Annual Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to evaluate and make necessary changes to your benefit programs. It is a great time to view health costs and plan changes and decide what best fits your needs.
*NEW PROCESS FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT REQUESTS*
This year, all Health, Dental, FlexCash, Health Care Reimbursement, and Dependent Care Reimbursement requests are made online through your CHRS portal. Please go to How Do I Enroll or Make Changes below for information as well as step-by-step instructions (PDF) and a video tutorial about this new process.
You can review the new 2026 health premiums, new benefit changes, and more under the What’s New for 2026 tab below:
Open Enrollment Process - Let's Get Started!
- What's New for 2026?
2026 Plan Premiums HMO Plan Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans Health Plans Available Blue Shield Access+ HMO (CA Only) PERS Platinum PPO PERS Gold PPO (CA Only) Coverage Level Prior Year 2026 2026 (Unit 6) Prior Year 2026 2026 (Unit 6) Prior Year 2026 2026 (Unit 6) Employee Only $0 $4.52 $0 $275.30 $428.13 $423.13 $0 $0 $0 Employee + 1 $0 $120.04 $110.04 $631.60 $967.26 $957.26 $0 $29.74 $19.74 Employee + 2 or more $0 $192.15 $172.15 $920.78 $1,293.54 $1,273.54 $0 $74.76 $54.76 Health Plan Changes for 2026:
- Effective January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2030, CVS Caremark will be the new pharmacy administrator vendor for PERS Gold and PERS Platinum members. New cards will be issued to those impacted by the Pharmacy Administrator change.
- PERS Gold PPO plan will add the participation of the Diabetes Prevention Program and depression or anxiety screening to the Deductible in-patient credits for competing preventative care activities.
Voluntary Benefits Plan Changes for 2026:
- ARAG Legal:
- Increasing their premiums from $16.95 to $17.70 per month. This premium change will be reflected on the 12/2025 paycheck.
- Parents and Grandparents are now eligible for ARAG resources. Which include:
- Caregiving Services
- Wills and Durable Power of Attorney
- Legal Advice
- Document Review, Document Preparation
- Miscellaneous Legal Services (4 hours/year).
Note: This benefit enhancement is also available to the employee’s step-parent(s), step-grandparent(s), and employee’s in-laws (parent & grandparent) and retirees.
- The Standard:
- New Critical Illness Enhancement for 2026.
- Currently participants receive $100 per health maintenance screenings per calendar year. (with a maximum of 2 screenings per year.
- Eligible Participants will now receive $200 for a single eligible health maintenance screening per year.
- Now the number of reimbursable screenings will be reduced from 2 to 1 annually
- Participants can now receive the maximum reimbursement with just 1 screening
- Health Care Reimbursement (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement (DCRA) Account Changes:
- The new annual maximum amount for HCRA will increase from $3,200 to $3,300. The new monthly maximum amount will increase from $266.66 to $275.
- The new annual maximum amount for DCRA will increase from $5,000 to $7,500. The new monthly maximum amount will increase from $416.66 to $625.
- A new administrative fee of $1.00 per plan will be charged for participation. A maximum of $2.00 will be charged to the employee if they are participating in both HCRA & DCRA plans on their monthly paycheck.
- New Critical Illness Enhancement for 2026.
- 2026 Insurance PremiumsBelow are the new 2026 medical premiums
Health Plan Rates for 2026 Blue Shield Access + HMO PERS Platinum PERS Gold Employee monthly share of premium All
(except R06)R06 All
(except R06)R06 All
(except R06)R06 Employee Only $4.52 $0 $428.13 $423.13 $0 $0 Employee + 1 $120.04 $110.04 $967.26 $957.26 $29.74 $19.74 Employee + 2 or more $192.15 $172.15 $1,293.54 $1,273.54 $74.76 $54.76 All changes made during Open Enrollment will take effect 1/1/2026, and any premium changes will be reflected on the December pay period paycheck, issue date: 1/1/2026.
- What Am I Currently Enrolled In?
