Managing Your Benefits

Open Enrollment Season is in Full Swing. Here’s What You Need to Know

Published April 24, 2025

Enrollment guide 2025-26 Cover

Open enrollment season is here. This is the one time of year you can make changes to your benefit election without a qualifying event like the birth of a child, marriage or loss of other coverage.

Now is an important time to review your benefit plan options to make sure you’re optimizing your SchoolCare benefits in a way that best fit you and your family’s needs.

Some things to consider include:

  • Whether your employer is offering a new health plan (medical, dental or vision hardware) or ancillary coverage (life or disability insurance)
  • If you’ve had health changes in the last year that might be the impetus for enrolling in a vision hardware plan or an FSA if offered by your employer
  • Do you have dependents to add or drop from coverage?

Here are some important resources to help.

Understand Your Benefits

  • This year’s Enrollment Guide includes an overview of the health and wellness benefits provided by SchoolCare , an overview for a fully revamped Good For You! Well-Being Program, a checklist to make sure you’re on track and more.
  • Your group-specific benefit summaries and health plan webinars can be found here. Select your employer/group from the drop-down list for your specific benefit options.
  • Check with your HR department to find out if there is going to be an in-person or virtual open enrollment meeting where you can speak live with a member of SchoolCare ’s Group Relations Team. If not, watch this year’s recorded Open Enrollment Webinar.

Consider Personal Health Changes or New Needs

Do you or a family member need glasses or contacts that you didn’t previously need? Were you prescribed a new medication or did you come off one that might change how much you set aside for a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? This is the time of year to enroll in a vision hardware coverage plan or FSA if offered by your group.

If you are newly joining the Orange Plan or have been on it but haven’t set up a Health Savings Account yet, the start of a new plan year is a good time to open your account and plan how much you wish to contribute (keeping within the federal maximum guidelines).

You MUST take action during Open Enrollment if:

  • You are enrolling for the first time
  • Making changes to your current medical, dental or vision coverages or
  • Contribute to an FSA. You must annually make an FSA election to continue your contribution.

Need assistance?

Changes you make, or do not make, during open enrollment last for an entire year. Medical plans may be dropped at any time in the year, but you are not eligible to enroll in a plan mid-year without a qualifying event. Vision and dental plans cannot be dropped mid-year.  Get assistance if needed:

  • For questions about benefit changes or forms contact your HR department
  • For specific medical or dental coverage questions contact Cigna at 800-244-6224
  • For additional information and resources click on Resources in the menu above

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