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Benefit Open Enrollment for the 2027 Plan Year

Key Dates:
  • Open Enrollment begins on October 1, 2026, and ends on October 31, 2026.
  • Elections become effective January 1, 2027.

The 2027 Open Enrollment Period is underway! This is your annual opportunity to assess your benefits needs and revise your medical, prescription, dental, and pre-tax flexible spending account selections. The deadline for modifications is October 31, 2026, for an effective date of January 1, 2027.

Important Information:
  • The State Health Benefits Program is introducing a new Centers of Excellence (COE) Pilot Program for employees enrolled in PPO medical plans.
    • PPO plan copayments for some surgical procedures will change as a result of the new COE Pilot Program.
  • Medical (RX) and Dental plan costs, copayments, coinsurance and deductibles for all plans are subject to change annually.
  • Medical Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contribution limit is increasing to $3,400. Please see the Flexible Spending Account section below for more information.
Take Action!

Because costs and some plan designs are changing, all employees are strongly encouraged to review their options carefully.

  • The New Centers of Excellence Pilot Program will impact the out-of-pocket costs for outpatient surgeries, for participants in any of the PPO plans. For additional information please see the Centers of Excellence section below.
  • Flexible Spending elections do not roll over. Therefore, if you wish to enroll in either the medical or dependent FSA plans, you must enroll.
    • Reminder, the SHBP has indicated that the annual maximum for the medical FSA will be increasing. We await confirmation of the final maximum amount and will update this site as that information becomes available.

For Medical and Dental plans:

  • If you take no action, your current coverage will continue into the 2027 plan year.
  • Any currently covered eligible dependents will also continue to be covered in 2027.
  • Currently covered dependent children who attained age 26 in 2026, will be automatically removed and they will receive COBRA information in mid-November.
UHR Vendor Fairs, Webinars and Open House Schedules

In-Person UHR Benefit Fairs: Meet with the UHR Benefits and OneSource teams, representatives from Horizon and Aetna, pension and voluntary retirement plan providers, and take advantage of on-site flu vaccinations available at most locations.

UHR Open Enrollment Live Webinar and Q&A Session

To attend the virtual session, please enroll using the links below:

Flu Vaccines

Visit the Rutgers Occupational Health Flu Vaccine webpage, to view offerings at your campus.

While you do not need to make an appointment to receive your flu shot, please be sure to bring your medical insurance card and a completed copy of the Informed Consent for Vaccination form.

State Health Benefit Program Virtual Fair and Benefit Vendor Webinars

Horizon BCBS, Aetna, OPTUM, Horizon MyWay and more of your benefit vendors will host live (and recorded) webinars throughout the month of October 2026. You may register by accessing the Webinar Calendar Link. Choose any of the “SHBP State/State Colleges” webinars.

SHBP Centers of Excellence Pilot Program

Beginning in Plan Year 2027, members enrolled in an SHBP PPO plan will be required to utilize the SHBP’s New Centers of Excellence (COE) Pilot Program, administered by Carrum Health. The program helps reduce out-of-pocket costs while providing access to high-quality care for select non-emergency procedures, including:

  • Diagnostic Colonoscopies
  • Knee and hip replacements
  • Bariatric surgery
  • Spinal Surgery
  • Heart Surgery

Before scheduling a covered procedure, members must contact Carrum Health.

After speaking with Carrum, participants will choose to utilize:

  • A provider in the COE network and have a $0 cost share
  • An Aetna or Horizon provider and pay a $300 copay
    • Note this copay would apply even if the provider is in network in Aetna or Horizon.
  • An out-of-network provider and incur costs such as deductibles, coinsurance and balance billing,

Based on the above, those enrolled in PPO plan will pay more out of pocket for certain outpatient surgeries, if they do not use a Center of Excellence provider and facility.

The SHBP has advised that members who do not wish to participate in the COE Pilot Program may hoose an HMO, HDHP or Tiered Network plan during Open Enrollment. Please click here to view the plans available and note which plans require the COE Program participation.

Notes:

  • We await additional information from the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits about this program. Upon receipt of additional information, this page will be updated.
  • Before choosing a plan, we recommend reviewing the Carrum Health network providers and facilities so that you can make an educated decision regarding your medical plan for 2027.
Where to Enroll

Employees can make changes to their medical plans through BenefitSolver, the State’s online Open Enrollment tool, by logging into http://mynjbenefitshub.nj.gov. If you have trouble creating an account or logging in, please contact NJ OIT support by clicking the 'Need help?' option. If you have problems with the BenefitSolver tool, please utilize the support service within the application.

