026 | Dental 2025 | Dental 2026 | Total per Paycheck 2025 | Total per Paycheck 2026 | Annual Cost* 2025 | Annual Cost* 2026 | CDHP (no change) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Employee Only | $29.58 | $44.07 | $1.74 | $2.31 | $31.32 | $46.38 | $814.32 | $1,205.88 | $0 |
Employee + Spouse | $62.13 | $92.54 | $3.64 | $4.86 | $65.77 | $97.40 | $1,710.12 | $2,532.40 | $0 |
Employee + Children | $56.22 | $83.72 | $3.30 | $4.39 | $59.52 | $88.11 | $1,547.52 | $2,290.86 | $0 |
Employee + Family | $88.76 | $132.20 | $5.20 | $6.93 | $93.96 | $139.13 | $2,442.96 | $3,617.38 | $0 |
*26 pay periods per year.
Keep in mind:
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All benefit-eligible employees will continue to receive a $200 per month HRA VEBA contribution.
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Employees enrolled in the CDHP will continue to receive an additional $1,250 annual HRA VEBA contribution.
What Else is New for 2026
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PPO Plan: Emergency room cost share is changing to 20% coinsurance after the deductible.
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PPO Plan: Urgent care (in a hospital setting) is changing to a $20 copay to match the cost-share in a clinic setting.
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PPO and CDHP Plans: Hearing hardware will be covered with no dollar limit — one device per ear every 36 months.
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Health Care FSA: The maximum contribution is increasing by $100, from $3,300 to $3,400 per year.
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Dependent Care FSA: The maximum contribution is increasing substantially — from $5,000 to $7,500 per year.
What's Not Changing
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The CDHP will continue to have a $0 premium across all tiers for eligible employees and their dependents.
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All benefit-eligible employees will continue to receive a $200 per month HRA VEBA contribution.
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Those enrolled in the $0 premium CDHP will continue to receive an additional $1,250 annual HRA VEBA contribution.
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The PPO Plan and CDHP will continue to cover the same benefits with the same out-of-pocket costs (deductible and co-insurance) as last year.