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Open Enrollment for 2026: 10/30–11/21/2025

Enrollment is Open until 11/21 at 5 p.m.! Any changes that employees or retirees make during Open Enrollment will be effective 1/1/2026. The easiest way to get detailed information about the medical plan options is to review streaming video:

How much? Medical plan premiums for 2026:

• Employee rates
  • Note: The UC Blue & Gold HMO rates on the UCnet website are NOT the rates for UC Davis and ANR employees.
• Retiree rates:
  • 2026 UC Retiree Premium Estimator [Excel]
  • Retirees age 65+ not eligible for Medicare

Which? Compare medical plans side-by-side:

• Which medical plan is right for you? [PDF] (Employees & Retirees)
• Which Medicare plan is right for you? [PDF] (Retirees with Medicare)

Where? Regional medical plan availability:

The 2026 UC Medical Plan Availability Tool [Excel] indicates plan availability by ZIP code and county.

Who? Local Davis/Sacramento medical provider availability by plan:

• More On UC Medical Plans [PDF]; lists all major local medical groups.
• UC Davis Medical Group is available through all non-Kaiser plans
  • Assistance finding available UCDMG primary care physicians is available by calling the employee liaison line at (916) 734-1700

Who else? Search for network medical providers across California and beyond:

• Blue Shield of California PPOs:
  • HealthSavings+
  • UC Care
    • UC Care: UC Select (Tier 1)
    • UC Care: Blue Shield PPO (Tier 2)
    • UC Care offers two levels of in-network providers: UC Select (Tier 1) and Blue Shield PPO (Tier 2). Both are preferred providers, but UC Select providers cost you much less. UC Select providers are not available outside California, and are only available near UC locations.
  • Preferred providers outside California (Use code UCD to search)
  • Preferred providers outside the U.S.A. (use code UCD to search)
• UC Medicare PPO, UC High Option (Anthem Blue Cross Medicare supplement plans; use Medicare providers.)
  • Preferred providers outside the U.S.A.
    • UC Medicare PPO/UC High Option members use code U5X to search
• Health Net: UC Blue & Gold HMO (Urban CA only)
• Kaiser Permanente/Senior Advantage (HMO) (Urban CA only)
• UnitedHealthcare: UC Medicare Choice (Medicare Advantage PPO)

How to get more information? UCnet health plan phone numbers and web addresses

• Health Net
• Kaiser Permanente
  • Optum behavioral health (non-Medicare Kaiser members only) (Access Code: 11280)
• Anthem Blue Cross (retirees with Medicare)
  • Navitus (Pharmacy Benefit Manager)
• Blue Shield of California plans
  • Accolade (customer service for Blue Shield of California plans)
  • Navitus (Pharmacy Benefit Manager)
  • HealthEquity (HSA plan administrator—HealthSavings+ members only)
• UnitedHealthcare (Medicare retirees only)
• Via Benefits (Age 65+ Medicare-eligible retirees with home addresses outside California only; all covered family members must have Medicare.)
• Delta Dental (use Delta Dental PPO and/or Delta Dental Premier network providers)
• Vision Service Plan (use Advantage network providers)
  • For employees
  • For retirees

Open Enrollment for 2026 booklets

• Faculty & Staff Open Enrollment booklet [PDF]
  • Additional Information booklet
• Retiree Open Enrollment booklet [PDF] for California retirees
  • Retirees with Medicare Out-of-State Open Enrollment booklet [PDF] for Medicare-eligible retirees aged 65+ with all covered family members age 65+
  • Additional Information booklet

Read more about UC's strategies for addressing rising health care costs. [PDF]

Rehired Retirees: Health insurance eligibility rules are changing for those who return to employment within 6 months

Under new guidelines effective 7/1/2025, rehired staff retirees and recalled academic appointees (referred to collectively as “rehired retirees”) who meet specific eligibility criteria will be offered the “Mid-level” faculty/staff benefits package instead of retiree medical benefits. UC retiree medical benefits will be suspended for any rehired retiree who is offered faculty/staff benefits, regardless of whether they enroll.

For more information see this article on UCnet.

For details, see the Returning to UC Employment After Retirement Fact Sheet [PDF].

NEW: Answer a few questions for a personalized summary of the benefits you’re eligible for:

Returning Retiree Benefits Checker

UC considers changes to retiree health contributions
 

A Retiree Health Benefits Working Group has been formed to provide input regarding reductions and/or changes in strategy toward UC's contributions to retiree health coverage.

See the UC Davis Retiree Center site for updates on the Working Group.

UC simplifies retiree health benefits rules