Through your CHRS Portal, you can view your Benefits Summary:
- Log into your CHRS portal(opens in new window)
- Click on CSU Benefits Summary (please don’t click on the Open Enrollment tile to view your current benefits)
- Displays what medical and/or dental plans you’re currently enrolled in
- Voluntary Benefits (VSP Premier, ARAG Legal, Fidelity, etc.) are not displayed in your CHRS account.
Questions about voluntary benefits? Please contact the Benefits Office at 530-898-5436(opens in new window) or benefits@csuchico.edu(opens in new window).
- How Do I Enroll and/or Make Changes?
All Open Enrollment Health, Dental, FlexCash, Health Care Reimbursement and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account change requests are now made through your CHRS portal:
- Please review the step-by-step instructions (PDF) and video tutorial for helpful guidance with this new process.
- The Benefits Office will also be hosting Office Hours (see Office Hours tab above for days/times) during Open Enrollment for employees requesting assistance.
- If adding a new dependent, supporting documentation will be required. Please email supporting documentation to benefits@csuchico.edu or you bring them to the Benefits Office in Kendall Hall, Room 213.
(If you’re requesting to cancel ALL CSU Health and/or Dental benefits, a paper form is still required. Please contact the Benefits Office to request a paper form)
Premier Vision Plan (VSP)Benefit eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the CSU paid VSP Basic Family Plan.
For an additional cost you have the option to enroll in the VSP Premier Plan(opens in new window). This enrollment process needs to be done directly with VSP during Open Enrollment. (Note, if you have dependents on your plan, to keep their vision benefits, you’ll need to enroll all of your family members in the Premier Plan otherwise they’ll lose their vision benefits). See VSP Vision Coverage brochure (PDF) for comparison of Basic and Premier plans.
Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DCRA)All HCRA/DCRA Open Enrollment requests are now made through your CHRS portal.
Please review the step-by-step instructions and video tutorial for helpful guidance with this new process.
The Benefits Office will also be hosting Office Hours (see Office Hours tab above for days/times) during Open Enrollment for employees requesting assistance.”
2026 HCRA & DCRA BROCHURE LINKSThe Standard Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
To apply for Critical Illness or Accident Insurance coverage, simply use one of the options below.
- Enroll online at The Standard(opens in new window)
- Complete the Enrollment Form (PDF) and The California State University Payroll Deduction Authorization (PDF) form and return to The Standard at the following address:
CSU Benefits Team
Standard Insurance Company
900 SW Fifth Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
For more information, visit The Standard’s Group Accident and Critical Illness Insurance website(opens in new window) or call at 800-378-5745.
ARAG® Legal Insurance PlanIf you are not currently enrolled in the ARAG® legal plan and would like to enroll, please contact ARAG Customer Care at 800-247-4184 or service@ARAGlegal.com before 5pm on October 10, 2025 and provide policy ID number 19061csu. The ARAG Legal Plan rate will be $17.70 per month. This will be your only opportunity to enroll in the ARAG plan for 2025 and if you enroll, your benefits will begin effective January 1, 2026. Once enrolled, you will receive a welcome email from ARAG with your Member ID and steps to get started.
Additional information can be found on the ARAG website and on their “At a Glance (PDF)” and “Get to Know Us (PDF)” flyers.”
All changes made during Open Enrollment will take effect 1/1/2026, and any premium changes will be reflected on the December pay period paycheck, issue date: 1/1/2026.
- Information Sessions and Virtual Benefits Fair
Open Enrollment Information Sessions (via Zoom & in person)
Our Benefits Team will walk you through plan updates, how to make changes, and important reminders for 2026.
*All employees that attend an Open Enrollment Information Session will have their name entered in a drawing for a pair of sunglasses, sponsored by VSP Vision Care. The winner will be announced and contacted on Monday, October 20th, 2025. The Benefits Office will be hosting zoom presentations about the benefits plans, how to request changes in your CHRS portal, as well as what’s new for 2026. To attend 1 of these sessions, please register through your CSU portal(opens in new window).
