The PEBB Program’s annual open enrollment will begin on Monday, Oct. 27 and be available through Monday, Nov. 24. (See the Washington State Health Care Authority PEEB website for additional details.)
Open enrollment is your opportunity to make changes to your medical, dental and vision plan benefits. Changes made during the annual open enrollment will be effective starting Jan. 1, 2026.
Changes to all PEBB medical plans:
• Deductible for consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs): The IRS raised the minimum deductible for high-deductible health plans to $1,700 for single subscribers and $3,400 for families.
• Health savings accounts (HSAs): The IRS raised the health savings account annual maximum contribution to $4,400 for single subscribers and $8,750 for families.
Medical plan changes:
Kaiser Permanente WA
• Hearing aids will no longer be capped at a specific dollar amount. Members must see an in-network provider to receive hearing aids or they will not be covered by the plan, and the member will have to pay for them out of pocket. Members can use the hearing aid benefit every 36 months.
Uniform Medical Plan:
• UMP Plus–UW Medicine Accountable Care Network (ACN) will no longer be offered. If you are enrolled in this plan, you must choose a new plan during open enrollment, or you (and your enrolled dependents) will be automatically enrolled in UMP Classic. Learn more.
• Hearing aids will no longer be capped at a specific dollar amount. Members must see an in-network provider to receive hearing aids or they will not be covered by the plan, and the member will have to pay for them out of pocket. Members can use the hearing aid benefit every 36 months.
Dental plan changes:
Uniform Dental Plan only. These do not apply to the DeltaCare or Willamette Dental plans.
• Coverage for children: The annual deductible will be removed for children up to age 15.
• TMJ (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) limits will increase to $1,000 annually and $5,000 lifetime.
Flexible spending arrangements (FSAs):
• Flexible spending arrangements (FSAs): The annual maximum contribution for the FSA and Limited Purpose FSA will increase to at least $3,300. (If the IRS announces an additional increase in the maximum contribution limit before the end of open enrollment, the PEBB Program will adopt those changes for 2026.)
Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP:)
• The annual maximum contribution for DCAP will increase to $7,500 for a single person or a married couple filing a joint income tax return and to $3,750 for each married person if filing separate income tax returns.
Long-term disability (LTD) insurance:
Employer-paid LTD: The monthly benefit for basic (employer-paid) LTD insurance will increase to $450. This benefit is offered at no cost to all eligible employees as long as their employer offers this benefit.
• Employee-paid LTD rates will decrease by 6 percent.
How do I make changes? Log into PEBB Benefits 24/7 or submit a paper form to your Benefits Office. Enrollment forms will be available on the HCA Website and on the Benefits Webpage on InsideEWU on Oct. 27.
A Benefits Fair will be offered in-person and virtually from 10 a.m – 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, in Hargreaves Hall.
The Benefits Fair will feature booths staffed by representatives of companies that provide benefits to Eastern employees, along with other experts.
Tables will have resources and representatives to answer your questions. You can learn more about the changes you can make on the HCA website at Open Enrollment (PEBB), PEBB Virtual Benefits Fair and the October For Your Benefit newsletter or by attending the in person Benefits Fair.
