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2027 Open Enrollment

2027 Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is your yearly chance to review coverage and choose your best-fit for various benefits. Explore this microsite to learn about all the benefits and resources available to you. 

What Happens If I Don’t Take Action During Open Enrollment?

Your current coverage will carry over, except for your Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and your Retiree Medical Savings Account (RMSA), which you need to actively elect in order to continue participating in 2027.

Your Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions will continue into next year at the same contribution rate if you take no action. If you are seeking to maximize this benefit with the new 2027 cap, now is the time to make that contribution change. Keep in mind, you can change your HSA election at any point in the year for any reason directly in PeopleSoft Self-Service.

Open Enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to make changes to your benefits! You will not be able to make any changes after the enrollment deadline unless you have a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), such as getting married, having a child, dependent coverage change, and more.

Have questions about your coverage? Visit us at a time and location that is convenient for you in one of this year’s onsite drop-in sessions. Talk to our benefits partners, including BCBSMA, Express Scripts (ESI), Delta Dental, WageWorks, SupportLinc EAP, Maven, Working Credit, and more.

Find a session that works for you.

Watch an Open Enrollment Webinar:

  • Benefits Webinar – 2027 highlights and changes
  • Benefits Webinar Overview – all benefits
  • Medical Plan Overview by BCBSMA
  • Health Savings Account – How to make the most of your HSA by Fidelity
  • Pharmacy Benefit – Introduction to your new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) by Express Scripts

Additional Helpful Resources for Open Enrollment:

Below, we’ve highlighted the exciting enhancements and changes we are making in 2027 and information about the Earned Time Cash Out, 

Ready to Enroll?

You can enroll between October 19 and November 6 (until 11:59 p.m. ET).  Follow this Job Aid to complete your enrollment.

Franciscan’s Employees

If you are a Franciscan’s employee, you can enroll in PeopleSoft via the “PeopleSoft / MyApps” link on the Fran.

Medical Plan Updates and Reminders

New! We are Introducing a New Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM)!

Your pharmacy coverage is moving from CVS Caremark to Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI), effective January 1, 2027. There are important changes being made to our prescription drug program that may impact your medications, pharmacy network, costs, and coverage requirements. To fully understand these changes and determine whether any action is needed on your part, review these highlights below, read the FAQs, and contact Express Scripts directly for guidance on or after October 19. Click on the schedule above to talk with a representative in person or attend one of five webinars.

  • You may continue to pick up prescriptions from CVS pharmacies; they are in Express Scripts’ pharmacy network.
  • If your pharmacy is out-of-network, Express Scripts will contact you via letter in mid-December and you will need to select a new pharmacy by January 1, 2027.
  • If your prescriptions are out-of-network, Express Scripts will contact you via letter and you will have 90 days after January 1, 2027 to choose an approved alternative.
  • If you take maintenance medication for a chronic condition, you can fill your prescription through a CVS retail pharmacy, the Boston Children’s Pharmacy, or through Express Scripts’ mail order.
  • Specialty medications will be available through Accredo® Specialty Pharmacy or Boston Children’s Pharmacy. If you take medication for complex conditions, such as cancer, a bleeding disorder, an inflammatory condition, or hepatitis C, you can fill it through Accredo or BCH. You will also have 24/7 access to specialty-trained pharmacists and nurses who can answer questions and help you manage your condition. PillarRx will continue to be available for copay assistance.
  • You will receive a new member ID card from Express Scripts in the mail in December.

For comprehensive information about your new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM):

Need Help Choosing a Plan or Comparing Options with your Spouse’s Plan? Ask ALEX!

Ask ALEX is a confidential benefits decision-support tool that guides you through your options and provides personalized recommendations based on your individual needs. The Family Plan Comparison tool allows you to compare your benefits and your spouse’s coverage side by side to help you make the best enrollment decisions.

Use the following links to learn more about and access Ask ALEX:

2027 Plan Premiums

You’ll continue to have access to the same medical coverage, meaning your copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles will stay the same in 2027. There is a premium increase for 2027. This is communicated in the “Benefits Webinar – 2027 highlights and changes,” as well as in your Benefits Guide.

