2026 Open Enrollment

View the 2026 Open Enrollment Guide

Open enrollment is your opportunity to enroll in new benefit plans or make changes to your existing coverage for 2026. Open enrollment runs from October 22 through November 12, 2025, and changes will go into effect on January 1, 2026.

Note: IRS regulations prohibit changes outside of open enrollment unless you experience a Qualifying Life Event and report it within 31 days.

What's New in 2026?

Plan Contribution Changes: There will be an increase in contributions for the medical and prescription plans of 5%, dental plans of 4%, with vision having no rate increase this year.

Keystone/AmeriHealth Point of Service (POS) Medical Plan Design Changes:

• Deductible: The POS plan will now have a deductible. In-network deductible will be $200 for individuals, $400 for family; out-of-network deductible will be $600 for individuals, $1,200 for family. The deductible will apply to the following services. You will pay 100% of the cost until the deductible is met; after that, there will be no charge:
  • Emergency and Non-Emergency Ambulance
  • Inpatient & Outpatient Professional Services
  • Chemotherapy and Dialysis
  • Home Health and Hospice Care
• Outpatient Lab & Pathology (freestanding and hospital-based): These services will now have a $20 copay per visit.
• Out-of-Pocket Maximum Increase: In-network will be $3,000 for individuals, $6,000 for family; out-of-network will be $6,000 for individuals, $12,000 for family.
• New ID Card: Members enrolled in the POS plan will receive a new ID card for 2026.

Teladoc Program: Diabetes and hypertension management programs are being added to the suite of services provided to those enrolled in any Drexel medical plan.

Expanded Preventive Care: Effective January 1, 2026, Drexel is adopting the PA legislation Act-1 under the medical plans, which expands preventive screenings and genetic services at no out-of-pocket cost for individuals at high risk for breast and ovarian cancers, for enrolled members. This law helps ensure early detection options are accessible without financial barriers for those with increased risk.

Help Script Program: Drexel’s medical plans will now include Help Script, a cost-share assistance service for certain medical specialty drugs. Utilizing the Help Script program can reduce the cost of eligible medical specialty drugs to a $0 member copay.

Prescription (Rx) Program:

• All Plans: copay increases ($5 per tier)
  • $15/$35/$55 (CDHP must satisfy deductible)
• All Plans: Addition of Specialty Rx tier (4th tier)
  • $75 copay for all plans (CDHP must satisfy deductible)

Members enrolled in the Keystone/AmeriHealth Point of Service plan will receive a new Identification card for 2026. Please review the Point of Service Plan Design Comparison Chart [PDF] for details.

Davis Vision Plan Enhancements: Eyeglass/contact lens allowance is increasing from $130 to $200 per year.

New Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Administrator: Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, Drexel’s EAP will be administered by Health Advocate, the University’s long-time partner for healthcare advocacy services and the Wellness Incentive Program. Now, Health Advocate will serve as your one-stop resource for programs supporting your physical, financial and emotional well-being. Benefits-eligible employees, their dependents, and parents/parents-in-law will have access to six free counseling sessions (in person or by phone, per issue, per year) along with resources to support work-life balance and overall well-being. SupportLinc will continue to serve as Drexel’s EAP through Dec. 31, 2025; effective Jan. 1, you can access Health Advocate’s EAP services by calling 866.799.2728, emailing answers@healthadvocate.com, or visiting healthadvocate.com/drexel (app code: DREXELU).

New Generations Program for Supporting Caregivers: Whether you’re caring for an aging parent or in-law, aunt or uncle, grandparent, sibling or even an elderly neighbor, we understand the sacrifices and challenges caregivers face. That’s why Drexel has partnered with Health Advocate to offer the Generations Program, which provides resources to guide you through your caregiving journey, instilling confidence and peace of mind while addressing the health and well-being of you and your loved one. This program includes ongoing access to a dedicated Nurse Coach backed by a team of Personal Advocates with expertise in aging issues, who will help you navigate the healthcare system and assist with work-life balance or other life transitions.