- Tuesday, September 16, 2025; 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Thursday, September 18, 2025; 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Monday, September 22, 2025; 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 24, 2025; 9:30am – 11 p.m., In person - Kendall Hall, Room 207
- Wednesday, September 24, 2025; 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Thursday, September 25, 2025; 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. in person- Colusa Hall , Room 100B
- Tuesday, September 30, 2025; 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Thursday, October 2, 2025; 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
- Monday, October 6, 2025; 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 8, 2025; 9 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
- Thursday, October 9, 2025; 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
CSU Virtual Open Enrollment Vendor Fair
For an opportunity to communicate directly with the Benefits vendors, please join the CSU Virtual Open Enrollment Fair (opens in new window)on Tuesday September 30th, from 11:00am – 2:00pm. During this time, you’ll be able to ask questions to vendors such as ARAG, The Standard, Blue Shield, Delta Dental, VSP, etc.
- Open Enrollment Office Hours
During Open Enrollment, the Benefits Office will be holding in-person office hours to assist employees with submitting their Open Enrollment changes through the CHRS portal.
You’re welcome to stop by Kendall Hall, Room 214, on the dates and times listed below. Computers will be available for you to log into your CHRS account, and you’re also encouraged to bring your own laptop if you prefer.
We’re happy to help guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have!
Office Hours Date
Time
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Thursday, September 18, 2025
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Friday, September 19, 2025
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Monday, September 22, 2025
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Thursday, September 25, 2025
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Friday, September 26, 2025
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Monday, September 29, 2025
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Friday, October 3, 2025
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Monday, October 6, 2025
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Thursday, October 9, 2025
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Friday, October 10, 2025
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Blue Shield Access+ HMO
Blue Shield Access+ HMO Monthly Premiums: 2025 Blue Shield Access+ HMO Premiums 2026 Blue Shield Access+ HMO Premiums Employee monthly share of premium All
(except R06)R06 All
(except R06)R06 Employee Only $0 $0 $4.52 $0 Employee + 1 $0 $0 $120.04 $110.04 Employee + 2 or more $0 $0 $192.15 $172.15 For these and other changes, please see the 2026 Blue Shield Access+ Summary of Benefits (PDF) and the 2026 Evidence of Coverage Blue Shield Access+ HMO (PDF).
If you’re planning on switching insurance plans, we suggest contacting your health care providers prior to making any changes, to confirm they’re contracted with the new insurance plan you’re considering.
Note: Blue Shield Access+ HMO was a California Only Plan. If you (or your covered dependents) resided or obtained services outside of California, only emergency services were covered. However, Blue Shield does offer an Away From Home Care Program.
The Away From Home Care program provides convenient healthcare coverage while you are temporarily residing in the service area of a participating host (participating state) for at least 90 consecutive days. The program addresses your healthcare needs if you have one of the following situations:
- A child attending school outside of California.
- Family members living in different service areas outside of California.
- A long-term work assignment outside of California or are a retiree with a dual residence.
Note: Program eligibility is contingent upon the subscriber maintaining a permanent address in California.
To learn about your specific out-of-area healthcare coverage when you are away from home, call a Blue Shield Away From Home Care specialist at (800) 622-9402. - PERS Gold PPOPERS Gold Calendar Year Deductible:
Pers Gold 2025 Premiums 2025 PERS Gold Premiums 2026 PERS Gold Premiums Employee monthly share of premium All
(except R06)R06 All
(except R06)R06 Employee Only $0 $0 $0 $0 Employee + 1 $0 $0 $29.74 $19.74 Employee + 2 or more $0 $0 $74.76 $54.76 - Individual: $1,000
- Family: $2,000
You will receive up to $500 in credits toward your Calendar Year Deductible if you complete the following activities:
- Biometric Screening: $100 Deductible Credit
- Flu Shot: $100 Deductible Credit
- Non-Smoking Certification: $100 Deductible Credit
- Second Opinion: $100 Deductible Credit
- Condition Care Certification: $100 Deductible Credit
- Diabetes Prevention Program and Depression or Anxiety Screening: $100 Deductible Credit
If you qualify for five credits, your 2026 deductible is reduced to: $500 for an individual (instead of $1,000). $1,000 for a family (instead of $2,000).