Medical Plan Information

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna continue to be the medical insurance carriers for the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP). In addition to PPO, HMO, Tiered Network, and High Deductible Health Plans, both carriers offer a variety of resources and tools, including virtual medical and behavioral health services . Additional information about Horizon and Aetna is provided below and is also available on their respective websites.

All medical plans include prescription drug coverage; therefore, no separate enrollment election is required for active employee prescription benefits. For more information, please refer to the Prescription Drug Coverage section below.

Links to detailed explanations of each plan and associated costs will be listed below as soon as they become available on the NJDPB website.

Medical Plan Design Chart (2027)

(2027) Horizon Premium Contribution Calculator

(2027) Aetna Premium Contribution Calculator

HMO: In Network Only
HORIZON PLANS AETNA PLANS
26 Horizon HMO 26 Aetna HMO
Tiered Network Plan: In Network Only
Wellness Incentive is subject to repayment if plan participation before 12 months *
HORIZON PLANS AETNA PLANS
26 Horizon OMNIA 26 Aetna Liberty Plus
PPO: In & Out of Network
Requires Participation in Centers of Excellence Program **
HORIZON PLANS AETNA PLANS
26 NJ Direct 26 Freedom
26 NJ Direct 15 26 Freedom 15
26 NJ Direct 1525 26 Freedom 1525
26 NJ Direct 2030 26 Freedom 2030
26 NJ Direct 2035 26 Freedom 2035
High Deductible: In & Out of Network
With higher deductibles and coinsurance
HORIZON PLANS AETNA PLANS
26 NJ Direct HDHigh 26 Freedom HDHigh
26 NJ Direct HDLow 26 Freedom HDLow

*The State Health Benefit Program (SHBP) offers a $1,000 First-Time Enrollment Incentive: Available to new enrollees in Aetna Liberty Plus or Horizon OMNIA. The incentive is reported as taxable income. Participants must remain enrolled for 12 months or repay the incentive. Click here for more information related to the Tiered Network Incentive Program.

** The SHBP has introduced a NEW! Centers of Excellence Pilot Program which will impact the out-of-pocket costs associated with certain outpatient surgical procedures for participants in a PPO plan. Click here for more information.

Prescription Plan Information

OptumRx will continue to be the prescription plan vendor for prescriptions through your local pharmacy as well as mail order prescriptions.

Prescription drug coverage is automatically included when you enroll in an SHBP medical plan. Employees cannot elect prescription drug coverage separately from medical coverage.

For maintenance prescription medications, mail order is mandatory. After two retail fills you will need to fill these medications at Optum Home Delivery to be covered on your prescription plan. You can sign into optumrx.com to find out more.

Short-term prescriptions can still be picked up at local pharmacies.

Below links to more detailed explanations of plan coverage, and mandatory mail order medications will be activated as soon as they become available on the NJDPB website.

Prescription Plan Design Chart (2027)

Pharmacy Benefit Summary

List of Mandatory Mail Order Medications by Brand Name

List of Mandatory Mail Order Medications by Generic Name

Please call 1-855-427-4682 or visit OptumRx for the most recent information.

Dental Plan Information

The SHBP will continue to offer two types of dental insurance plans for the 2027 plan year.

  • Dental Expense Plan (PPO)
    • Includes both in and out of network benefits
    • Offered by both Horizon and Aetna
  • Dental Plan Organizations (DPO)
    • Provides in network benefits only
    • Offered by Aetna

Please be sure to review the plan rules including exclusions and limitations before selecting a plan.

Reminder: You must remain in the dental plan you select for at least 12 months before you can transfer to another dental plan or cancel coverage.

Below links to employee and employer contributions and details regarding deductibles and copayments will be activated as soon as they become available on the NJDPB website.

2027 Dental Rates Information Sheet

Dental Comparison Fact Sheet

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

If you are interested in enrolling into a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for the 2027 plan year, enrollment must be completed during the 2027 Open Enrollment Period, regardless of if you have previously had a flexible spending account.

All changes made during the Open Enrollment Period will be effective as of January 1, 2027. To learn more visit the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Quick Reference Guide.