Life Insurance With Long-term Care (LTC) via Dragon Perks: This voluntary benefit available during open enrollment includes Guarantee Issue (no medical questions) for select options. This universal life insurance policy with LTC benefits offers two layers of protection—helping cover potential LTC costs while also providing financial support to your beneficiaries after your passing. Eligible employees aged 18-64 can enroll with the following: 

• Guarantee Issue with no medical questions (may not be available during future enrollment);
• Up to $200k coverage or less for select options; and
• Spouses and domestic partners are eligible to enroll (they will need to answer medical questions)

Please review your available options to understand how this benefit can support your personal or family needs and/or mitigate your expenses. Enrollment is completed on the Dragon Perks platform accessed through the My Drexel Benefits portal.

403(b) University Retirement Plan Contributions Reinstated for 2026: Drexel University’s employer contribution to the 403(b) retirement plan will be reinstated in 2026, reflecting the University’s continued commitment to supporting the financial well-being and retirement readiness of our employees. Salary deferral agreements will be reinstated with the first payroll in January 2026.

Ahead of the new year is a great time to review your current retirement plan salary deferral elections to ensure they align with your 2026 savings goals. If you wish to make changes to your current salary deferral:

• Log in to DrexelOne and select the Employee tab.
• Scroll down to the My Benefits heading on the left-hand side of the screen and select the link for “Retirement Plan management” which will directly connect you to your account on TIAA.org without having to supply additional login credentials.
• Select Manage Contribution Amount under the Accounts menu. Update the percentage for your contributions and the date to make your change effective.

What Actions Do I Need to Take?

Benefits You Must Re-Enroll in Annually

The following benefits do not rollover and must be re-elected annually:

• Medical Insurance Waiver (see below for details)
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account

Medical Plan Waiver – Annual Requirement

Full-time employees who do not wish to be covered by a Drexel medical plan must re-elect the waiver each year. If you do not complete the waiver, you will be automatically enrolled in:

• Point of Service Plan – Employee-only coverage: $137.10/month ($63.27 bi-weekly), or
• PPO Basic Plan (out of area) – Employee-only coverage: $305.65/month ($141.07 bi-weekly).

The waiver is a two-step process. You must complete both steps, submit your elections, and confirm the waiver appears on your confirmation statement. If the waiver does not appear, you will be enrolled in medical coverage, and payroll deductions will apply.

New Hires in 2025

New hires must complete two enrollment windows: one within 31 days of hire (2025 plan year) and again during open enrollment (2026 plan year).

Employees hired between Sept. 24 and Dec. 1, 2025, will have two enrollment windows open at the same time, and you will be required to complete both to ensure that your elections are saved .

Important Consideration: Short-term Disability

Short-term disability is a voluntary, 100-percent employee-paid benefit that helps to protect your income should you need to go out on approved disability leave (including family medical leave). To use the benefit, you must be enrolled as of Jan. 1 of the plan year in which the disability occurs (either during open enrollment or as a new hire). There is no life event that will allow enrollment into this benefit mid-year, so if you are not currently enrolled, please be sure to review your options during this enrollment period.

• Short-term Disability provides income replacement protection for a disability lasting up to 90 days.
• The rate for Short-term Disability coverage is individualized and based on your age and coverage amount selected.
• Premiums are deducted from your paycheck on a post-tax basis, and the weekly benefit you receive is tax-free.
• Electing this benefit is a great option to consider if you do not have enough accrued and unused paid time off to replace your income while out on disability.
• If it is determined you are still in need of disability leave at the duration of Short-term Disability, you will transition to Long-term Disability. Please note that full-time, benefit-eligible faculty and staff are provided with Long-term Disability coverage at no cost. 

Open Enrollment Resources

Open enrollment is your opportunity to review benefits, compare options, and make the choices that best fit your needs for the upcoming year. The resources below are available to guide you through the process.

• Open Enrollment Presentation (Drexel log-in required)
• Open Enrollment Guide: detailed information about benefit plan options, coverage and rates:
  • Flipbook
  • PDF
• Open Enrollment Checklist [PDF]: step-by-step reminders to ensure you complete your enrollment correctly