(All preventive care screenings will count towards the biometric screening credit. Any flu shot within the past 18 months will be credited in the calendar year. Non-Smoking credit will be given unless you are identified as a smoker. Second opinion will be credited unless you have surgery without a second opinion. Condition Care will be credited, unless you are contacted by a nurse and decline to participate in Anthem’s clinical management program).
For these and other plan changes, see the 2026 PERS Gold Summary of Benefits (PDF) and 2026 PERS Gold Evidence of Coverage. (PDF)
If you’re planning on switching insurance plans, we suggest contacting your health care providers prior to making any changes, to confirm they’re contracted with the new insurance plan you’re considering.
Note: PERS Gold is considered a California Only plan, however there is a resource to access out of state services. Employees that are enrolled in PERS Gold PPO and reside in the State of California they are eligible to use the BlueCard Program available through the national Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The BlueCard Program allows PERS Gold Members who are traveling or temporarily outside California (i.e. college student) and require medical care or treatment to use local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan participating providers throughout the United States at any time.
To locate a Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan participating provider, they may:
- Call the toll-free BlueCard Provider Access number at 1-800-810-BLUE (1-800-810-2583).
- Ask your Physician or provider if he or she participates in the local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.
- Access the Blue National Doctor and Hospital Finder using the Find a Doctor or Hospital link on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association website at www.bcbs.com(opens in new window).
- Request a Preferred Provider directory by calling Included Health at 855-633-4436.
- PERS Platinum PPO
PERS Platinum 2025 Premiums 2025 PERS Platinum Premiums 2026 PERS Platinum Premiums Employee monthly share of premium All
(except R06)R06 All
(except R06)R06 Employee Only $275.30 $270.30 $428.13 $423.13 Employee + 1 $631.60 $621.60 $967.26 $957.26 Employee + 2 or more $920.78 $900.78 $1,293.54 $1,273.54 PERS Platinum PPO will continue to cover 90% of the allowed charges after members meet the $500 calendar year deductible. For these and other changes, please review the 2026 PERS Platinum Summary of Benefits (PDF) and the 2026 PERS Platinum Evidence of Coverage (PDF).
PERS Platinum members and their dependents will be assigned a Primary Care Physician (PCP). You will be free to choose a different PCP and it would not change the ability to see a specialist anytime. The assignment of a PCP (e.g., a general practitioner, family practitioner, internist, or pediatrician) will be based on factors such as location, age, and primary language. A PCP will only be assigned to new members and current members who have not selected a PCP.
If you’re planning on switching insurance plans, we suggest contacting your health care providers prior to making any changes, to confirm they’re contracted with the new insurance plan you’re considering.
- Important Note regarding Enloe Facilities and PERS Gold Network
As we enter Open Enrollment for the 2026 plan year, we want to remind employees of an ongoing network issue involving Enloe Health and the PERS Gold PPO plan.
While Enloe Health Medical Center (hospital and most hospital-based services) is in-network, several Enloe-affiliated outpatient clinics remain out-of-network due to separate billing arrangements under different Tax IDs.
These out-of-network clinics include:
- Enloe Pediatrics
- Enloe Primary Care
- Enloe General Surgery
- Enloe NorthState Cardiology
- Enloe Family Medicine Residency Clinic
What this means for you:
- These clinics will still see PERS Gold PPO members.
- However, professional services at these locations may be billed at out-of-network rates, resulting in higher out-of-pocket costs.
- Patients may be notified at the time of service, but it’s best to verify beforehand.
What you can do:
Before seeking care or selecting a plan, we strongly encourage you to contact Included Health at (855) 633-4436 for help identifying in-network providers and understanding your benefit options.Chico State and the CSU Chancellor’s Office continue to advocate for full network inclusion of all Enloe clinics, but at this time, the issue remains unresolved for 2026.
- Are There Other Medical Plans Available?
Eligibility for CalPERS health plans is determined by your residential region. Plans listed on the CalPERS website may have a limited number of in-network providers and facilities in our area. Please contact the Benefits Office if you have any additional questions.