  • For Plan Year 2027, the Unreimbursed Medical FSA election limit is currently set at $3,400, pending official IRS guidance. Once announced, the election limit will adjust to match the final IRS limit.
  • The Dependent Care FSA maximum for 2027 is $5,000

How to Enroll:

  • Members currently enrolled for 2026 can log in to their FSA and select the “Enroll Now” button to enroll for the 2027 year. The deadline for online enrollment is midnight, October 31, 2026.
  • If you are not currently enrolled in an FSA -or- if you are a new hire with a start date of 9/18/26 or later, you must enroll for 2027  via paper form.
  • Phone: You may call Horizon MyWay at 1-877-765-8809 to enroll over the phone. The deadline for phone enrollment is October 31, 2026.
  • Email: FSA Enrollment Forms may be submitted via email to
    HorizonMyWay@healthaccountservices.com

Horizon MyWay will be hosting informational webinars throughout the month of October. The content of each meeting will be the same. Please choose the webinar that works best for your schedule.

Meeting topics:

  • How your FSA works
  • How to use your FSA
  • Important FSA details
  • Enrollment and support

To attend a webinar, please click the appropriate registration link below.

If you are participating in a Flexible Spending Account, you MUST make an election. Your 2026 FSA election will NOT carry over to the 2027 plan year.

Plan Rates

Links below will be activated as soon as they become available on the NJDPB website.

For Horizon plan rates access (2027) Horizon Premium Contribution Calculator

For Aetna plan rates access (2027) Aetna Premium Contribution Calculator

When reviewing, please be sure to select the “Rutgers, NJIT, University Hospital” option to ensure accurate estimates. Divide the listed annual premium by 24 for per-paycheck costs.

How to Enroll

Employees must to log into Benefitsolver by accessing a link on the http://mynjbenefitshub.nj.gov website to make changes to medical plans.

First time users must register by the following these instructions:

  • Click Register
  • Enter SSN and Date of Birth
  • Enter Company Key: SHBP/SEHBP
  • Click Continue

Please see below for additional information and support:

  • In order to access the system, you will need to create a MyNewJersey portal account
  • If you have trouble creating an account and/or accessing the MyNewJersey portal, contact New Jersey OIT support by clicking the 'Need help?' option
  • If you have problems with Benefitsolver, please utilize the support service within the application
  • For more information on Benefitsolver, please visit UHR’s Benefits Page
  • If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact OneSource Rutgers Faculty and Staff Service Center at 732-745-SERV (7378) or OneSource@rutgers.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Open Enrollment Changes take effect?

All changes made between October 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 take effect on January 1, 2027

Who is eligible to enroll?
  • Regularly appointed faculty and staff with an Appointment of 12 months or greater for Calendar Year (CY) employees or an appointment of 10 months for Academic Year (AY) employees working 35 hours or more per week.
How do I review my current benefits or make changes?

Log into mynjbenefitshub.nj.gov through your myNewJersey account.

If I am not making any changes to my medical or dental plan for calendar year 2027, do I need to do anything?

No. No action is required If you do not wish to make any changes to your medical or dental plan. Medical and dental plan elections will automatically carry over into the new plan year if no changes are submitted.

I’m currently enrolled under the Affordable Care Act? Should I make elections for 2027?

Yes, since you are currently enrolled, you should make your benefit elections for the 2027 plan year.

The annual ACA eligibility measurement period is conducted in November. If you are determined to remain eligible at that time and are currently enrolled in coverage, your coverage will continue into 2027.

If you are determined to be ineligible for coverage in 2027, we will notify you in early December. Your current coverage will end on December 31, 2026, and you will receive information regarding your COBRA continuation coverage options.

When will I be notified if I will be eligible to enroll for 2027 under the Affordable Care Act?

The annual ACA eligibility measurement period takes place each November. If you are determined to be newly eligible for coverage, you will receive an email in early December 2026 inviting you to enroll in benefits for the 2027 plan year.

Can I keep my current medical plan?

Yes, all currently offered medical plans will continue to be offered for the 2027 plan year. We do encourage you to review the plan design charts and the premium calculators to ensure you are aware of any changes for the year 2027.

What Happens if I take no action?

If you take no action any current medical and dental coverage will continue into 2027. Currently covered, eligible dependents will also continue to be covered.

Any Flexible Spending Account elections however will not roll over and you will not be enrolled in an FSA for the 2027 plan year

Will my FSA election roll over?