New GLP-1 Support

You will pay a $75 copay when you take a GLP-1 medication for weight loss. Participation in the GLP-1 Weight Management Program will no longer be required starting January 1, 2027. Grokker’s GLP-1 Success Course is an exciting optional and free alternative.

We remain committed to helping you achieve your health and wellness goals and encourage you to take advantage of the resources available to you, including:

  • Grokker: A no cost wellbeing benefit available to you and up to two family members, offering more than 4,000 on-demand video classes focused on nutrition, mindfulness, fitness, yoga, and financial wellness. Whether you’re looking to build healthy habits, manage stress, stay active, or support your overall well-being, Grokker provides flexible resources to meet you where you are.
  • Gym and fitness center discounts: Discounted rates are offered at various gyms and fitness centers.

Save on Dietitian Visits

You will have better access to nutrition support to help you build healthy eating habits and work toward your overall health and weight loss goals. If you are enrolled in a Boston Children’s medical plan, you won’t have to pay a copay for your first six visits with a registered dietitian. Remember, if you are enrolled in the Blue Essentials HDHP you will need to satisfy your deductible first.

Virtual Support for Muscle and Joint Pain

Muscle, joint, and back pain can affect us all, and often decreases our quality of life. If you are enrolled in a Boston Children’s medical plan, you have access to Vori, a muscle and joint pain care platform. Vori offers virtual care by providing

Additional Updates and Reminders

New! More Support for Building Your Family

We understand that everyone’s path to building a family is different. Boston Children’s is expanding family-building support to include surrogacy assistance, in addition to Adoption Assistance. Effective January 1, 2027, you can submit up to $10,000 per child in qualified surrogacy or adoption expenses, up to a $20,000 lifetime maximum reimbursement.

New! Bank of America Financial Wellness Program

Get help building financially health habits with Bank of America. Learn more here.

New! Fidelity Emergency Savings Program

Save for unexpected expenses through the new Fidelity Emergency Savings Program with after-tax payroll deductions.

New! Retiree Medical Savings Account Administrator

Your Retiree Medical Savings Account (RMSA) will be moving from Voya to Fidelity. No action is required.

Save More with Higher FSA and HSA Limits

The Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution limits are increasing, giving you more flexibility to save tax-advantaged money for eligible health care expenses.

  • Health Care FSA 2027 limit is increasing to $3,400
  • Dependent Care FSA 2027 remains the same at $7,500

Health Savings Account (HSA) maximum contribution is increasing to $4,500 for individual coverage and to $9,000 if you cover one or more dependents. Employer contributions are the same for 2027 of $500/$1,000 based on coverage level.

Expanded Tuition and Student Loan Benefits

Boston Children’s education and student loan support benefits through EdAssist help you pursue your goals with tuition assistance, accredited certificate programs, student loan support and coaching resources. The pre-tax education assistance limit is based on the tax-free benefit limit and may be increasing for 2027.

Earned Time Cash Out

While we encourage you to use your Earned Time (ET) to disconnect and refresh, if you find you are still earning enough time to take a cashout to avoid losing hours, this option is available for you. You can elect a cash out up to half of your ET hours that you will earn in the following year, 2027. The payout will happen on December 3, 2027. 

The window to elect is Tuesday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. ET, through Friday, November 6, 5:00 p.m. ET.

If you would like to elect to cash out ET hours, follow these steps:

  1. Log into UKG to elect.
  2. Read the Job Aid for details and instructions.
  3. Use the Estimator Tool to help assist in estimating your ET hours for next year.

Resources

Organization

Description

Job Aid

Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston Health National, LLC, Franciscan’s Children’s

This job aid provides a full overview of the program, instructions on how to elect cashout for 2027.

This job aid provides instruction on how to review last year’s election for cashout on 12/4/26.

Estimator Tool

All eligible organizations

To estimate your accrual for 2026, download this estimator to your desktop.
Questions? Contact HR Hub or email ET Cash Out directly at ETCashOut@childrens.harvard.edu
Technical Issues in UKG? Contact UKG at [LINK]

Franciscan’s Employees

If you are a Franciscan’s employee, enroll in PeopleSoft via the “PeopleSoft / MyApps.”