Open Enrollment - UGA Human Resources

What is Open Enrollment?

Open enrollment happens once a year for eligible faculty, staff, and retirees to sign up for health insurance and other benefits, as well as to make adjustments to their current plans or discontinue coverage.

When is Open Enrollment?
This year’s University System of Georgia (USG) benefits open enrollment will be held Monday, October 27 – Friday, November 7, 2025.

USG 2026 Open Enrollment Website

Benefits Fair: An in-person benefits fair will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2025 in Mahler Hall at the Georgia Center from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. MORE

Virtual Office Hours: The UHR Benefits Team will hold virtual office hours during the open enrollment period. Also, the USG will be offering live online Open Enrollment information sessions for active employees and pre-65 retirees. MORE

New Enrollment Support: USG is enhancing your support during Open Enrollment to help you review and choose the benefits that work best for you and your family. In addition to our regular call center support, you can schedule an appointment with a Virtual Benefits Counselor. You can access the appointment scheduler as early as October 13 (two weeks prior to the start of Open Enrollment). MORE

What Is Staying The Same?

Employee Action Required:
If you are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, you must complete the certification of your tobacco use and working spouse (if applicable) each year during open enrollment. NOTE: If you take no action during Open Enrollment, you will default to the surcharge. If you take no action and are defaulted to the surcharges, USG will not refund any surcharge amounts assessed to the employee’s paycheck.

Tobacco and working spouse surcharges will continue at $150 per month. Certification of status is required each enrollment year, or the surcharge will apply. Certification must be done during Open Enrollment in OneUSG Connect – Benefits system. Information is available at the
Check your open enrollment confirmation statement to make sure you completed the certification.
The Tobacco Cessation option will continue to be available during open enrollment for employees/dependents who are tobacco users to provide an opportunity to take a Tobacco Cessation program, complete the program and have the tobacco surcharge removed. Information about Tobacco Cessation options is available on the USG Well-being website here under “Trying to quit tobacco?” section.
The Working Spouse Surcharge will apply to employees who cover their working spouse under the USG plan when the spouse has an offer of coverage from their own employer.
You may change/update your surcharge status at any time during the year through OneUSG Connect – Benefits. The change will be effective on the first day of the following month.
The well-being program will continue, and an incentive of up to $100 for employees and covered spouses will be available for completing designated health promotion activities through the healthcare provider (Anthem or Kaiser).
A weight loss support program will be available through Weight Watchers for employees and spouses enrolled in Anthem healthcare plans.
Medicare-eligible retirees 65 and over and Medicare-eligible dependents age 65 and older will continue to enroll in their supplemental healthcare coverage through Alight Retiree Health Solutions. Medicare Part A and B will provide primary coverage. USG will also continue to provide an annual contribution into a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) for retirees and/or dependents to use towards premiums and other eligible out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.

What Is Changing?

Increases in pharmacy out-of-pocket maximums for the Comprehensive Care and the BlueChoice HMO plans.
Increases in monthly employee premiums between $7 – $54 per month, depending on the plan and coverage tier.
Dental plan premiums are set to increase between $2 – $7 per month based on plan and tier level. There is no change to vision insurance premiums or life insurance premiums for 2026.
Anthem members must complete the Health Assessment in order to earn well-being rewards in 2026.
The Omada weight management programs will be available for all those enrolled in Kaiser plans.
All Health Plans: Additional codes for diagnostic breast cancer screening to pay at 100% – Imaging and Biopsy codes
All Health Plans: Eligibility rule change effective January 1, 2026, newly hired employees will have a one-time opportunity during their new hire enrollment window to enroll their disabled child dependent 26 and older in health coverage. Documentation of disability status is required. During this year’s Open Enrollment, employees who were not allowed to enroll their 26 or older disabled dependent at hire will have a one-time opportunity to complete the verification process and enroll them in coverage
For employees enrolled in the Consumer Choice HSA plan, the University’s matching contribution to the employee’s Health Savings Account will be reduced from $375 to $325 for employee-only coverage and from $750 to $650 for family coverage. The in-network individual out-of-pocket maximum for family tiers increases from $9,200 to $10,000. Additionally, Diagnostic Breast Cancer Screening will bypass the deductible and pay at 100% like other plans.
Pre-65 retirees and pre-65 dependents will remain on the same plans as active employees, and 2026 design changes will apply as well. As in the past, there will be separate pre-65 retiree premium rate charts for the 2026 plan year, which include the same increases shared above.
Medicare-eligible retiree age 65 or older, as well as their Medicare-eligible dependent(s):
The maximum annual employer contribution to the Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) reduced from $2,640 to $2,484, or by $156 annually. This amount reflects a 6% reduction, aligning with the average increase in employee-only premiums. To receive the 2026 USG HRA funding, retirees and/or their dependents must enroll in coverage through Alight Retiree Health Solutions. The Medicare enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7, with coverage effective January 1, 2026.
New health insurance cards will not be issued this year unless the employee makes a change to the plan they are enrolled in.

A summary of the approved plan design changes is available on the USG Benefits website.

How Do I Complete My Open Enrollment?

Active employees will begin receiving Open Enrollment information in the fall by mail. Beginning October 27, employees can complete their 2026 enrollment elections and certifications through OneUSG Connect – Benefits. Virtual appointments are available via  OneUSG Connect – Benefits for those needing help reviewing healthcare options.

Employee Action Required:
If you are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, you must complete the certification of your tobacco use and working spouse (if applicable) each year during open enrollment. NOTE: If you take no action during Open Enrollment, you will default to the surcharge. If you take no action and are defaulted to the surcharges, USG will not refund any surcharge amounts assessed to the employee’s paycheck.