No, Flexible Spending Account elections do not roll over

Will I get new medical and prescription ID cards?

New ID cards are typically only issued if you choose a new plan.

Why do the 2027 plan names reflect ‘26’?

These are the new plan names effective July 1, 2026 and these same names will continue into the 2027 plan year.

Can I make changes to my dental plan?

Yes, you can make changes to medical, dental and flexible spending plans during open enrollment. Changes made will be effective 1/1/2027.

Can I make changes to my covered dependents?

Yes, you may choose to add or drop eligible dependents during open enrollment.

My dependent child turned 26 in 2026. Can they remain covered?

Dependent children are eligible to remain covered until December 31st of the year in which they turn 26. Benefit Solver will remove any aged out dependent effective 12/31/26 automatically. COBRA notices will be sent to the home address as well.

Please see the links below for additional information related to continued coverage for dependent children beyond age 26.

Health Benefits Coverage Continuation for Over Age Children With Disabilities

Health Benefits Coverage of Children Until Age 31 Under Chapter 375

  • Note coverage under Chapter 375 is an employee pay in full coverage
How can I determine which plan is right for me?

Choosing the Right Plan

  1. Consider the total cost, not just your per paycheck contribution:
    • Evaluate premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance by using the SHBP Medical Comparison Charts and SHBP Prescription Plan Comparison Charts
  2. Use the Horizon and Aetna premium calculators:
    • Select “Rutgers/NJIT/University Hospital”.
    • Divide the listed annual premium by 24 for per-paycheck costs.
  3. Think About How Much Care You Expect to Use:
    • How often do you (and your family) see your primary care doctor?
    • How often do you (and your family) see a specialist?
    • Does anyone take regular medications?
    • Does anyone have chronic conditions that require frequent testing?
    • Any surgery or major care expected?
    • Will a higher premium plan protect you from high out‑of‑pocket costs?
  4. Check Your Doctors and Hospitals:
    • Determine if your primary care physicians, specialist and preferred hospitals and pharmacies are considered in network.
    • If any of the above are not in-network, an HMO or a Tiered Network plan will not provide out-of-network coverage.
HMO: In Network Only
HORIZON PLANS AETNA PLANS
26 Horizon HMO 26 Aetna HMO
Tiered Network Plan: In Network Only
Wellness Incentive is subject to repayment if plan participation before 12 months *
HORIZON PLANS AETNA PLANS
26 Horizon OMNIA 26 Aetna Liberty Plus
PPO: In & Out of Network
Requires Participation in Centers of Excellence Program **
HORIZON PLANS AETNA PLANS
26 NJ Direct 26 Freedom
26 NJ Direct 15 26 Freedom 15
26 NJ Direct 1525 26 Freedom 1525
26 NJ Direct 2030 26 Freedom 2030
26 NJ Direct 2035 26 Freedom 2035
High Deductible: In & Out of Network
With higher deductibles and coinsurance
HORIZON PLANS AETNA PLANS
26 NJ Direct HDHigh 26 Freedom HDHigh
26 NJ Direct HDLow 26 Freedom HDLow

*The State Health Benefit Program (SHBP) offers a $1,000 First-Time Enrollment Incentive: Available to new enrollees in Aetna Liberty Plus or Horizon OMNIA. The incentive is reported as taxable income. Participants must remain enrolled for 12 months or repay the incentive. Click here for more information related to the Tiered Network Incentive Program.

  • ** The SHBP has introduced a NEW! Centers of Excellence Pilot Program which will impact the out-of-pocket costs associated with certain outpatient surgical procedures for participants in a PPO plan. Click here for more information.

Look at Prescription Coverage Costs:

  • Are my medications covered?
  • Are they considered
    • Generic
    • Preferred Brand
    • Non-Preferred Brand
  • What is the copay for each?

There’s no one‑size‑fits‑all plan. Choose the option that aligns with your healthcare needs, your preferred providers, and your comfort level with out‑of‑pocket costs—not simply the lowest premium.

What happens to my OMNIA/Liberty Incentive if I switch out of the plan?

If you leave a tiered incentive plan (OMNIA or Liberty) effective January 1, 2027 without completing a full 12 months of participation:

  • You must repay the full $1,000 incentive.
What happens to my Health Savings Account if I switch out of a High Deductible Medical plan?
  • HSA contributions end December 31, 2026
  • You may continue using your existing HSA funds