- Dental and Vision
Dental:
Dental premiums are entirely paid by the CSU. The CSU offers two dental plans, Delta Dental PPO Enhanced II and DeltaCare USA HMO Enhanced.
A few key differences between the 2 dental plans: DeltaCare USA HMO Enhanced Delta Dental PPO Enhanced II Only 3 contracted dental providers in our area Wider network of contracted providers No local contracted pediatric dental providers Offers local contracted pediatric dental providers No deductible or calendar year maximum $50 per person yearly deductible and $2,000 per person yearly maximum Doesn't cover dental implants Covers 80% of dental implants (subject to yearly deductible and yearly maximum) Eligible for services in California only Eligible for nationwide services For more information about the CSU dental plans, please review the 2026 dental side-by-side comparison (PDF) sheet.
Additional Benefits offered by Delta Dental:
Delta Dental members have access to Member Perks. For more information about these perks and cost saving benefits, please visit the Delta Dental Member Perks website.
Vision:
Benefit eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the CSU paid VSP Basic Family Plan.
For an additional cost you have the option to enroll in the VSP Premier Plan(opens in new window). This enrollment process needs to be done directly with VSP during Open Enrollment. (Note, if you have dependents on your plan, to keep their vision benefits, you’ll need to enroll all of your family members in the Premier Plan otherwise they’ll lose their vision benefits). See VSP Vision Coverage brochure (PDF) for comparison of Basic and Premier plans.
Additional Benefits offered by VSP:
VSP members are eligible for VSP Exclusive Member Extras. This program offers savings on eye care products as well as travel and entertainment discounts. For more information about this program, please visit the VSP website(opens in new window) and click on the “OFFERS” link at the top of the page.
- Important Reminders
The Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DCRA) require re-enrollment every year during Open Enrollment to continue participation. Click on How to Enroll or Make Changes below.
The Standard - Critical Illness and Accident Insurance: Employees can only enroll or increase coverage in Critical Illness and Accident Insurance at hire or during Open Enrollment. Cancellations and reduction in coverage can be done at any time.
VSP Vision: Enrollment and cancellation for the VSP Premier Plan may only be done during open enrollment after the completion of 12 months of enrollment.
All changes made during Open Enrollment will take effect 1/1/2026, and any premium changes will be reflected on the December pay period paycheck, issue date: 1/1/2026.
- Recurso para empleados the habla hispana acerca de Inscripción abierta
Open Enrollment Resource for Spanish Speaking Employees - Recurso para empleados the habla hispana acerca de Inscripción abierta.
La Unidad de Beneficios se complace en anunciar que ahora tenemos un recurso disponible para ayudar a los empleados de habla hispana con la Inscripción Abierta 2026. Comuníquese con benefits@csuchico.edu para obtener más información y/o programar una cita para revisar los cambios del plan 2026 y completar el proceso de Inscripción Abierta, y lo conectaremos con un miembro de habla hispana de la comunidad universitaria y/u otras herramientas de traducción para ayudarlo. - Additional Information
- Open Enrollment Benefits Guidebook (PDF)
- CSU System-wide Open Enrollment Website
- 2026 Health Plan Rates and Side-by-Side Comparison (PDF)
- 2026 Evidence of Coverage Blue Shield Access+ HMO (PDF)
- 2026 Blue Shield Access+ HMO Summary of Benefits (PDF)
- 2026 PERS Platinum Summary of Benefits (PDF)
- 2026 PERS Platinum Evidence of Coverage (PDF)
- 2026 PERS Gold Summary of Benefits (PDF)
- 2026 PERS Gold Evidence of Coverage (PDF)
- 2026 Dental Plan Side-by-Side Comparison (PDF)
- Vision Plan Side-by-Side Comparison (PDF)
Questions?
Please review the Open Enrollment FAQ
For specific questions or to schedule an appointment (either in person or via zoom) with a Benefits Analyst, please email benefits@csuchico.edu or call the campus Benefits Office at 530-898-5436.