Open Enrollment
FY27 Open Enrollment | March 31 - April 21, 2026
Keep this article handy. This is where we will update employees on Open Enrollment as we move toward March 31. We are reviewing all documentation, updating the website, and scheduling training now. As these items are completed, we will add them to this article. Happy Open Enrollment season!
- Feb. 3 Update - Mark your calendars
- Feb. 17 Update - Participation requirements
- Mar. 3 Update - TouchCare Training
- Mar. 17 Update - The Open Enrollment website is now live
Mar. 17 Announcement - The Open Enrollment website is now live
The Open Enrollment website is now live. This is our dedicated webpage that goes into all things Open Enrollment. This webpage includes the updated enrollment guide, summary of benefits and coverages (SBCs), plan updates, training resources, frequently asked questions, and more.
Open Enrollment will begin in two weeks. All forms will be available on the Open Enrollment website starting March 31st at 8:00am AKST. They will remain open until April 21 at 5:00pm AKST. Remember - late forms are not accepted.
Reminders:
- Forms cannot be submitted before or after the Open Enrollment dates. Late forms are not accepted.
- Check your current benefits and determine if you need to participate in Open Enrollment this year.
- Sign up for a live training with TouchCare.
Mar. 3 Announcement - TouchCare Training
TouchCare provides UA employees free personalize benefit support on UA benefit programs. As you are preparing for Open Enrollment, now is a good time to reach out to TouchCare to discuss your medical needs for the next year. TouchCare will help you with your current and expected utilization, any major life changes that may occur in the next year, and provide guidance on whether or not your current plan is still the best fit for you. Below is the on-demand and live TouchCare training schedule for FY27 Open Enrollment.
In this 20 minute video, join TouchCare as they go over healthcare terminology, the importance of in-network providers, how to "shop" for health care, and more.
Take this 10 minute to test your knowledge on the most common insurance products and phrases.
All times at 12:00pm Alaska
Join TouchCare as they go through tips and tricks for Open Enrollment.
Join TouchCare as they go through tips and tricks for Open Enrollment.
Join TouchCare as they pull back the curtain on how to be a good consumer of heath care.
Join TouchCare as they go through tips and tricks for Open Enrollment.
Join TouchCare as they explain the differences between Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts.
If you are needing personalized support, please reach out to TouchCare directly.
- Call: 1-866-486-8242
- Email: assist@touchcare.com
TouchCare can provide personal...
Feb. 17 Announcement - Who must participate
This year's Open Enrollment is only required in three specific circumstances. If you do not fall into one of the three categories below, you do not need to submit an Open Enrollment form. Don't forget to mark your calendars and confirm current benefits in UAOnline in preparation.
If you need to add or remove dependents to your medical, dental, vision, or supplemental life coverages, you may do so during Open Enrollment. If you are stopping coverage for someone, their coverage will continue through June 30, 2026. If you are starting coverage for someone, coverage will begin on July 1, 2026.
If you are needing to update your medical, dental, vision, supplemental life, AD&D, Corestream, or MASA benefits, you may do so during Open Enrollment. If you do not need to make any changes to your current benefits, your coverages will not change from your current enrollment (with the exception of FSAs, as mentioned under item 3 in the next dropdown menu below). Updated coverages will begin on July 1, 2026.
- Below are a few examples of updating the enrolled plans. This is not an exhaustive list:
- Currently opted out but want to enroll in the HDHP starting July 1, 2026
- Currently enrolled in the HDHP and want to move to the Basic plan starting July 1, 2026
- Currently enrolled in medical and dental and need to add vision starting July 1, 2026
- Currently enrolled in $400,000 of employee supplemental life insurance and want to increase to $600,000 starting July 1, 2026
- Does not currently cover spouse/FIP and children on the supplemental life plan and want to add their coverages starting July 1, 2026
- Wanting to change your current enrollment status on the Hospital Indemnity plan (with Corestream) starting July 1, 2026
- Wanting to enroll in MASA Air & Ground Ambulance protection starting July 1, 2026
- To see what you are currently enrolled in, login to > Employee Dashboard > Benefits > Current Summary > Select
- To see your current Corestream or MASA benefits, log in to each individual portal
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) can only be enrolled for one plan year at a time (July 1 - June 30). If you currently have an FSA, it will expire on June 30, 2026. Any employee who would like any of the three FSAs on July 1, 2026, must complete an Open Enrollment form.
A few reminders:
- Health Care FSAs can be paired with any UA Choice medical, dental, and vision plan.
- Health Care FSA funds can be used to help cover medical, dental, and vision expenses.
- Funds are available in full on the first day of the plan. For example, if you elect
$3,400 for your Health Care FSA, you will have access to $3,400 even if you have not
contributed the full amount via payroll deduction.
- Dependent Care FSAs are for child care services for children under the age of 13.
- Dependent Care FSAs can be paired with any plan, just like the Health Care FSAs.
- Funds are available only as they are deposited via payroll deduction.
- Funds are not available on day 1 of the plan like Heath Care and Limited Purpose FSAs.
- Limited Purpose FSAs are only available if you are eligible for, and contributing to, UA's Health Savings
Account (HSA).
- Limited Purpose FSAs require that you are eligible for the HSA according to the IRS. At UA, our HSA-eligible plan is the HDHP.
- Funds can be used for dental and vision expenses only (no medical expenses)
- Funds are available in full on the first day of the plan. For example, if you elect $3,400 for your Limited Purpose FSA, you will have access to $3,400 even if you have not contributed the full amount via payroll deduction.
A note about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) - HSAs are evergreen. This means your HSA contributions will continue year over year until you elect to make a change to increase, decrease, or stop your contributions (pending you remain in an HSA-eligible plan). If you want to update your HSA now, you can. You do not need to wait for Open Enrollment.
Feb. 3 Announcement - Mark your calendars and check your benefits
Mark your calendars! Open Enrollment will run from March 31 - April 21, 2026. Any changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective on July 1, 2026. Since Open Enrollment is the one time each year that any benefit changes can be made (outside of a major life event), now is a great time to check your current benefit enrollments and any enrolled dependents. To see what you are currently enrolled in, login to > Employee Dashboard > Benefits > Current Summary > Select.
Emailed via benefits newsletter on 2/3/2026, 2/17/2026, 3/3/2026.
Contact Benefits: (907) 450-8242 | ua-benefits@alaska.edu | schedule one-on-one time