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Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment starts September 15, 2025 and ends October 10, 2025
The CSU annual Open Enrollment period is from September 15, 2025, through October 10, 2025. The effective date of all Open Enrollment transactions will be January 1, 2026. Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review and update your current benefits for the upcoming year. You can enroll, change or cancel CalPERS health, dental, vision, Flexcash, Dependent Care Reimbursement (DCRA), Health Care Reimbursement (HCRA) or voluntary benefits plans.
If you do not want to make any changes to your benefits, you do not need to do anything. Your current elections will automatically continue.
However, if you want to enroll or continue participating in the Health Care or Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, you must enroll/re-enroll every year.
Important Information
Premier VSP Enrollment: if you need to make a change, such as updating dependents on your Premier Plan, enrolling in the Premier Plan, or terminating your Premier Plan coverage, you must do so directly on the VSP website. Note: When you enroll in the Premier Plan you must also enroll any dependents you wish to cover or they will lose coverage.
National ID: is the Social Security Number. This must be entered for enrolled dependents.
Supporting documentation: can be submitted electronically via MOVEit to Luis Diaz, Benefits Coordinator, at diaz@csus.edu or via Sacramento State Secure Mail (GoAnywhere Secure File Transfer) to the Benefits Office at benefits@csus.edu.
No Enrollment Available At This Time: in Employee Self Service, contact the Benefits Office at benefits@csus.edu.
Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DCRA) and Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA): Must re-enroll to participate in 2026. For the plan year 2026, the IRS has increased the annual maximum contribution amount to $3,300 for HCRA and $7,500 for DCRA.
Enrollment Information
If your employment status is not changing and you do not want to make changes to your current health, dental, and vision benefits, you do not need to participate in Open Enrollment to renew your existing benefits for the next year.
Flex Spending Health Care (HCRA) and Dependent Care (DCRA) Reimbursement Accounts must be renewed every year.
Virtual Benefits Fair
A virtual Benefits Fair is being offered for all CSU employees. This event is designed to give you the opportunity to connect directly with health plans, CSU vendors, and your campus benefits office to ask any Open Enrollment–related questions. Please note that there will be no formal presentations from vendors during the fair.
The virtual fair will be held on September 30, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Click to register.
What's new for 2026?
Health Plan Rate Changes
Effective January 1, 2026, rates for most health plans will change.
Health Plan Changes
Effective January 1, 2026, CVS Caremark (CVS) will replace OptumRx as the new pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) for the following CalPERS health plans: Anthem Blue Cross Traditional HMO, Anthem Blue Cross Select HMO, Health Net Salud y Más, PERS Gold PPO, PERS Platinum PPO, Sharp Health Plan Performance Plus, UnitedHealthcare Alliance, UnitedHealthcare Harmony and Western Health Advantage HMO.
Members will receive a welcome kit from CVS that includes ID cards as well as information to access Caremark.com and the CVS Health app prior to January 1, 2026. This will be used for all prescription services starting January 1, 2026.
Health Plan Expansions and Exits
Blue Shield Access+ will expand to Monterey County. Blue Shield Trio plan will no longer be offered in Monterey County. Members that do not elect a health plan change will be automatically enrolled in Blue Shield Access+, effective January 1, 2026.
Health Benefit Design Changes
PERS Gold will continue with deductible in-patient credits of up to $500 for completing preventive care activities, while adding the following activities: participation in the Diabetes Prevention Program, if eligible, as well as depression or anxiety screening.
Legal Insurance Enhancements and Rate Change
We’re enhancing the legal insurance plan with new services to address legal and caregiving needs for your parents and grandparents. The cost is $17.70 per month via payroll deduction.
Critical Illness—Health Maintenance Screening Benefit Design Change
Currently, eligible participants receive $100 per health maintenance benefit screening, with a maximum of two screenings per calendar year. Beginning in 2026, this benefit will be updated to provide $200 for a single eligible screening per year. While the number of reimbursable screenings will be limited to one annually, the total dollar benefit will be doubled, allowing you to receive the maximum reimbursement with just one screening.
Health Care and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts (HCRA/DCRA)—Annual Maximums Increased
For the plan year 2026, the IRS has increased the annual maximum contribution amount to $3,300 for HCRA and $7,500 for DCRA.
Open Enrollment Resources
Open Enrollment Benefits Guide
Health Premium Rate Guide
Open Enrollment Checklist
HCRA Brochure
DCRA Brochure
CSU FlexCash Brochure
Update Your Beneficiary Information
Frequently Asked Questions