Noteworthy Reminder: Review Your Beneficiary Information
Please review your beneficiary information for life insurance, HSA plan (if enrolled), and retirement plans. MORE

How Do I Donate To The Sick Leave Pool?

Faculty and staff who meet certain eligibility requirements may voluntarily donate unused sick leave to a Shared Leave Pool for fellow faculty and staff. Benefits open enrollment is the only opportunity that you have to enroll in or make donations to the Shared Sick Leave Pool for 2026.

Shared Leave Enrollment

*The Sick Leave Enrollment/Donation portal will open on October 27

Questions? Contact University Human Resources at 706-542-2222 or [email protected].

Benefits Fair

The UGA Benefits Fair will be held on Thursday, October 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Georgia Center for Continuing Education’s Mahler Hall. Participants are invited to chat with vendors, get benefits information, and participate in vendor-provided giveaways.

Open Enrollment Presentations will be hosted throughout the day in Room D:

10:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.

All faculty and staff are encouraged to attend to learn more about the USG benefits programs, changes to the benefit plans for 2026, and all the benefits USG and UGA have to offer.

The benefits fair will also feature a walk-in flu shot clinic staffed by the University Health Center. No appointment is necessary. Faculty and staff are asked to bring their UGA ID and medical insurance card to the flu clinic. Please note: Kaiser Permanente members must receive their flu shot at a Kaiser facility in order for it to be covered by insurance.

Registration for the event is not required. Those planning to attend can add this event to their calendar here.

Benefits Virtual Hours

The UGA Human Resources Benefits Team will hold virtual office hours on the following dates and times:

Thursday, October 30, 2025
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
10:00-11:00 a.m.
Thursday, November 6, 2025
3:00-5:00 p.m.

Click here for links to these Zoom Open Office Hours meetings.

USG Live Virtual Presentations

The USG will be offering live online 2026 Open Enrollment information sessions for active employees on Monday, October 27, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and on Monday, November 3, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Registration & Recordings
Active employees do need to register for the USG online Open Enrollment Information Sessions here. Both webinars will offer the same content. If you are unable to attend either of the sessions, the webinar will be recorded and posted on the USG Benefits website.

Pre-65 Retirees
The USG will also be offering a live online 2026 Open Enrollment information session for pre-65 retirees on Wednesday, October 29, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. More information will be available here at a later date.

NEW! Enhanced Enrollment Support

USG is enhancing your support during Open Enrollment to help you review and choose the benefits that work best for you and your family. In addition to our regular call center support, you can schedule an appointment with a Virtual Benefits Counselor.

Virtual Benefits Counselors can help you:

Review your benefits options.
Get answers to your benefit-related questions, taking into consideration your personal needs.
Make important benefits decisions.

Visit benefitsgo.com/USG and click the link to access the appointment scheduler. You can access the appointment scheduler as early as October 13 (two weeks prior to the start of Open Enrollment). Appointment times are available in 45-minute increments during the Open Enrollment Period from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday with as little as one hour’s notice.

You will receive an appointment confirmation email and a link to a Microsoft Teams meeting immediately. At the scheduled date and time, simply click on the Microsoft Teams meeting link in your confirmation email to join the video call with your Virtual Benefit Counselor.

You will need to be logged into the OneUSG Connect – Benefits enrollment portal and share your screen with the Virtual Benefits Counselor. The counselor will not complete your enrollment but will assist you through each screen where you need to make selections. You will submit your enrollment.

To enroll without the help of a Virtual Benefits Counselor, go to OneUSG Connect – Benefits and click Manage My Benefits for the self-service enrollment portal or call OneUSG Connect – Benefits at 844-587-4236 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Review Beneficiary Information

Even if you’re not enrolling in healthcare, you will need to add a beneficiary for your Basic Life and/or Health Savings Account. You will need to have your beneficiary’s name, contact information, and Social Security number.

Life Insurance: During your enrollment, you will be prompted to add a beneficiary.
Health Savings Account: You will need to add a beneficiary through the HSA Bank portal at myaccounts.hsabank.com/Login.aspx.
RETIREMENT PLANS
Also, remember to update your beneficiary information with your TRS or your retirement vendor (AIG, Fidelity, TIAA). Review the contact page for vendor information.

To update your USG life insurance beneficiaries, log in to oneusgconnect.usg.edu and:

Select Review and Update Beneficiary from the left menu under Quick Links.
Select the life or AD&D plan you want to designate.
Select Add or Choose.
Select the beneficiary type from the drop-down menu and click Continue.
Enter the beneficiary’s Social Security number, first and last name, date of birth, phone number, email address, and mailing address, and click Continue.
Select primary or contingent and the percentage, if you are designating more than one beneficiary per plan, and click Continue.
Click Confirm.

You may also call 1-844-587-4236 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

News & Announcements

09.19.2025

UGA Benefits Fair for Open Enrollment 2026

This year’s open enrollment period will be held from Oct. 27 through Nov. 7, 2025. This is an active enrollment year, which means action will be required on the part of each UGA employee to ensure that benefits and associated costs match individual circumstances. All faculty and staff enrolled or enrolling in a USG healthcare […]

09.03.2025

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Professional development workshops for UGA faculty and staff are now available for the 2025-2026 Academic year through University Human Resources Learning & Development (L&D). Browse or keyword search the course catalog here. You can also find this catalog linked on the Learning & Development website and by searching for the Learning and Development Course Catalog in the Learning and Development Course […]

08.22.2025

Board of Regents approves 2026 USG health care plans, premiums

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